Nordic Roots Festival 2007 will feature Harv, JPP, Ruth MacKenzie's Kalevala: Dream of the Salmon Maiden 10th Anniversary Concert,
Sinikka Langeland Trio, [ni:d], Den Fule, and Lännen-Jukka String Band! The festival will run over three days from the evening of Friday Sept 28 through to Sunday Sept 30 evening, with morning workshops and afternoon and evening concerts both days of the weekend.

Festival passes are on sale from The Cedar and Ticketweb now for only $99. Pass-holders gain admission and access to the premium, front centrally-located seating area for all five Nordic Roots Festival concerts.

This year’s festival offers up some particularly exciting examples of transatlantic cross-fertilization: local artist Ruth MacKenzie will launch the festival with a special one-off 10th anniversary concert reprise of her remarkable Kalevala: Dream of the Salmon Maiden project, featuring many of the musical performers from the original theatrical productions. SORRY, ALL TICKETS HAVE SOLD OUT. THERE MAY STILL BE AVAILABLE NORDIC ROOTS FESTIVAL PASSES FOR $99, GIVING YOU ENTRANCE AND PREFERRED SEATING TO ALL FIVE NORDIC ROOTS SHOWS--CALL THE CEDAR FOR MORE INFORMATION (612-338-2674 EXT 0). We encourage you to explore other Festival offerings!

Nordic Roots Festival 2007 will feature Harv, JPP, Ruth MacKenzie's Kalevala: Dream of the Salmon Maiden 10th Anniversary Concert,
Sinikka Langeland Trio, [ni:d], Den Fule, and Lännen-Jukka String Band! The festival will run over three days from the evening of Friday Sept 28 through to Sunday Sept 30 evening, with morning workshops and afternoon and evening concerts both days of the weekend.

Festival passes are on sale from The Cedar and Ticketweb now for only $99. Pass-holders gain admission and access to the premium, front centrally-located seating area for all five Nordic Roots Festival concerts.

A newcomer to the Festival, the unalphabetizable trio [ni:d] features the fluid fiddle of Mia Gustafsson and cool sax of Hanna Wiskari in their instrumental ensemble music with jazz, folk, and classical overtones.

"Their music felt like the early primeurs of spring or the first tender green
leaves of the beech wood, all bathed in a special light. The light! It may not be very
common to associate
music with light, but that was one of the first sensuous impressions I got from
[ni:d]´s tone art. Totally unique! When listening, I can only close my eyes and go on a sparklingly
clear journey through the warm sound and light landscape of [ni:d]. I hope you,
as a listener, can do the same." (Mikael Marin [Vasen], Producer)

Festival favorites include the Finnish stringband JPP, touring in support of their excellent 2006 release Artology (which includes not only their trademark Finnish folkloric fiddle tunes, but also a tribute to swing fiddler Stuff Smith, and a Finnish tango piece)

Nordic Roots Festival 2007 will feature Harv, JPP, Ruth MacKenzie's Kalevala: Dream of the Salmon Maiden 10th Anniversary Concert,
Sinikka Langeland Trio, [ni:d], Den Fule, and Lännen-Jukka String Band! The festival will run over three days from the evening of Friday Sept 28 through to Sunday Sept 30 evening, with morning workshops and afternoon and evening concerts both days of the weekend.

Festival passes are on sale from The Cedar and Ticketweb now for only $99. Pass-holders gain admission and access to the premium, front centrally-located seating area for all five Nordic Roots Festival concerts.

In a completely new direction for the festival, Lännen-Jukka String Band, featuring Finnish pop music star J. Karjalainen, fearlessly tackles in Finnish the Charley Patton-inspired blues of fellow Finn Lännen-Jukka. Lännen-Jukka spent over a decade as a young man in pre-depression era USA, traveling the rails and absorbing the folk, hillbilly and blues stylings of the time, before returning to a quiet life in Finland until his death in 1981.

Harv started out in the folk fiddle duet tradition, but has now expanded to being a lively quartet.

