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Odetta, who died on Dec. 2, left a 50-year legacy of freedom and celebration. In this interview with David Dye, recorded on Martin Luther King Day in 2004, Odetta speaks of her performance at the March on Washington and her music from an influential childhood in segregated America.

Cold War Kids' Loyalty to Loyalty spills a soulful yell over bluesy post-punk songs. Here, the band plays an unconventional version of "Something Is Not Right With Me" and discusses how the band copes with blog backlash.

It's been a good couple of years for producers like Mark Ronson and Timbaland to step out from the boards and record their own music. Raphael Saadiq has helmed recordings for John Legend and Joss Stone, but just made a standout solo soul album. Hear a session from WXPN.

Chicago-based jazz drummer, bandleader and concert presenter Mike Reed knows how to shape an aesthetic. He's the force behind the Pitchfork Music Festival, but also a musician with a keen eye for source material. Here, he tackles Max Roach's "Garvey's Ghost."

Southern California-based Faded Paper Figures wears its inspirations on its sleeve. On its MySpace page, bands such as The Postal Service and Stars are listed as major influences – a fact that's easy to hear on the electro-pop trio's debut, Dynamo. It features intriguing lyrics, the occasional duet, and plenty of drum machines and programmed keyboards.

Taj Mahal's new album, Maestro, celebrates an illustrious career, mingling original work with genre classics and songs written by some of the many artists he's influenced, including Ben Harper, Ziggy Marley and Los Lobos. Hear a session from WXPN.

Conor Oberst says he's not deliberately thinking about fleeing home — but it keeps coming up in his songs. He's written about a road trip, the healing powers of the road and escape. For his latest album, which is self-titled, he recorded on the grounds of a vacant hotel in Mexico.

In a concert recorded by Swiss Radio DRS2, the charismatic Richard Bona has a heavenly voice and plays a funky bass. His newest CD is Bona Makes You Sweat, and at the 2008 Basel Jazz Festival, he goes further than that. Bona makes you swoon, sing, stand up and boogie with his band from Africa, the Caribbean and the U.S.

Detroit-born pianist, composer and university professor Geri Allen is a musician of great depth and creativity. Allen's compositional skills are on display as she plays her own tune "Avatar," and she gets together with host Marian McPartland for Charlie Parker's "Another Hairdo."

Singer-songwriter Michael Angelakos compiled the Chunk of Change EP on his own with the intention of giving it to his girlfriend as a Valentine's Day gift. Balancing an infectious explosion of sound with soft and subtle tones, the EP quickly made its way across his school's campus.