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Bird is a gangly, classically trained violinist who mixes jazz, folk and quirky art-pop with whistled melodies. Along the way, he's attracted the kind of screaming crowds normally reserved for pop stars. Hear what hype is all about when NPR Music webcasts Bird's entire concert from the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C., tonight, Feb. 3. The live stream will begin online at approximately 8 p.m. ET, with an opening performance by Loney Dear.

The Cramps took the rumbling sound of 1950s rockabilly and surf music and slowed it to a haunting crawl. The band's leader, Lux Interior, was the ultimate showman. He threw himself around the stage, and his growl hiccuped like Buddy Holly. He died Wednesday of a heart condition.

Kay Thompson was a musical director for MGM Studios, the author of the Eloise children's books and the star of her own long-running nightclub act. Liza Minnelli pays tribute to her real-life godmother in her latest, sold-out revue.

In this archival interview, Terry Gross speaks with singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen about his inspirations, writing style and thoughts about his earlier work.

Like the title suggests, White Flag, the latest album from neo-folk singer-songwriter Madeline, exudes an air of quiet resignation. On "Telephone Daydream," for example, Adams sings of death, feeling alone and inadequate. But the hopeless album title may be a bit deceptive.

The disco project of New York-based DJ Andy Butler, Hercules and Love Affair cites influences ranging from Chicago to Magic Carpet to Soundpatrol, all of which rear their heads on a self-titled debut album that conjures images of Saturday Night Fever and '70s punk. Here, the band performs disco-soaked electronica from its acclaimed self-titled debut.

With the exception of an occasional instrument here or there, Peasant is entirely the work of one man: Damien DeRose. The small town of Doylestown, PA is the base of Peasant's operations, which is a fitting origin for DeRose's intimate and earthy neo-folk songs. On his second album, On the Ground, DeRose sings of the hopes and fears associated with life and love like a more optimistic version of Elliott Smith.

This year's oldest Grammy nominee is Delta blues pianist Pinetop Perkins. He's played with the likes of Sonny Boy Williamson and Muddy Waters. He says he even performed for a U.S. president at the White House — though at 95, he can't remember which one.

The daughter of a diplomat, Rokia Traore has built her musical career around a stylish, natural assimilation of African and European cultures. Reviewer Banning Eyre says that the opening track from Traore's new album, Tchamantche, tells the whole story.

Lionel Gilles Loueke (GIL), Ferenc Nemeth (FE) and Massimo Biolcati (MA) form the core of Gilfema, a cross-border collaboration with a jazz foundation. In a session from WBGO, the band displays an egalitarian aesthetic rooted in finding common ground as musicians.