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Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, stars of the hit 2007 movie Once, recently sat down with NPR's Melissa Block. Now performing as The Swell Season, they discuss their new album (Strict Joy), perform two songs and surprise each other with new revelations about a song's meaning.

Musicians Johan Karlberg and Etienne Tron first met Malawi-born Esau Mwamwaya running a junk shop outside their studio. The two were eager to befriend Mwamwaya, in part because they thought he was an African drummer. Turns out, he was much more. The three have formed a group called The Very Best and released Warm Heart of Africa in October.

The centuries-old rhythm of Cumbia music evolved from African slaves and indigenous Colombians. But mutant strains of the genre have permeated the music scene in Los Angeles, from immigrant cantinas to Hollywood clubs.

The Oklahoma-based rockers have been steadily mining new sonic territory for over a quarter-century — a trend that continues on their new album. Front man Wayne Coyne discusses the release, plus a very naked music video and a forthcoming homage to Pink Floyd.

On Jan. 25, the American Symphony Orchestra will give the U.S. premieres of composers from the former East Germany. It's music most Americans have never heard. Conductor Leon Botstein says that the music of Eisler, Fessay and Matthus often experiments within the tradition of Bach and Mozart.

In honor of Miles Davis' 50th-anniversary Kind of Blue reissue, music writer Ashley Kahn looks at a few of the stories behind the scenes of the legendary recording sessions.

Richie Havens is the man who opened Woodstock, and he hasn't stopped performing or inspiring ever since. Here, the legendary folk singer and guitarist discusses his new album, Nobody Left to Crown.

Grammy Award-winning jazz musician Freddie Hubbard has died at the age of 70. He collaborated with such greats as John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins. Hubbard had been hospitalized since a heart attack last month.

A genre-bending indie-rock band with a bluesy twang and country-fried riffs, Blitzen Trapper wears its influences proudly. The group's latest album, Furr, has been a favorite of critics, who've placed it on many "Best of 2008" lists.

News from Somalia usually involves violent warlords or pirates hijacking ships off the coast. Other than that, average Somalis don't have much of a voice. The rapper K'Naan is trying to change that, and in the world of hip-hop, he's become an artist to watch.