NPR Music

The Portland, Ore., band Blitzen Trapper makes its first appearance on Mountain Stage, recorded live in Charleston, W.V. Led by singer-songwriter Eric Earley, the group has followed an unconventional path; Earley tells host Larry Groce that prior to the band's breakout, he spent a couple years living as a squatter in a rehearsal space.

Experience the wide world of hip-hop with Ali Shaheed Muhammad, DJ, producer and one-third of the legendary group A Tribe Called Quest, and NPR Music editor Frannie Kelley. We aim to bring you the full breadth of rap music, everything from old school classics to new school favorites.

There's a lot of astounding information in this comprehensive profile of trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, "the reigning patriarch of Detroit jazz." After touring with Ray Charles for years, and getting opportunities with Max Roach and Charles Mingus, Belgrave opted not to stick it out in New York like many musicians of his caliber. Instead, he chose Detroit, where he's been since 1963.