Drummer/composer Billie Davies’ latest stop in her musical journey is a fruitful pairing of what she brought into New Orleans with what New Orleans brought to her.

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’.

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.

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

An accomplished jazz singer, Carol Duboc flexes her R&B chops as well as her songwriting skill on this self-penned 10-song album.

Delightful, lifting and energetic, ‘Mort Weiss Is a Jazz Reality Show’ recalls the best vintage straight-ahead jazz – but done the Mort Weiss way.

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.

Reaching out to anyone who enjoys improvised music, Dead Neanderthals’ ‘Worship the Sun’ is simple, coherent and above all, fun.

With ‘Baboon Strength,’ released on Sept. 9, 2008, Charlie Hunter didn’t waver so much between an R&B-influenced feel and the abstract.