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From the radiant voices of a Latvian choir to a fresh young string quartet and a seasoned symphony, NPR's Tom Huizenga and host Jacki Lyden spin an eclectic mix of new classical releases.

The best albums of 2007 include a plethora of reliable favorites, whether they're treading new stylistic ground (Iron and Wine), returning to roots (Wilco) or merely holding steady (Spoon). And, of course, a few new favorites join the mix, too.

Banning Eyre, senior editor of Afropop.org, shines the spotlight on Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean with his picks for the year's best albums. Among his selections: Watina, an effort by singer Andy Palacio to preserve the culture of the Garifuna people of Central America.

WBGO Morning Jazz host Gary Walker shares his favorite jazz recordings of 2007. Among the artists he singles out: Michael Brecker, Abbey Lincoln, Maria Schneider and Ron Carter.

A nearly 200-year-old music manuscript by composer Frédéric Chopin was recently unearthed at a museum in New York.

The Puerto Rican rapper has risen through the ranks of Latin pop, collaborating with artists like Karol G and Bad Bunny. With her playful, experimental debut Att., she's poised to be a bigger star.

The best new music releases out of Africa in 2009 reveal two strong trends. First, the whole notion of blues and rock intermingling with their ancestral precursors in West Africa continues to yield fruit, and the blends just keep getting better. New uses of technology provide the other big story, as hybrids of tradition and techno turn a new generation of listeners on to Africa.

The new economy of jazz has forced many musicians to adopt a "go lean" approach; more than ever, three is a magic number. Trio recordings in jazz are not uncommon, but the trinity's proliferation this year makes the case that less is more. Sample five upcoming trio discs.

Just like the classical masters before them, Kansas City composers use local landscapes as inspiration for their work. And, as temperatures warm up, local musicians find new, open-air venues for their performances.

Julie Blackmon's 'Records' // 'ironhorses' by Nick Omiccioli