"Music works its invisible magic for a moment, then it is gone."
So says Philip Ball, in an article on the science of music in a recent issue of top science journal Nature. While it might come as a surprise that music is now seen as a legitimate subject for scientific analysis, Ball concludes with the recognition that it is perhaps ultimately fruitless to define music, and that there are likely limits in how far we can understand music, even though it be a creation of the very same brains we use to analyze it. It then becomes up to us to simply be satisfied with seizing that moment of magic, before it is gone.

Don't risk missing out on the magic of the concerts at The Cedar in the rest of May and June. Before I give the run-down on those, here is an important announcement:

Bill Kubeczko Leaves The Cedar

The Cedar Cultural Center announces the resignation of Artistic Director Bill Kubeczko. Kubeczko has been with the Cedar for over 15 years and has been largely responsible for building its national reputation as a premier music room featuring international repertoire, national touring artists and local music, particularly in the folk and acoustic music realm.

Kubeczko started at the Cedar in January, 1993 as its Executive Director, and for the first few years was its only paid employee. This fall the organization will begin its 20th programming year, with 16 full and part-time employees, hundreds of volunteers, and a budget of just over $1 million.

Last year the Cedar hired local music industry veteran Rob Simonds to assume the role of Executive Director, which enabled Kubeczko to focus on booking and programming as Artistic Director. Simonds was the chair of the Board of Directors of the Cedar in 1993 when Kubeczko was originally hired.

“Bill’s dedication and commitment to this organization cannot be understated. He is responsible for so many moments of musical alchemy in this room, and for the establishment of The Cedar as a Twin Cities arts icon. His shoes will be hard to fill,” says Simonds, “but we also look forward to our next chapter.”

The Cedar has already begun the search process for Kubeczko’s replacement. For more information, contact Rob Simonds at (612) 338-2674, ext. 106

May and early June concerts

The music and the magic continues unabated at The Cedar, with the usual emphasis on diversity and entertainment--and remarkably, affordability. At one end of the spectrum, the Asylum Street Spankers (5/17) bring back their inspired lunacy to amuse and bemuse you, while making their first trek to The Cedar, but even more willing to thrust at the boundaries, Th' Legendary Shack*Shakers (5/20), described by Rick Mason of City Pages in an A-List Pick as ""...a dicey Dixie maelstrom of raging rockabilly, swamp-gas blues, grizzly gospel, blasphemous bluegrass, felonious folk, and preposterous punk....". To open the show, there'll be a special screening of lead-singer J.D. Wilkes hour-long movie homage to "Music and Myth of the South", Seven Signs, which won "Best Featurette" at Philadelphia's Backseat Film Festival.

Also from the south (Australia), and working in a Gothic vein with a strong interest in myth, but otherwise in every way imaginable, completely different from the Shack*Shakers, Wendy Rule (5/28) brings her intense, darkly beautiful music to The Cedar for the first time, with support from Felonious Bosch and Kari Tauring (delving into Scandinavian mythic traditions) (presented by EyeofHorus.biz).

From the East, we have Japanese superstars The Yoshida Brothers (5/31) making their first Minnesota appearance. The brothers play the traditional tsugaru-shamisen, a plucked three-stringed banjo/lute, but bring rock-like intensity to their playing which has won them many young fans, and recently brought them a massive worldwide audience when one of their songs was chosen for a Nintendo Wii ad. Accessible, intriguing and potent music.

More traditional Western stringed instruments are to be heard in 2 Foot Yard, steered by the incredible avant violin of Carla Kihlstedt (Tin Hat, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, The Book of Knots). Trained in the classical tradition, Carla could have earned a comfortable place with any of the leading orchestras of the world, but instead has chosen to carve out a more adventurous, groundbreaking path as improviser, composer and virtuoso. Cellist Marika Hughes (Vienna Teng, Charming Hostess) serves as both bassist as well as a more traditional chamber music role, and also shares vocals with Carla. Shahzad Ismaily (percussion, guitar) has worked with John Zorn, Marc Ribot, Laurie Anderson, Eyvind Kang, and Cyro Baptista, in addition to his anchoring role in 2 Foot Yard. Definitely the musical adventurer's show of the month!

From closer to home, we have the May 416 Club (5/23), with a strong showing of top roots artists performing in a comfortable, communal atmosphere, including Molly Maher and her Disbelievers, Erik Kostinen, Matt Pudas (White Iron Band) and friends, and Texan music imports, Twin Cities Playboys. And mixing up local roots with old world roots, you won't want to miss a special presentation of the Minnesota Sur Seine festival, Jacky Molard Acoustic Quartet with Roma di Luna. Jacky Molard brings new life to Breton Celtic tunes. The next two weeks offer a rare opportunity to sample many other gems in the Sur Seine festival line-up.

In the first of a new series for The Cedar, we bring in some outstanding young acts, guest curated by Liana Simonds (daughter of Cedar Executive Director Rob Simonds, and student at Minneapolis South High School) in the "These Kids Today: A Showcase" (5/29). This month features Best Friends Forever, "folk-fusion-ghettotech" act Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles, and beatbox duo DJ Relax and Johann. The Cedar is always all ages, but this time the music is more squarely targeted at an all ages crowd.

Taking us into June, come out and scale new heights with Everest (6/1), featuring veterans of the LA scene now recording on Neil Young's Vapor Records with debut album Ghost Notes just out and getting rave reviews, and a few weeks before they open for Young in several prominent European concerts and festivals. The Pines will open.

