Geoff MuldaurCharlie ParrLike two mighty rivers crossing half a continent to come together as one, The Cedar welcomes two giants from the blues world to share their tales and songs. From the East, Geoff Muldaur is one of the great voices and musical forces to emerge from the folk, blues and folk-rock scenes centered in Cambridge, MA and Woodstock, NY. During the 1960's and '70's, Geoff made a series of highly influential recordings as a founding member of the Jim Kweskin Jug Band and the Paul Butterfield's Better Days group, as well as collaborations with then-wife Maria and other notables (Bonnie Raitt, Eric Von Schmidt, Jerry Garcia, etc.). He left the stage and recording world in the mid-1980's for a working sabbatical but continued, however, to hone his craft, albeit 'flying beneath radar'. He composed scores for film and television, garnering an Emmy in the process, and his definitive recording of "Brazil" provided the seed for - and was featured in - Terry Gilliam's film of the same title. And from the Midwest, no-nonsense Charlie Parr gets back to basics with a plaid shirt, a ton of hard work playing all over the region, and a tremendous repertoire of original and classic folk-blues cover songs that he delivers in the traditional piedmont style.
Ray BonnevilleBlues for a Good Friday. Or, if you prefer, Good Blues for a Friday. Either way, Ray Bonneville is going to be celebrating the release of his latest release on Red House Records, Goin' By Feel. It has been a long road from conception through recording, production, and post-production issues, but the wait has been worthwhile. Special guest tonight: Tim O'Reagan, formerly drummer for the Jayhawks, now well established with his own blossoming solo career as a singer-songwriter and a critically acclaimed release last year on Lost Highway.
Sue FoleyGuitar woman Sue Foley is not satisfied with merely playing the guitar; she wants to write the book about it. For the last ten years, she has somehow managed to combine a full touring and recording schedule as one of Canada's best blues artists while conducting research on her project called Guitar Woman. As Foley explains, "It came as a bit of a flash as I was interviewing players like Rory Block, Sharon Isbin, Leni Stern and others that most of us felt like we were the only one. With little or no female role models the Guitar Woman has had to blaze her own trail and make her own rules." She decided to start work on a book – researching female musicians of the past and interviewing many contemporary guitarists. The book is still in the works and there are also plans for tours and a documentary. “It’s almost like a new mythology for me,” she comments, “the lives of these women are unique and inspiring. Seeing as there’s no solid literature on women guitarists, I feel an obligation to share their stories with the rest of the world.” In the meantime, with the May 2007 release of Time bomb, a collaboration CD with fellow Canadian Roxanne Potvin and American blues guitar heroine Deborah Coleman, Sue Foley has continued to solidify her place as one of the leading lights of the contemporary blues scene.
Guy DavisNikki Matteson and the RueMatesDue to circumstances beyond the Cedar's control, the Guy Davis concert scheduled for March 28 has been cancelled. If you are a ticket holder, please contact The Cedar (612-338-2674 ext 0) for a refund.