Eleni MandellHowe GelbA rare night with two distinctively-voiced and fiercely independently-minded singer-songwriters: Howe Gelb and Eleni Mandell!

As guitarist, composer and vocalist, Washington D.C. native Joel Harrison occupies a musical space between many worlds: jazz, African and Indian, contemporary classical, blues and Appalachian songs all have a place in his unique approach.
In early 2006, Joel Harrison was commissioned by Chamber Music America and
the French
Cultural Alliance to compose music for an allstar group of French and
American jazz
musicians. The music on Harbor (released in April on Highnote) is a crossroads of jazz, rock, Indian, and African
music where lyricism
meets electronics, raga meets jazz harmony, and the after effects of Miles
meets Messiaen
and the Middle East. The sophisticated writing marks Harrison as one of the
jazz world’s
premier composers. Renowned guitarist Pete McCann replaces French-Vietnamese
guitarist
Nguyen Le for this tour.

Open Stage with host Baby Grant Johnson. Johnson has been performing in bands and solo since the 1980's. Most notably with bands such as Beyond Zebra who released two albums for Twin/Tone records in the early 1990's.

The Cedar welcomes back acoustic/pop duo Storyhill, riding high on the success of their Red House Records release Storyhill. Produced by Grammy winner Dan Wilson, the new album represents a return to their roots and highlights the qualities that have brought them so far from the early days in Montana: strong melodies and consistently great singing. Intense slide guitarist Kelly Joe Phelps will open for Storyhill, and brings his own magic to the evening.

The University of Minnesota School of Music will celebrate the life of
Mirjana "Minja" Lausevic, in a service at the Cedar Cultural Center on
Saturday, October 13, 2007 at 12:30 p.m.

Rogarian Baba-que: Artwork by Aaron PrinsenThe Upper Midwest's finest Balkan and International dance band is in the mood to celebrate, and you're invited! Orkestar Bez Ime's trilogy of International folkdance music is complete with the release of their third CD, "Nice Driveway Vol 3: Rogarian Baba-que". OBI's new CD features more of the band's appealing blend of traditional tunes drawn from Balkan sources and beyond including yet another Rogarian original, "Tumikol". Using a mix of folk and modern instruments—including accordion, clarinet, dumbek, flute, guitar, kaval, tambura, violin and voice—the group (Colleen Bertsch, Dee Langley, Katrina Mundinger, Natalie Nowytski, and Tim Wahl) stays close to traditional Eastern Europe through its Rogarian melting-pot sensibility. Join OBI for the music of Armenia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Kosovo (Albania), Macedonia, Moldavia, Romania, Rusyn, Serbia, Sweden and, of course, Rogaria.

Eugene ChadbourneA seemingly endless--and endlessly eclectic--series of releases has made the innovative guitarist Dr Eugene Chadbourne ("Jack") one of the underground community's most well known and well-regarded eccentrics; he was frontman for Shockabilly, worked with members of Camper Van Beethoven and Fred Frith, and continues to explore unique styles of music, perfored on a variety of instruments including the electric rake. Jimmy Carl Black ("Jim"), original drummer and vocalist with The Mothers Of Invention ("Hi, boys and girls, I'm Jimmy Carl Black and I'm the Indian of the group."), not only appeared on more than 15 of the original Zappa/Mothers albums, he also starred in the Zappa movie "200 Motels" with Ringo Starr and Keith Moon, played drums with Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band and recorded countless albums around the States and Europe.

An evening of intelligent, lyrical songs from one of the best of the next generation of singer-songwriters, Idahoan Josh Ritter. Josh and a full band will be celebrating the August 21 Sony release of his highly anticipated label debut The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter. Arriving at the apex of a breakout year, Historical Conquests—Ritter’s fourth full-length CD—follows the success of the critically acclaimed The Animal Years (2006), which The Boston Globe described as his “most intensely political, deeply personal, and darkly ambitious disc yet...” Paste Magazine named him one of the “100 Best Living Songwriters” and author Stephen King named it his #1 album of 2006 stating, “This is the most exuberant outburst of imagery since Bob Dylan’s A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall.”

