UP NEXT at The Cedar
The Cedar is honored to present a rare performance by Triganol featuring the formidable talents of Anthony Cox (Bass, Cello and Percussion), Davu Seru (Drums and Percussion) and Douglas R. Ewart (Winds, Percussion, Poetry and Invented Instruments). Triganol brings together three mighty streams for an expansive foray into improvised music.
Reimagining traditional music from Canada, France, and America, The Cedar welcomes the debut of Myriam Gendron. Critically lauded, the Canadian songwriter features thoughtful and transformative interpretations of traditional folk music as both a meditation on the past and a novel step forward. Deeply aligned with our programming as we celebrate and commune in this 35th Anniversary year. Minneapolis guitarist/banjoist/sonic alchemist, Paul Metzger, opens the evening - showcasing a maximalist aesthetic and a tinkerer's sense of adventure in his rambling, percussive solo works.
The cutting-edge fiddle and cello explorations of Scottish and global music partnership of Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas returns to The Cedar! "… you would think they'd been playing together for centuries. While his fiddle dances, her cello throbs darkly or plucks puckishly. Then [Haas] opens her cello's throat, joining Fraser in soaring sustains, windswept refrains, and sudden, jazzy explosions. Their sound is as urbane as a Manhattan midnight, and as wild as a Clackmannan winter." — Boston Globe
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Celebrating the new release of All About the Bones, Chris Smither returns to The Cedar to help celebrate our 35th anniversary and his many incredible performances here throughout the years.
“Smither is an American original – a product of the musical melting pot and one of the absolute best singer-songwriters in the world.” - Associated Press.
Making her Cedar debut, Carsie Blanton writes anthems for a world worth saving. Her songs encompass a wide range of genres, from sultry pop to punk-tinged Americana. Whether alone with her electric guitar or fronting her “handsome band,” Carsie delivers every song with an equal dose of moxie and mischief, bringing her audience together in joyful celebration of everything worth fighting for.
Return favorite, Matt The Electrician, opens the show.
The Cedar is honored to present the Debashish Bhattacharya Trio, touring the United States in the fall of 2024 with the program, "Legacy: The music of pioneering Indian recording artists". A unique tribute to the pioneering Indian recording artists of the early 1900s. In those days, small shellac disks captured succinct renditions of Hindustani classical ragas and popular songs, creating a sensation among the wider populace. Indeed, this golden era saw the rise of the first celebrity musicians; household names of the time. Pandit Debashish Bhattacharya is an award-winning artist who is known throughout the world as the unrivalled master of Hindustani slide guitar. The trio features Debashish’s daughter Anandi, a gifted vocalist and a rising star in her own right, and Debashish’s younger brother Subhasis, who is recognized as one of the greatest percussionists of his generation.
“Bhattacharya's facility with a slide is absolutely astonishing: it really has to be seen to be believed.” - All About Jazz
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner and folk icon, Tom Paxton, teams up with the Grammy winning singer/songwriter duo The Don Juans - Don Henry & Jon Vezner for another memorable performance on our Cedar Stage.
“Thirty years ago Tom Paxton taught a generation of traditional folk singers that it was noble to write your own songs, and, like a good guitar, he just gets better with age.” -Guy Clark
CALENDAR
The Cedar is honored to present a rare performance by Triganol featuring the formidable talents of Anthony Cox (Bass, Cello and Percussion), Davu Seru (Drums and Percussion) and Douglas R. Ewart (Winds, Percussion, Poetry and Invented Instruments). Triganol brings together three mighty streams for an expansive foray into improvised music.
Reimagining traditional music from Canada, France, and America, The Cedar welcomes the debut of Myriam Gendron. Critically lauded, the Canadian songwriter features thoughtful and transformative interpretations of traditional folk music as both a meditation on the past and a novel step forward. Deeply aligned with our programming as we celebrate and commune in this 35th Anniversary year. Minneapolis guitarist/banjoist/sonic alchemist, Paul Metzger, opens the evening - showcasing a maximalist aesthetic and a tinkerer's sense of adventure in his rambling, percussive solo works.
