World Cafe on KRVS

All month, World Cafe invites listeners to discover the music of Havana, Cuba with the series Sense of Place.

"I always try to find art in everything I do, because I believe in music as a way of life. For me it's like a game, to mix everything I learn with my roots."

Southern rhythms have always been in Patterson Hood's blood. Born in Alabama as the son of David Hood, a bassist for the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, young Patterson started writing songs at age 8.

Kelly Hogan is a professional backup singer who spends a lot of time on the road with her friends Neko Case, Jakob Dylan, Andrew Bird, Robyn Hitchcock and many others.

Chicago's Save the Clocktower formed in 2008 and kicked off its career in earnest the next year, when longtime friends Greg Newton (drums, vocals), Jimmy Shenk (keyboards) and Sean Paras (guitar/vocals) recorded their self-titled EP. In 2011, they released their first full-length album, Carousel, which is available as a free download on their Bandcamp page. Recently, a fourth member was added: bass player and older brother to Greg, Chris Newton.

The members of the inventive, experimental rock band Animal Collective first met in school in Baltimore County, Md. After collaborating throughout high school and college, they released their debut album as a group, Here Comes the Indian, in 2003. More studio albums followed, including the 2009 breakout Merriweather Post Pavilion.