THE October 18 CéU SHOW HAS BEEN CANCELLED. PLEASE WATCH OUR WEBSITE FOR A FUTURE RESCHEDULED DATE! Just when you think that Brazil must surely have exhausted its supply of irresistibly jazzy, funky, sexy, soulful electro-pop singer-songwriters, someone like CéU comes along and makes you think that maybe that particular well is bottomless after all.

Join premier autoharp and dulcimer player Karen Mueller as she celebrates the release of her latest CD, "Landscape of the Heart." The album is a joyous nod to her prairie roots, full of upbeat tunes and songs, including traditional, original and contemporary pieces. Performing with Karen tonight will be two long-time musical friends, Pete Mathison on bass and vocals (Cousin Dad, Farm Accident), and Lisa Fuglie on fiddle, mandolin and vocals (Monroe Crossing).

Lebanon's composer/musician Marcel Khalifé is a master and innovator of the oud (fretless lute) and a pioneer of contemporary Arab song. Renowned throughout the Middle East for over three decades, he has sustained a following akin to pop artists. In 2005, he was named UNESCO Artist for Peace. Performing on oud and vocals, he will be accompanied by the Al Mayadine Ensemble in a program featuring works from his new recording Taqasim, as well as selections from his older repertoire.

TICKET ADVISORY: A good supply of tickets will be available for purchase at the door tonight--bring ALL the family!

Mike Silverman (a.k.a. That 1 Guy) may have started as a classically trained bassist, but with his creation of the beautiful monstrosity that is The Magic Pipe, he has entered weirdly wonderful, deliciously uncharted territory. Seven feet of galvanized steel and hardware store trinkets, the metallic, one-stringed instrument is brought to life by an array of electronic gadgets. Silverman claims the pipe, "not only has a limitless harmonic and sonic range, but limitless rhythmic possibilities as well." When That 1 Guy performs live, his imagination is what truly seems limitless. On top of his infectious, innovative style, the artist throws more avant-garde treats into the mix, like impassioned Whodini covers and electrified cowboy boots.

Zipp's Liquors & The Seward Co-op present: The Bi-Annual
Zipp's/Seward Wine Show and Tasting...over 150 wines, tons of unique
spirits, lots of cool beer and fresh food to sample...all to benefit
one of the coolest non-profits around: The Cedar Cultural Center!

Tickets

$25 from LocalWineEvents.com

Issa

ISSA. That is the name she now goes by. The artist formerly known as Jane Siberry now answers to Issa (ee-sah). Why, you might ask her? “It was time.” In her own trademark fashion of never following fads or trends, Issa furthers her consistent evolution as an artist. In the spring of 2006, for example, she sold off or gave away most of her possessions, including a home in Toronto. “I want to live in a more grateful way and be available to follow the current,” said Issa. And how do these changes find a place in her artistry? Issa now finds her home where her he(art) is. Being weighed down only by a knapsack and performing commitments, she can stay and work wherever she is inspired. “In letting go of everything,” she says, “it also means letting go of knowing how to write music. But I do know the world is restless for a new kind of music. As am I. Past music is not serving us as it used to. We are all changing.”

Yuri YunakovBulgaria’s most famous saxophonist, Yuri Yunakov, was born in Haskovo, Bulgaria, of Turkish Rom ancestry and rose to fame with the band "Mladost" and his subsequent 10 year collaboration with Ivo Papazov and "Trakiya.." With his Romani Wedding Band, Yuri performs Bulgarian and Romani (Gypsy ) music from the Balkan countries of Bulgaria and Macedonia. This music is renowned for its haunting melodies, dense ornamentation, complex rhythms, and stunning improvisations.

The Pine Leaf Boys have been making a name for
themselves for presenting their own inimitable brand of
traditional Cajun and Creole music with youthful
exuberance.