The cutting-edge fiddle and cello explorations of Scottish and global music partnership of Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas returns to The Cedar! "… you would think they'd been playing together for centuries. While his fiddle dances, her cello throbs darkly or plucks puckishly. Then [Haas] opens her cello's throat, joining Fraser in soaring sustains, windswept refrains, and sudden, jazzy explosions. Their sound is as urbane as a Manhattan midnight, and as wild as a Clackmannan winter." — Boston Globe
The one & only Minneapolis Afrobeats Dance Party is back!! Celebrating our 35th Anniversary in full shake body festive form, charismatic host/Culture Rapper, Fananka Nation brings his fusion of hip-hop, African and other worldly sonic delights together with his band and DJ King Swank. This version of the Dance Party features the very special performance of DYNAMQ, aka The Nile Crocodile, The Sudanese Son, DJ Dynamq. Get your dancing shoes on for this one!
The Cedar is honored to host the debut of HATIS NOIT: Japanese vocal performer hailing from distant Shiretoko in Hokkaido who now resides in London. Hatis Noit's accomplished range is astonishingly self-taught, inspired by everything she could find from Gagaku — Japanese classical music — and operatic styles, Bulgarian and Gregorian chanting, to avant-garde and pop vocalists. Chama Devora to open.
In our 35th Anniversary year, we welcome CHERYL WHEELER back to The Cedar Stage. Cheryl Wheeler has to be seen to be appreciated. Nothing you read and nothing you hear from her albums prepares you for how entertaining a performer she is. Longtime collaborator Kenny White opens and joins Cheryl for this rollicking sweet Spring evening.
An immersive concert experience that illuminates hidden Asian American histories through folk songs, sound pieces, live projections, and storytelling - The Cedar is delighted to welcome back NO-NO BOY!
With his haunting, soulful voice, Blick Bassy has become one of Africa’s most inventive and distinctive singer-songwriters. Born in Cameroon, West Africa, he has worked in Brazil and is now based in a village in northern France. It’s here that he has developed a style mixing African, Latin and American musical influences with lyrics in the Cameroonian Bassa language. We have been working on this confirmation for over a year and we are absolutely thrilled to host Blick Bassy's Cedar debut and the unveiling of his stunning 2023 release Mádibá (which means "water").
QWANQWA , the Amharic word for “language", is an experimental, psychedelic, traditional, string based rock band that plays beloved and rare Ethiopian tunes with a unique twist! A highlight performance from our Global Roots Festival in 2022 - we are absolutely thrilled to welcome them back to our stage.
Direct from Ames, Iowa it's Leslie Hall’s Live Show Spectacular.! Leslie has been making internet content since her return to the public eye in 2023 and she’s ready to share it with Minneapolis. New costumes, old costumes, new songs, old songs, she’s a Midwest Treasure who wants to put on a show all while sealed in a tub of gold spandex for all to see. Bringing friends from her Yarn House internet show and Midwest Diva Queens Dominique Cass and Ava Tremaine Cass.
Having separately played The Cedar with other co-bill partners, we are honored to present this pairing for the first time as they tour together in all of their acoustic glory. Peter Mulvey, self-described as a songwriter, road-dog, raconteur, and almost-poet since before he can remember...Susan Werner has earned a reputation as “one of the most innovative songwriters working today”. Together they make for a contemporary folk dream team for a Friday spring night!
First Avenue Presents the chart topping podcast, Ladies & Tangents - on tour with their "Camp Tangents" live program. Creating companionship by discussing anything and everything while almost certainly getting completely sidetracked along the way with, well, tangents!
MarchFourth is a joy-inducing force of entertainment! Quite like The Cedar itself, MarchFourth celebrates over two decades of FUN! A larger-than-life group of 15 musicians, dancers and acrobats bringing a spirit of high-energy party. This band is your band. “Mighty, Explosive, Carnivalesque Brass Band Funk” ~New York Music Daily
Tall Poppy String Band and Northern Resonance are kindred spirit string trios at the forefront of their respective fields, deeply informed by American Old Time and Swedish music traditions while bringing together new instrument combinations and approaches to add to the canon of tradition. Like the Appalachian mountains of the US and the Scandinavian Mountains of Sweden which were once connected before continental drift, there’s a musical through line that connects the historic string band music of Sweden and the string band music that emerged in the US with the convergence of European and African influences. Together these bands present a musical journey across geography, modality and dance forms connecting the music of Sweden, America and beyond and then performing together to reconnect the old continents once again through music.
