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

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.

AndersonPonty Band’s “I See You Messenger” is a meeting of the minds between two still-vibrant and visionary musicians from the ’70s.

Full of moments of beauty and offbeat explorations, Kari Ikonen Trio’s ‘Beauteous Tales and Offbeat Stories’ goes beyond their sublime prior release ‘Bright’.

There’s more than a little satisfaction in hearing the champion of perhaps the most prestigious individual award from the straight jazz world stray way, way off the reservation.

There’s no let up in Shemekia Copeland found on ‘Outskirts of Love’; her hold on the Queen of the Blues crown is as firm as ever.

Randy Brecker knows his way around both pop and modern jazz. He puts both together so convincingly on this update of a Donald Fagen classic.

Pat Metheny aimed to construct a performance that could only spring from the fertile mind of his mentor Eberhard Weber. And, he succeeded.