Erin McKeownBen Weaver
The dynamic Ms McKeown has packed a ton of music into her young career, and with a brand new live recording called Lafayette due out Sept 25, she’s showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon! Equally prolific, restless songwriter Ben Weaver has been praised as “riveting” (No Depression) and “a startling talent” (Time Out London) that “tells amazing stories” (Utne Reader) in his evocative songs populated by birds, phone booths, lovers, and plastic bags stuck in trees. His May 2007 release Paper Sky reveals a major songwriting talent, haunting and quietly beautiful.

Celebrated Congo-based choreographer Faustin Linyekula turns The Cedar into a Kinshasa social club, combining a spirited soukous party with an intensive performance installation.
Linyekula, his five-member company, an all-star band of local Africans (featuring Yawo Attivor and Siama Matuzungi), and catering by Tam Tam's African Restaurant come together to create an immersive, emotionally resonant piece that reimagines an age-old and surprisingly joyous combination of tradition and myth in which villagers gather to drink, dance, feast, and concoct outrageous lies about their leaders as a way to laugh about-and subvert-the violence, corruption, and poverty surrounding them.

Celebrated Congo-based choreographer Faustin Linyekula turns The Cedar into a Kinshasa social club, combining a spirited soukous party with an intensive performance installation.
Linyekula, his five-member company, an all-star band of local Africans (featuring Yawo Attivor and Siama Matuzungi), and catering by Tam Tam's African Restaurant come together to create an immersive, emotionally resonant piece that reimagines an age-old and surprisingly joyous combination of tradition and myth in which villagers gather to drink, dance, feast, and concoct outrageous lies about their leaders as a way to laugh about-and subvert-the violence, corruption, and poverty surrounding them.

Celebrated Congo-based choreographer Faustin Linyekula turns The Cedar into a Kinshasa social club, combining a spirited soukous party with an intensive performance installation.
Linyekula, his five-member company, an all-star band of local Africans (featuring Yawo Attivor and Siama Matuzungi), and catering by Tam Tam's African Restaurant come together to create an immersive, emotionally resonant piece that reimagines an age-old and surprisingly joyous combination of tradition and myth in which villagers gather to drink, dance, feast, and concoct outrageous lies about their leaders as a way to laugh about-and subvert-the violence, corruption, and poverty surrounding them.

Robyn HitchcockOver the past three decades, Robyn Hitchcock has built a large and
distinctive body of work that's established him as one of rock's most
respected and beloved iconoclasts. The prolific English
singer/songwriter/guitarist's vivid surrealist songcraft has won him an almost cult-like following, and will no doubt attract many more fans with the upcoming release by Yep Roc of I Wanna Go Backwards, a five disc compilation of some of his most pivotal albums from the 1980s. The release of I Wanna Go Backwards coincides with a recent career resurgence during which Hitchcock has released the acclaimed albums Spooked and Ole! Tarantula, and become the subject of the recent Sundance Channel documentary Sex, Food, Death & Insects.

The Owls

The Owls are back, celebrating the Oct 23 release of their long-awaited second album, the full-length Daughters and Suns, with help from ELK and other special guest animals. Apart from a few compilations, The Owls haven't seen a release since
2004's "Our Hopes and Dreams" mini LP, which garnered enthusiastic critical praise, drawing comparisons to the likes
of the Velvet Underground, the Mamas and Papas, and Belle and Sebastian, and landing The Owls on multiple Year-End-Best lists.

NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL ACCORDION MONTH

Tenth Anniversary Celebration, presented in association with the Walker Art Center. Festivities include concerts, jazz symposium, workshops, jams, dances, and even a Midwestern potluck. This year NE Accordion Fest (NEAF) honors "Daddy Squeeze" Dan Newton with the "NEAF Accordion Achievement Award" for his devoted and unflagging support of the accordion. The award ceremony is 8 PM Friday November 9, but the Accordion Fest runs from 5pm Fri 11/9 through to 5pm Sun 11/11!

NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL ACCORDION MONTH

Tenth Anniversary Celebration, presented in association with the Walker Art Center. Festivities include concerts, jazz symposium, workshops, jams, dances, and even a Midwestern potluck. This year NE Accordion Fest (NEAF) honors "Daddy Squeeze" Dan Newton with the "NEAF Accordion Achievement Award" for his devoted and unflagging support of the accordion. The award ceremony is 8 PM Friday November 9, but the Accordion Fest runs from 5pm Fri 11/9 through to 5pm Sun 11/11!

The New Riverside Ramblers will celebrate the release of their second recording, Les Grands Bois (Big Woods). Like their first award-winning recording, the new CD offers a generous helping of high-energy Cajun dance music - on fiddle, accordion, guitar, bass, percussion, and French vocals.<--break-->

NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL ACCORDION MONTH

Tenth Anniversary Celebration, presented in association with the Walker Art Center. Festivities include concerts, jazz symposium, workshops, jams, dances, and even a Midwestern potluck. This year NE Accordion Fest (NEAF) honors "Daddy Squeeze" Dan Newton with the "NEAF Accordion Achievement Award" for his devoted and unflagging support of the accordion. The award ceremony is 8 PM Friday November 9, but the Accordion Fest runs from 5pm Fri 11/9 through to 5pm Sun 11/11!

In the case of Mary Gauthier, four words are worth a thousand pictures. Between Daylight and Dark, her new Lost Highway album, finds her aiming her compass at the sky and searching for home. It is from this longing for home that this group of songs has emerged, and they fill Gauthier’s new album with both hope and anguish, with faith as well as fear. Mary Gauthier knows these places well, having traveled through a night that had stretched into years, from a turbulent Louisiana childhood through odd juxtapositions of accomplishment and devastation. The result is reflected in the music, starting as a trickle of songs almost from the moment of her sobriety and swelling into the stream that fed her earlier albums (Dixie Kitchen, Drag Queens in Limousines, Filth and Fire), and the stunning Mercy Now.

Open Stage with host Tony Wentersdorf. Tony is a Minneapolis musician, songwriter, and storyteller born in Germany, who has lived in the Twin Cities for 32 years. He writes and records songs, and performs folk music at churches, coffeehouses, and nursing homes as a soloist and with a folk music quartet, The Waxing Nostalgics.

Gorgeous costumes, handmade instruments, and the otherworldly overtone sounds of Sygt (a whistling sound, and an imitation of the gentle breezes of summer, the songs of birds), Kargyraa (the howling winds of winter or the plaintive cries of a mother camel after losing her calf), Khoomei (wind swirling among rocks), Dumchuktaar (singing through the nose), and Ezengileer (mimicking the rhythms of horseback riding) from the group that first brought the ancient, animistic art of Tuvan throat singing to the attention of the west.

The Tinariwen story is already well marinated in startling myths; fierce nomadic desert tribesmen toting guns and guitars, Ghadaffi's poet-soldiers spreading their gospel of freedom throughout the world, turbaned rock'n'roll troubadours, Stratocaster on one shoulder, Kalashnikov on the other, 17 bullet wounds and rawest desert blues on earth.

John GorkaMeg Hutchinson

John Gorka was born in Newark, NJ on a Sunday in July, 1958 under Eisenhower skies. He grew up in Colonia, NJ and at age ten got his first guitar as a Christmas present. Before John's fingers were strong enough to press the strings down his older brother claimed the guitar for himself. and carved his name in it. The younger Gorka never recovered from this blow.

Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys return to the Cedar for a special evening of the finest bluegrass music. While he has long been revered by enthusiasts of folk, bluegrass and country music, Stanley has lately been commanding the kind of honors due a musical original.

In 2002, he won Grammys for Best Country Male Vocalist Performance (beating out Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Tim McGraw, Lyle Lovett and Ryan Adams) and Album of the Year (for his part in the O Brother collection). Last year, he was the subject of an admiring profile in the New Yorker, written by novelist David Gates, who traveled with Stanley for months gathering material. He is the central figure in the D. A. Pennebaker/Chris Hegedus documentary "Down From The Mountain."

