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Dafnis Prieto came to New York from Cuba more than a decade ago. He needed very little time to scare the pants off most drummers in jazz and Afro-Cuban music. In a session from WBGO, Prieto superimposes the clave over the role of each member of the Si O Si Quartet.

The Mexican duo Rodrigo y Gabriela is known for nimble-fingered classical guitar work and a diverse musical background that fuses traditional flamenco music with heavy metal and rock. The pair's new record, 11:11, features 11 songs dedicated to 11 different musical influences in Rodrigo y Gabriela's lives — from Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix to the jazz-fusion band Shakti.

An unlikely pair has come together to interpret the words and atmosphere of Jack Kerouac's autobiographical novel. Benjamin Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie) and Jay Farrar (of Son Volt and Uncle Tupelo) have both found inspiration in Kerouac's prose, creating a song cycle with country tinges.

A former child prodigy, Bonamassa began playing guitar at age 7, and soon caught the attention of B.B. King. At 12, Bonamassa was opening shows for the blues icon and would later support the likes of Buddy Guy and Gregg Allman. In the decades since, Bonamassa has gained a reputation as one of his generation's great blues players. Hear him in a session on World Cafe.

The hard-living Poole sold 102,000 copies of a song in 1931. His work has been covered by the likes of Jerry Garcia, The Chieftains and Tom T. Hall. Nevertheless, Poole remains obscure. Singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III means to change that with a two-CD tribute to Poole called High Wide & Handsome.

The pop band Weezer is known for its quirky nods to pop culture, most notably in music videos that reference the Muppets and the Internet's most popular memes. Now, the rock band has embraced the Snuggie — the blanket you can wear.

Train possesses a singing voice from another era, but her speaking voice is surprisingly youthful and down-to-earth — a compelling combination, to be sure. Hear the singer-songwriter in a session from WFUV.

You may not recognize the name James Hand, but that's just because you've never heard anything like him. The 57-year-old Texan has been in hidden away in country music scene for years, and if his third album Shadow of the Ground shows his age, critic Ken Tucker says it's just that Hand doesn't care what you think.

Pianist Aaron Diehl is a fresh graduate of The Juilliard School of Music, but he's most assuredly an up-and-coming force in jazz. Dubbed "The Real Diehl" by Wynton Marsalis, Diehl displays brilliant technique and a truly creative approach to music, whether he's interpreting Tatum, Ellington or Mozart. He joins Marian McPartland on "Afternoon in Paris" and "One Morning in May."

With the help of legendary Nashville session musicians and a little paternal assistance from Paul Simon, Harper Simon has just released his solo debut. But don't be fooled by his pedigree: The younger musician has his own sound.