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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.

Global superstar Tom Jones is back on the charts with the release of 24 Hours, his first U.S. album in more than 15 years. The singer who gained fame with 1965 hit "It's Not Unusual" opted to be more involved in the songwriting process for this album, and the result is a collection of intimate songs that still retain his signature pop sensibility.

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.

Ever since the dawn of digital delivery, we've been hearing about how the single-song download is killing the album. But at the Grammy Awards, which take place Sunday night in Los Angeles, there's still a category for Album of the Year. Tom Moon profiles the nominees.

The great Les McCann is a veteran entertainer who's spent many years in jazz clubs, making sly humor of hard work. The gravel in his voice pairs sweetly with Javon Jackson's smooth tenor, as they revisit McCann's history-making LP Swiss Movement — celebrating its 40th anniversary this year — and more.

Latin music would not exist without bongos, congas or timbales — all percussion instruments, all with roots in Africa. Likewise, there wouldn't be Latin music without other African influences, such as syncopation. Latin percussionist, composer and bandleader Bobby Sanabria gives a primer on the close roots that Latin and jazz music share with the sound and soul of West Africa.

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.

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.

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.