The magnificently indefinable Asylum Street Spankers began in 1994 at a booze and hallucinogen-fueled party at the Dabbs Hotel in Llano, Texas. There Christina Marrs and Guy Forsyth met Wammo. During a night spent singing and playing along the banks of the Llano River they made a pact to keep the all-night-sing-along-anything-goes spirit of that party alive.

Piper's CrowNamed “Best Acoustic Performer” by City Pages in 2007, Piper’s Crow celebrates the release of Dick Hensold’s solo CD “Big Music for Northumbrian Smallpipes”. They are joined by cellist Michelle Kinney and violist Ginna Watson.

Chris KozaJoAnna JamesTwo of the Twin Cities finest singer-songwriters share this special Thanksgiving weekend evening at the Cedar. Chris and JoAnna will each bring their full bands, and plan on contributing to each others' sets. To preserve the moment, they'll be recording the evening for possible future release as live recording(s). Special guest will be Jessy Green (Foo Fighters) on violin!

After more than 15 years making music, it’s obvious Ohio duo Over The Rhine is in it for the long haul, and for keeps. Their commitment is underscored by their latest, The Trumpet Child, and its opening track, “I Don’t Wanna Waste Your Time,” a manifesto of sorts for the artists recently named to Paste magazine’s list of 100 Best Living Songwriters.

Michelle Shocked“She seemed to her first fans a kind of punkier version of Suzanne Vega – a woman folkie with bite. Since then, she’s confused everybody with pretty much annual reinventions of her style and material.”
(Neil Blackmore, Rough Guides Music)

One of the true originators of what is commonly now referred to as “Americana”, well before it was popular, Michelle burst on to the scene in 1989 when her landmark album, “Short, Sharp, Shocked” landed her a Grammy Nomination as “Best New Artist”. Fiercely independent and versatile, she is is an incredibly prolific singer-songwriter who refuses to be categorized. Her music and performances are influenced by her Texas roots, her political activism, and a self-assured style. She has been likened to troubadours such as Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Woodie Guthrie, yet can swing, rock, and even melt your heart like no other. Michelle was one of the first artists ever to fight for her freedom and creative control and win release from a major label contract with all her rights intact, paving the way for the many others who in recent years have followed her lead.

GloryLand PonyCatAvant-jazz saxophonist George Cartwright's trio with bassist Adam Linz and Alden Ikeda on drums, and helped out by Fog's Andrew Broder in an evening of free-flowing improvised jazz. Born in the Mississippi Delta, George has been performing composed and improvised musics for over 20 years. From totally improvised concepts to the relatively structured beat music of his band Curlew his experiences have been considerable. From a starting point at Karl Berger's Creative Music Studio in 1977 and a move to NYC fall of 1979 he has seen and participated in musical changes and challenges no one could foresee. And he's loved it.

Peter LangPioneering American Primitive guitarist Peter Lang is back with a new album and a CD release party at The Cedar! Peter Lang: Live at Charlotte's Web is a marvelous 2 CD plus DVD package that is a must have for Lang fans and fans of guitar music in general. The CDs are archival recordings from the late 70s and represent some of Peter's best tracks of early original material. The DVD is a live concert performance featuring Lang and fellow Takoma records label mate Michael Gulezian.

Ben GlarosSlim DunlapMinneapolis singer-songwriter Ben Glaros and a host of his talented friends and guests celebrate the release of Ben's new CD, Lovesong Roulette.
The new album features Ben on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and vocals, supported by a couple of the best rhythm section players in town, Greg Schutte on drums and Brian Roessler on bass.

Brave ComboThey're coming back! Two-time Grammy award-winners, and indisputedly America’s best contemporary polka band, Brave Combo are sweeping back into town with their brand new album Polka's Revenge, and a full head of steam! Don't say you weren't warned...

Michael Monroe: Photo by David Brunet From vinyl to digital, Michael Monroe is in his fourth decade of
performing original music, blending rich vocals, guitars, bamboo and glass flutes. With music and technology working together, powered by creativity, Monroe recycles his music "live" on stage to deliver a powerful mix of acoustic folk, reggae and jazz.
Tonight, we'll celebrate the release of Michael's latest CD Wintersong, a
collection of vocal and instrumental music inspired by the beauty of the Winter season.

