Soul

Internationally acclaimed, socially conscious Ghanaian rapper M.anifest releases his new EP Apae in 2013, building upon his success with two studio albums Immigrant Chronicles: Coming to America and Manifestations, and high-profile collaborative recordings with Damon Albarn (Gorillaz), Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Afrobeat co-founder Tony Allen, Erykah Badu, and more. 

He has been described as an artist with “an incredible gift” (the run off groove) who possesses “the kind of assured, joyful, ruminative voice that made Mos Def into Hollywood's favorite conscious-rap star" (City Pages).

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Charles Bradley, victim of love. Other artists appreciate their audiences, just as many are grateful for them, but few artists love their fans as much and as sincerely as Charles Bradley. By now, his remarkable, against-all-odds rise has been well-documented – how he transcended a bleak life on the streets and struggled through a series of ill-fitting jobs – most famously as a James Brown impersonator at Brooklyn clubs – before finally being discovered by Daptone's Gabriel Roth.

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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SORRY FOLKS, Paloma's tour has been CANCELLED.

Cold Specks – the stage name of 23 year-old Al Spx – has been receiving accolades in both her native Canada and her adopted home country of the UK. Marked by elegantly stylized field hollers, her haunting, minimalist and layered ‘doom-soul’ music has an old-time blues singer’s raw urgency and an indie folk spirit, sung in a compelling dark alto.

The Arts & Crafts and Mute Records artist’s latest album 'I Predict a Graceful Expulsion' has received nearly universal rave reviews, and has made the short list for the 2012 Polaris Prize.

Please give Cold Specks an extra warm as she makes her headlining debut at The Cedar after her spellbinding set opening for Great Lake Swimmers in May this year.

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.

89.3 The Current believes Minnesota music rocks and wants to spotlight it live and out in the community. On Wednesday, June 27, join 89.3 The Current for “Local Current Live”—a showcase of our local music scene. The concert will feature a great mix of local acts: the folk soul of Chastity Brown, the airy indie pop of Van Stee and the sassy hip-hop collective The Chalice. The Local Current crew—David Campbell, Andrea Swensson, and Jon Schober—will also DJ between band sets.
 
“We’re always looking for new ways to share our love of local music and support our scene. Curating a show seemed like a natural fit,” said David Campbell. DJ/host of 89.3 The Current’s “The Local Show.” “Watching bands perform is pretty much the official pastime here at The Current. You hear music you know in a whole new way when musicians and audience commune for a live instillation of the work.” Read more »

...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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Canadian folk rockers Great Lake Swimmers return to The Cedar on tour in support of their fifth full length album New Wild Everywhere, the followup to 2009's breakout Lost Channels. They are joined by rising star Cold Specks, whose eerily penetrating 'doom soul' music is steeped in the musical traditions of the Deep South.

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"Chastity Brown, a Memphis girl-turned-Minnesotan....The pure, raw emotion that this woman generates is something even veteran blues and soul artists could take a lesson from. The girl emotes, and emotes with passion."

An awesome triple bill to celebrate the release of Chastity Brown's new album Back Road Highways! Opening sets by local Americana faves Romantica and Black Audience will be followed by a rockin' full band performance by Chastity. Read more »