When we discussed the wish list of artists to return to our stage in this 35th Anniversary year, ROBYN HITCHCOCK was unanimous! So much sympatico between us....with Robyn's illustrious career spanning many decades and the richness of his craft more substantial and surrealistic with every new album and song uttered from his wry, curious point of view. The Cedar is truly honored to be hosting this enduring troubadour.
Kith + Kin Chorus, a 76-voice uncommon choir led by Rachel Ries, celebrates the close of their 7th season with a choral collaboration with local luminary Humbird, plus arrangements of Queen, Kasey Musgraves, Fleetwood Mac, Tina Turner and more. Proceeds from the show and silent auction support the work of Raíces Sagradas, an organization that accompanies immigrants in healing from trauma through culturally sensitive professional psychotherapy services.
Kith + Kin Chorus, a 76-voice uncommon choir led by Rachel Ries, celebrates the close of their 7th season with a choral collaboration with local luminary Humbird, plus arrangements of Queen, Kasey Musgraves, Fleetwood Mac, Tina Turner and more. Proceeds from the show and silent auction support the work of Raíces Sagradas, an organization that accompanies immigrants in healing from trauma through culturally sensitive professional psychotherapy services.
San Francisco-based guitarist and composer Bill Orcutt presents his latest project, an all-electric Guitar Quartet performing the music from his 2022 LP “Music for Four Guitars,” an album which Pitchfork describes as “a rigidly structured quartet that weaves tiny rhythmic phrases into expansive tapestries, drawing on the tenets of early minimalism and New York guitar groups like Glenn Branca Ensemble.” Featuring an all-star team of guitarists: Orcutt, Wendy Eisenberg, Ava Mendoza, and Shane Parish, the ensemble will present the music in an expanded live format that will combine intricate composition with no holds barred improvisation.
The Cedar is honored to host this wonder-filled evening of openness and vulnerability with co-headliners MIZU using the vast sound-world of the cello in her intricately looped and layered compositions + OHYUNG, Robert Ouyang Rusli's solo experimental project ranging from ecstatic pop and ambient drones to brutalist noise. Local artists/composers Meridian Shanewood and Ryann Daisy Swimmer support.
Wild Child is an American indie pop band hailing from Austin, Texas. Formed in 2010, the band’s unique sound blends infectious melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and a mix of instruments.Touring behind 2023's album End of the World (Wild Child's fifth full-length album) they delve deeper into the contemplative edge which has long colored their songs, while expanding intimate, folky songs into lush, full band arrangements.
Two-time JUNO and Songlines Award winner Kiran Ahluwalia’s open-hearted vocals have positioned her as one of global music’s most compelling cross-pollinators bringing together the disparate traditions of Indian music, West African Blues and Jazz. With her band of electric guitar, accordion, organ, tabla, bass and drum kit, Ahluwalia creates boundary-breaking songs that invite us to explore the human condition, transcending the self by losing ourselves in a trance of groove and melody. Celebrating The Cedar’s mission to promote intercultural appreciation and understanding through the presentation of global music on this special springtime Saturday evening show.
Larry & Joe are versatile multi-instrumentalists and singer-songwriters on a mission to show that music has no borders. Together they play a fusion of Venezuelan and Appalachian folk music featuring the harp, banjo, cuatro, fiddle, maracas, guitar, upright bass, and vocal harmonies. Their program incorporates bilingual (eng/esp) storytelling, humor, audience participation, and appreciation for all mothers. The Cedar is honored to host this special debut performance!
For just over a decade, Prateek Kuhad has been quietly carving out a unique role for himself as a globally recognized pop musician from India. Originally from the northern city of Jaipur, Kuhad, who sings in Hindi and English, easily connects with fans of all ages and backgrounds. Praised by Rolling Stone India as "one of the country's leading singer-songwriters," Kuhad found a new wave of global recognition in 2019 when former President Barack Obama added the heartfelt breakup ballad "cold/mess" to his annual list of favorite songs. Following his acclaimed 2021 Hindi EP, Shehron Ke Raaz, Kuhad now arrives and tours with his third studio album, The Way That Lovers Do.
Texas-bred singer/songwriter and Big Thief guitarist Buck Meek returns to The Cedar behind his release Haunted Mountain.