A truly magical evening of Celtic music - trad. tunes, shining original compositions, and a great deal of fun and cameraderie.
A button accordion and concertina player of enormous integrity and innate empathy with the music, John Williams (founding member of Solas) received his music from his father Brendan and grandfather Johnny who lit up countless house dances in Doolin, County Clare with reels, jigs, and hornpipes on concertina and button box.

The KlezmaticsThe Klezmatics have forever transcended genres: blending klezmer with aching shtetl melodies, raucous Latin stomps, wild jazz riffs and provocative Arabic, African, American and Balkan rhythms. The Klezmatics will be presenting a contagious celebration of Hanukkah, marrying their soulful and ebullient Jewish roots to Woody Guthrie's poignantly mesmerizing and newly discovered lyrics. This program highlights their two most recent CD releases: the multi-cultural folk sounds of "Wonder Wheel" and the ecstatically danceable, hoe-down worthy "Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Hanukkah."

Jerry Rau has crisscrossed the country numerous times playing house
concerts, clubs and festivals.
His greatest passion is singing on the streets and mixing with all levels of humanity. In this particular way Jerry has personally touched and inspired thousands of people.
Jerry is the writer of hundreds of original songs as well as an informed and skillful interpreter of other songwriters.

His material ranges from deeply
intimate to sweeping
historical pieces. Jerry's music has been described by critics as having
simplicity, subtle nuance, and quiet intensity.
"Jerry Rau embodies the warmth and depth
of Americana." - Tone Magazine

Free Range Pickin'It is not the holiday season at the Cedar without the annual Free Range Pickin’ Holiday Show! This year, there is even more reason to celebrate, as the show is the official debut of FRP's third CD “Flight Risk.” Engineered and mixed by Matthew Zimmerman (Peter Ostroushko, Pat Donohue), this collection of all original material explores a diverse range of modern acoustic styles, showcasing the band’s innovative and eclectic musical perspectives. The Get Up Johns will kick off the evening.

Boiled in LeadAs they head into their 25th year of performing their unique blend of Celtic rock'n'reel, Boiled In Lead have retained a freshness and vitality that escapes far younger bands.

Andrew Bird

TICKET ALERT: AS OF 1PM SUNDAY 12/16, A LITTLE OVER 100 TICKETS REMAIN. PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS AT THE DOOR--DOORS OPEN 1PM! Just announced! Violinist / singer/ songwriter/ whistler extraordinaire Andrew Bird will be making a special stop at The Cedar this Sunday (2pm Dec 16) for an intimate afternoon concert showcasing songs from his new album Armchair Apocrypha, with help from Dosh and Jeremy Ylvisaker. Following on from 2005’s The Mysterious Production of Eggs, Armchair Apocrypha has something for everyone, with songs about dark matter, plane crashes, the Scythian Empire, and the Apocalypse, and lots of unexpected, delightful twists and turns. A unique convergence of folk, pop, gypsy jazz and even classical influences! Limited seating.

A portion of the proceeds shall benefit CEDAR CULTURAL CENTER capital projects.

TICKETS ON SALE 10AM THURSDAY DEC 13, AVAILABLE ONLY FROM TICKETWEB.

Neal and Leandra

SOLD OUT.

An annual tradition eagerly awaited by fans and Neal and Leandra alike: it's Neal and Leandra's Holiday Show!

The warmth of Neal and Leandra's songs and personalities radiates unimpeded in the cozy environs of The Cedar, and is well complemented by the excellent sound.

On the darkest day of the year, we
celebrate the
Winter Solstice with drums, dance and fire.

World percussionist, Robin "Adnan" Anders (Boiled In Lead) leads a group of exceptional drummers as they lay down a rhythmic backbone for the area's hottest fire dancers. Bring your drums and dancing feet and get involved in this annual celebration - all skill levels are welcome!