World Cafe

The Head and the Heart was formed after five twentysomethings met at an open mic night in Seattle.

"None of us knew each other beforehand," recalls singer Josiah Johnson. "I just happened to go to the same open mic. [Jonathan Russell] played some songs and I played some songs, then we started talking and hanging out."

Looking at Andrew Mayer Cohen in his Buddy Holly glasses, styled like Michael Buble's little brother, he could easily be construed as another poppy heart-breaker. But this young soul man from Detroit is actually a rising hip-hop and R&B artist. Known as Mayer Hawthorne in the music world, he's built an impressive reputation for himself.

Friends since college, guitarist and vocalist Israel Nebeker and drummer Ryan Dobrowski are the essence of Portland's Blind Pilot. From the beginning, their minimalist folk-rock sound has revolved around simple melodies, sparse drumming and warm vocals.

Blitzen Trapper's rise to fame has been nontraditional, to say the least. According to frontman Eric Earley, who writes most of its music, the band was homeless up through the 2008 tour for its breakout fourth album, Furr. This was a year after the "reluctant success," as Earley called it, of Wild Mountain Nation.

With more than 70 albums and 15 Grammys to his name, Tony Bennett is not just a staple of contemporary jazz music — he's a legend. His signature sound has evolved into just the right mix of jazz and pop, influenced by greats such as Al Jolson and Louis Armstrong.

Throughout the week, World Cafe travels to Dublin, Ireland — the first stop in a quarterly series called Sense of Place. We hope to give you an idea of the past and present of the city's local music scene and provide tips from musicians and music lovers for those hoping to visit this culturally rich town.

Celebrated Canadian singer-songwriter Leslie Feist released her fourth studio album, Metals, earlier this year. Metals is a bit more chaotic, and a bit more liberating, than her 2007 commercial breakthrough, The Reminder. Feist describes the new record as being "about un-simplifying things and leaning on these masterful minds I have so much respect for." The record is about people — and, she explains, was created by "the movement of a lot of humans."

Throughout the week, World Cafe travels to Dublin, Ireland — the first stop in a quarterly series called Sense of Place. We hope to give you an idea of the past and present of the city's local music scene and provide tips from musicians and music lovers for those hoping to visit this culturally rich town.

The Detroit dream-pop duo Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. released its Horse Power EP in July 2010, and followed it with a set of remixes, including one of Junip's "In Every Direction." Easily capturing the sunny warmth of surf pop, the EP takes traditional pop structures and fills them with lush melodies that melt together with upbeat guitar maneuvers and dashes of electronic soundplay.

Throughout the week, World Cafe travels to Dublin, Ireland — the first stop in a quarterly series called Sense of Place. We hope to give you an idea of the past and present of the city's local music scene and provide tips from musicians and music lovers for those hoping to visit this culturally rich town.