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Jimmy Norman sang with the Coasters for three decades. He played with Hendrix and wrote lyrics for "Time is on My Side." At 70, he has his first nationally distributed solo CD: Little Pieces. Hear Norman and NPR's Scott Simon.

Library music, the instrumental sounds behind 1970s film, TV and radio productions, is a little-known treasure of soul, jazz and funk. Collector David Hollander has made it his mission to introduce library music to the masses.

Matthew Herbert employs the dripping sounds of petrol pumps to ignite "We're in Love," a subversive lament for the end of the oil age. The song is distinguished by sweeping strings, a gentle piano melody, dreamy horns and Dani Sicilliano's winsome voice.

On "Nile," Valerie Troutt approaches her lyrics with stirring conviction, but she never oversells the song. Fortunately, she doesn't have to — "Nile" is a ballad blessed with an enchanting melody and arrangement, brimming with thoughtful, heartfelt optimism.

One of the most beautiful, disquieting hip-hop tracks in recent memory, J Dilla's "Stop" packs its 99 seconds with melancholy strings and electric guitars, rugged beats and turntable scratches. The track is built on samples of Dionne Warwick's "You're Gonna Need Me."

Hear an in-studio performance by Alice Smith, a New York-based soul singer whose latest album is titled For Lovers, Dreamers, and Me. Smith also discusses her attempts to cross the boundaries of race in the music industry.

Ranking with John Coltrane and Coleman Hawkins as one of the all-time great tenor sax players, jazz legend Sonny Rollins has been recording fiery, passionate and intelligent music for nearly 60 years. Hear Rollins give an interview and in-studio performance.

The modernist composer's solo percussion music — fueled by quick pulses in bongos and the fat punctuations of bass drums — flows in a new recording.

The line features fringe-trimmed cowgirl dresses, rhinestone-bejeweled harnesses, gingham shirts and bandanas, concert T-shirts, toys and even a blond wig inspired by the singer.

The chamber ensemble earned two Grammy nominations for its 2009 album, which rearranged classic tunes by the jazz composer Dave Brubeck. On the eve of the Grammy Awards, the string quartet visited NPR to play songs like "Blue Rondo a la Turk."