Funk

The rawness is daring, and James has an unconventional vocal style, a deep baritone that’s soft and elegant and at times haunting – like a male Billie Holiday, a darker Lou Rawls or in a lot of ways a human adaptation of Coltrane’s sax work. (Chris Riemenschneider, Star Tribune)

“I thought singers like this didn’t exist anymore, I was wrong, José James is here to remind us why we love music so much!” (Gilles Peterson, BBC Radio 1)

Minneapolis-born jazz singer and composer José James presents music from his new album No Beginning No End (1/22/2013, Blue Note Records) in an intimate homecoming concert.

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A supergroup comprised of improvisational guitarist Steve Kimock (Phil Lesh and friends, Zero, Rhythm Devils, Heart of Gold Band), visionary "Wizard of Woo" keyboard player Bernie Worrell (Parliament-Funkadelic, Talking Heads), percussionist Wally Ingram (Timbuk3, David Lindley, Sheryl Crow, and just about everyone else), and bass player Andy Hess (Gov't Mule, The Black Crowes).

The Cedar is now air-conditioned for your year-round comfort!

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Twin Cities Funk & Soul: Lost R&B Grooves from Minneapolis & Saint Paul 1964-1979 is the first of its kind in uncovering and documenting the music on one double LP and CD that truly made the “Minneapolis Sound”. The soulful voices of Maurice McKinnies, Wanda Davis and Jackie Harris, whose singles have been long sought after on the collector’s market, are gathered in one place along with breakworthy R&B and psychedelic funk from Twin Cities bands including Prophets of Peace, Willie and the Bumblebees and The Lewis Connection. The sweet soul of Wee Willie Walker, The Valdons and Dave Brady and the Stars help round out an incredible package featuring 21 slamming tracks, vintage photographs, historical notes, interviews and articles.

...a horn-driven big band with vocalists who can scream or croon, as its music slyly adds even more layers of rhythm — many drawn from voodoo — to the Afrobeat and Latin-influenced funk of its neighbors, brilliantly raising the contrapuntal ante. (Top 10 Pop Albums of 2011, Jon Pareles, New York Times)

This is music for the people, people who want to dance to this raw mix of horns, guitar, organ on a driving bedrock of bass and drums. It’s amazing where all this brilliant music keeps coming from but you end up wondering how you’ve not come across it before (Graham Radley, worldmusic.co.uk)

The legendary voodoo funk band Orchestre Poly-Rythmo fires up the Cedar with their unique blast of psychedelic guitar riffs, unreal organ harmonies, funk and soul.

The Cedar is now air-conditioned for your year-round comfort!

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Summer starts early tonight with the return of Sierra Leone's Refugee Allstars, and their joyful, upbeat music rooted in old school reggae, funky African grooves and deep tribal chants drawn from their brilliant new album Radio Salone (April 24, Cumbancha) and their earlier gems Living Like a Refugee and Rise & Shine.

The Cedar is now air-conditioned for your year-round comfort!

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Brazilian percussionist, singer and bandleader Dendê live in concert at the Cedar, with his band for a night of Brazilian afro-funk and grooves.

The Cedar is now fully air-conditioned for your year-round comfort!

Ticket options and info

• On sale date: noon Fri Mar 9
• Phone: 612-338-2674 ext 2 ($2 fee per ticket)
• In person: From a Cedar volunteer in the front lobby during events (no fee; cash, check, credit card), Depth of Field (no fee; cash or check only), or Electric Fetus (small fee)
• Online: Ticketweb (fees apply) (click on red Buy Tickets button at top of this page)
• All Cedar shows are all ages.
• Students with ID may purchase tickets at a discount at the door.

Melodic and hard-hitting horn lines create a lyrical flow to the music of Chicago Afrobeat Project, undercut by a hypnotic, driven rhythm section.  Complex call-and-response percussion songs are dispersed throughout the dynamic live performances. This is a band that will keep you moving on the wide open dance floor all night!

The Cedar is now fully air-conditioned for your year-round comfort!

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Latin urban orchestra Locos Por Juana blends the infectious music of Colombia (cumbia, champeta and vallenato) with reggae, dub and funk to produce what the LA Times has called a “funky, pan-Latin amalgam,” and you'll call a "heckuva good time."

The Cedar is now fully air-conditioned for your year-round comfort!

Ticket options and info

• On sale date: noon Fri Sept 2
• Phone: 612-338-2674 ext 2 ($1 fee per ticket)
• In person: From a Cedar volunteer in the front lobby during events (no fee), Depth of Field (no fee), or Electric Fetus (small fee)
• Online: Ticketweb (fees apply) (click on red Buy Tickets button at top of this page)
• All Cedar shows are all ages.
• Students with ID may purchase tickets at a discount at the door.

New Year's Eve with That 1 Guy, the Magic Pipe, and the odd cowboy boot WILL be a night to remember! Who better to keep That 1 Guy company than the comrades in percussion of Savage Aural Hotbed. See out 2011 in style, and start 2012 off right.

The Cedar is now fully air-conditioned for your year-round comfort!

Ticket options and info

• On sale date: now
• Phone: 612-338-2674 ext 2 ($1 fee per ticket)
• In person: From a Cedar volunteer in the front lobby before and after shows (no fee), Depth of Field (no fee), or Electric Fetus (small fee)
• Online: Ticketweb (fees apply) (click on red Buy Tickets button at top of this page)
• All Cedar shows are all ages.
• Students with ID may gain discounted admission for tickets at the door.