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Dexter Gordon, considered by some to be the first great bebop stylist on tenor saxophone, recorded most of the songs on Settin' the Pace when he was in his mid-twenties. Gordon was already a pro by this time, having played with Lionel Hampton's band and Nat "King" Cole while still a teenager.

Billy Joe Shaver became famous in the 1970s as the songwriter for country music "outlaws" like Waylon Jennings. Many of his recent songs are heartbreaking, reflecting the loss of his mother, wife and son within a year.

Gen-Xers love "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel, while their parents prefer "At Last" as sung by Etta James. Those are two of the most popular tunes NPR listeners selected in a recent NPR.org online poll on Valentine's Day music. Hear the songs and read the stories behind them.

The Breakthrough is the new recording by singer Mary J. Blige. It's her seventh studio album.

Cubist Music is the new recording by Puerto Rican pianist Edsel Gomez. It's on the Zoho label.

Rabbit Fur Coat is the debut solo album by Jenny Lewis, the former child-actress who is also the former lead singer of the cult-indie rock band Rilo Kiley.

The jazz trio headed by Sam Rivers has a new CD out, Violet Violets (Stunt label). Rivers' horn work is complemented by bassist Ben Street and Danish drummer Kresten Osgood.

The new CD from the Mary Lou Williams Collective is Zodiac Suite: Revisited. The trio, created by pianist Geri Allen, plays the tunes of Mary Lou Williams.

Last week, legendary jazz keyboardist Chick Corea released a new album titled The Ultimate Adventure. It features a blend of Corea's signature style from the 1970s with some modern twists. The album was inspired in part by the writings of Scientologist L. Ron Hubbard.

Day to Day previews our Friday profile of the Los Angeles-based rock band Brazzaville. The group has a new album out, called Welcome to Brazzaville.