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For the Perry siblings of Tupelo, Miss. — ages 9, 14 and 16 — making music involves making unique instruments from car parts. The young family band with astonishingly mature blues chops demonstrates its craft in NPR's Studio 4A.

The Latin percussionist's classic 1972 album captures one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century at his peak. Bobby Sanabria, himself an award-winning bandleader, discusses the music and career of "El Rey del Timbal," Tito Puente.

More than so many other kinds of music, jazz takes its tradition seriously. So it makes sense that so jazz musicians feel such visceral connections to their ancestors — and honor them in song. Hear cuts from four new albums.

The Arcade Fire put out a brilliant debut album in 2004's Funeral. They spent the better part of 2006 in a church outside Montreal, creating Neon Bible. Like their debut, the 10-piece band's music is full of percussion, strings and smart lyrics.

Riot grrrl legend Carrie Brownstein's excellent new memoir takes readers from her difficult childhood to the rise and fall (and rise again) of her band Sleater-Kinney, which she says saved her life.

Horvitz is one of those musicians who does almost everything — from leading a small group of improvisers to conducting a big band, and from composing for symphony orchestra to running a nightclub.

Jazz trumpeter Terence Blanchard talks about his new, younger sound and his band's latest CD, Flow.

Baritone saxophonist Josh Sinton has a healthy obsession with the music of Steve Lacy, who remains an enduring figure in jazz. With the recent release of Transit, his second volume of Lacy originals, Sinton selects five key Lacy performances and explains why they're important.

Works by Brahms, Zaimont, Ravel, Debussy, Cage, Glass and others this Friday (12/5, rebroadcast Saturday 12/6)

The unique sound of the band Drink Me consists of guitars, ukuleles and the rhythmic rubbing of a Fanta soda bottle. Its songs explore topics from singing clams and sleeping accordions to heart attacks and Grant's Tomb. Producer Trey Kay reports on the quirky, poetic duo that plays music billed as "the quietest rock 'n' roll ever made."