World Cafe on The Gateway KWMU2

The Latin Alternative band Y La Bamba formed in Portland, Ore., in 2008 and attracted attention for its disarming fusion of traditional Mexican music and alternative rock.

Idaho native and folk-rock singer-songwriter Josh Ritter has been named one of the 100 Best Living Songwriters by Paste. Ritter's seventh album, The Beast in Its Tracks, is out this week; inspired by the breakup of his marriage, the record offers a raw and personal account of heartbreak and recovery.

Boston-based R&B singer-songwriter Jesse Dee has opened for concerts by soul legends Etta James and Al Green, among others. Released last month, his debut album On My Mind, In My Heart is an energetic collection of funky, feel-good grooves.

Romy Croft, Oliver Sim and Jamie Smith are The xx, an indie-pop band formed in the London borough of Wandsworth. Layering spare arrangements with synths, pulsing bass and haunting vocals, The xx's minimalist approach helped win the trio's debut, xx, the Mercury Prize for Best Album in 2010.

Bryan Ferry says he only listens to 1920s jazz these days — and The Jazz Age, the new album from The Bryan Ferry Orchestra, backs up that claim. The Jazz Age finds Ferry doing a lot of listening, as he neither sings nor plays on the record.