Looking ahead, Billy Bragg (6/13) is now sold out, but there is still time to get tickets for the other big "Billing" in June, Grammy winner and genius guitarist, Bill Frisell (6/21), appearing with one of his own favorite, equally talented guitarists, lap/pedal steel man Greg Leisz, drummer Rudy Royston, and bassist Tony Scherr. Frisell has just released a double CD History, Mystery (Nonesuch), of which The Times (UK) wrote:
"hard to think of an electric guitarist who has explored so much musical territory and always claimed it as his own <as Bill has.> ... Frisell's gently beautiful, wistfully offbeam scores predominate but there is a soulful cover of "A Change Is Going to Come." On "Struggle Part 2," his burning solo is a reminder that if someone gave him some tight trousers and a bad attitude, Frisell could even make a decent substitute for Keith Richards”

Nordic Roots Festival 10
Start making plans to attend the final annual Nordic Roots Festival (Sept 25--28). Early Bird Season passes ($99) will go on sale at noon Fri June 6. More information on the stellar lineup is now available on the Nordic Roots Festival website, and I'll also highlight in the next newsletter. If you have enjoyed past Nordic Roots concerts, you'll absolutely want to make sure you and all your friends are able to come to this one, as the Nordic Roots Festival will be taking a break after 2008. Beginning in the Fall of 2009, The Cedar will produce a world music festival focused on a different musical region each year. Eventually we will cycle back to the Nordic countries...so this isn't the final NRF, but the culmination of an amazing ten-year run.

Complete Listings for May, June and August

Tickets for all shows are now available for purchase through the usual channels, i.e. from the Cedar Ticketline (612-338-2674 ext 2), online at Ticketweb, and from Cedar Outlets (Electric Fetus, Global Village, Irish on Grand, Homestead Pickin' Parlor). Check The Cedar website for more information, including videos and sound clips, updates, and links to more information and ticket purchasing options.

Sat 5/17
Asylum Street Spankers
8pm $17 advance, $20 day of show Sponsored by 90.3 and 106.7 KFAI

Sun 5/18
Minnesota sur Seine presents A Night of Old and New World Roots: Jacky Molard Acoustic Quartet with Roma di Luna
7.30pm $17 advance, $23 day of show Sponsored by 90.3 and 106.7 KFAI

Tue 5/20
Th' Legendary Shack*Shakers present Seven Signs
7.30pm $12 advance, $15 day of show Sponsored by 90.3 and 106.7 KFAI

Fri 5/23
The 416 Club presents Molly Maher and her Disbelievers, Erik Kostinen, Twin Cities Playboys, Matt Pudas and friends
8pm $8 advance, $10 day of show Sponsored by 90.3 and 106.7 KFAI Curated by Jackson Buck

Wed 5/28
Wendy Rule with Kari Tauring and Felonious Bosch
7.30pm $18 advance, $22 day of show Sponsored by Eye of Horus

Thu 5/29
"These Kids Today: A Showcase" featuring Best Friends Forever, Lucy Michelle and Velvet Lapelles, DJ Relax and Johann
7.30pm $5 advance, $8 day of show

Fri 5/30
2 Foot Yard
8pm $15 advance, $18 day of show

Sat 5/31
The Yoshida Brothers
8pm $18 advance, $20 day of show

Sun 6/1
Everest with The Pines
7.30pm $10

Thurs 6/5
Tcheka
(the return of the Cape Verdean guitarist with the golden voice (accompanied by a band), and a brand new album Lonji (produced by Brazilian superstar Lenine) to be released May 27!)
7.30pm $18 advance, $20 day of show Sponsored by 90.3 and 106.7 KFAI

Fri 6/6
Nation Beat
8pm $14 advance, $16 day of show

Sat 6/7
Feufollet Cajun dance/concert
8pm $15 advance, $18 day of show

Thurs 6/12
Vagabond Opera
7.30pm $15 advance, $18 day of show

Fri 6/13
Billy Bragg with C. R. Avery
8pm SOLD OUT Sponsored by 89.3 The Current LIMITED SEATING AVAILABLE

Sat 6/14

Roma di Luna CD Release with Spaghetti Western String Company

8pm $12 advance, $15 day of show Sponsored by 90.3 and 106.7 KFAI

Sun 6/15
Father's Day special with Papa John Kolstad, Pop Wagner, and Dan Daddy Squeeze Newton
7.30pm $12 advance, $15 day of show Sponsored by 90.3 and 106.7 KFAI

Thurs 6/19
Yid Vicious Klezmer Ensemble
7.30pm $12 advance, $15 day of show

Sat 6/21
Bill Frisell with Greg Leisz, Rudy Royston, and Tony Scherr
8pm $30 general admission, $40 premium reserved seating (Ticketweb only)

Sun 6/22
Nina Nastasia and Jim White, with Tren Brothers (Mick Turner and Jim White of The Dirty Three)
7.30pm $13 advance, $15 day of show

Thurs 6/26
The Lovell Sisters with Nikki Matteson and her RueMates
(young bluegrass sibling sensations)
7.30pm $18 advance, $20 day of show

Fri 6/27
Hayden with Haley Bonar
(Hayden with a full band, Haley performing as a trio)
8pm $12 advance, $15 day of show

Sat 6/28
Boiled in Lead
(the 25th anniversary celebrations continue...)
8pm $12 advance, $15 day of show

Sun 6/29
Open Arms present SiYAYA
7pm $21

Wed 8/6
Habib Koite and Bamada
7.30pm $20 advance, $25 day of show LIMITED SEATING AVAILABLE

 

Until the next time, good listening, and hope to see you soon, enjoying the rare and unusual musical delights of The Cedar, and perhaps a cool pre-show beverage in the resplendent new Spring-growth garden patio.

Brian

 

Brian Corner,

Publicity Support

Cedar Cultural Center,

416 Cedar Ave S,

Minneapolis MN 55454

brian.corner [at] thecedar [dot] org