Noah Preminger’s own story is increasingly that about a tenor saxophonist of unquestioned talent with passion and an appetite for risk taking. All of those things are on display on ‘Pivot: Live at the 55 Bar’.

‘Talk Is Cheap,’ released by the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards on Oct. 3, 1988, was an island of rock and roll grit in a sea of shallow glitter.

Every song from Taj Mahal’s ‘Maestro,’ released on Sept. 30, 2008, was a change up. He’s a Swiss Army knife of the blues.

Once again, noted Ottawa music critic Peter Hum walks the walk with a mainstream jazz album full of strong compositions and strong performances.

With ‘Arena,’ released on Sept. 29, 2008, Todd Rundgren again created music best heard cranked to 10 – loud enough to hear on the very back row.

Walter Becker’s ’11 Tracks of Whack,’ released on Sept. 27, 1994, is both a neglected minor treasure and a delightfully peculiar album.

Ben Folds’ ‘Way to Normal,’ released in September 2008, found him recalling past glories, even as he became ever more potty mouthed.

The bop delight ‘Past Present’ is a new classic to go alongside those vintage John Scofield Quartet classics.

Animation’s ‘Machine Language,’ a final gift from Bob Belden, leaves no doubt that his adventurous spirit lives on. Hopefully, forever.

‘Step It Up’ is not merely a title just as ‘The Jeff Lorber Fusion’ isn’t merely a name. It’s a challenge and Lorber with Jimmy Haslip rose up to meet it.