Experience the magic of Poranguí's one-man orchestra as he weaves together ancestral songs and indigenous rhythms from around the world through live looping technology. His performances range from meditative to dance music, moving the body and uplifting the spirit, transcending the divide between performer and audience. The Porangui Music is Medicine Workshop begins at 7 PM with the LIVE show starting at 8:15 PM.
John Moreland doesn’t have the answers, and he’s not sure anyone does. But he’s still curious, basking in the comfort of a question, and along the way, those of us listening feel moved to ask our own. “I don’t ever want to sound like I have answers, because I don’t,” he says. “These songs are all questions. Everything I write is just trying to figure stuff out.” Touring behind and discussing his new album Birds in the Ceiling, a nine-song collection that offers the most comprehensive insight into the thoughts and sounds swimming around in his head to date. A compelling blend of acoustic folk and avant-garde pop playfulness, Birds in the Ceiling lives confidently in a space of its own, enriched by tradition but never encumbered by it. Oklahoma native, Ken Pomeroy opens the show.
Estuary is a collaboration led by percussionist Zack Baltich, with Ritika Ganguly (voice), Ilan Blanck (guitar), Cam Fassett (violin), and Maggie Fae (stage design/projections). A reference to the point where the tidal mouth of a large river meets other water, Estuary is a meeting of genre, ideas, language, personality, and textures to find new ways of musical expression. The Cedar is honored to host this very special release show made up of several former Cedar Commissions artists!
Shaking off the plague days like a snake sheds its skin, the WACO BROTHERS stumble out of the empty, burning desert with a fierce thirst and an epic new album: The Men That God Forgot, their first collection of original tunes since 2016. "It's the mission of the Waco Brothers — a Chicago-based outfit that Jon Langford started in the mid-90s — to bring blood, sweat, and tears back into country music.…" - KenTucker, NPR
Celebrating the new release of All About the Bones, Chris Smither returns to The Cedar to help celebrate our 35th anniversary and his many incredible performances here throughout the years.
“Smither is an American original – a product of the musical melting pot and one of the absolute best singer-songwriters in the world.” - Associated Press.
Last seen here in 2018, the Grammy award winning collective of Tuareg musicians from the Sahara Desert region of northern Mali and pioneers of desert blues - TINARWEN returns to The Cedar stage in celebration of our 35th Anniversary and the release of their ninth studio album, Amatssou.
About The Cedar
The Cedar’s mission is to promote intercultural appreciation and understanding through the presentation of global music and dance. The Cedar is committed to artistic excellence and integrity, diversity of programming, support for emerging artists, and community outreach.
Located in the heart of Cedar Riverside, one of the most prolific neighborhoods for live music in Minneapolis, and the home to the largest Somali diaspora in the U.S., The Cedar plays a key role in maintaining the vibrancy and diversity of the Twin Cities’ arts scene.
Get Involved
As a non-profit organization, volunteers are crucial to keeping the Cedar running. At each event, as many as 20 volunteers perform a variety of tasks such as setting up the theater before shows, selling tickets, serving concessions, staffing the merchandise table, and cleaning up the theater after shows. And they also have a lot of fun!
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NEWS
This spotlight interview is with Tri Vo. A strong member of the Twin Cities Southeast Asian community, as well as a puppeteer and theater maker, Tri has been leaning heavily into his main passion, music. He spoke with Cedar Commissions program manager, Robert Lehmann, about his Vietnamese punk roots; the shifting scope of his project; and taking up space to be himself in front of a crowd while encouraging audiences to embrace their own messiness. Catch Tri as part of this year’s Cedar Commissions performances on Saturday, February 10th.
This spotlight interview is with RZ Shahid, a multifaceted creative, and skilled hip-hop emcee in the local scene. He spoke with Cedar Commissions program manager, Robert Lehmann, about the inspiration for this work from the uprisings and the following months of community and mutual aid work; his creative projects; and how he’s grown into his artistic voice through this Commissions process. Catch RZ as part of this year’s Cedar Commissions performances on Friday, February 9th.
This spotlight interview is with Sarah Larsson. A well-loved local artist, known for her beautiful folk vocals, deep investment in learning more about folk songs and culture, and for cultivating community spaces. She spoke with Cedar Commissions program manager, Robert Lehmann, about her mixed Jewish roots; making music in community; and the meanings of the poems she used to compose her original Yiddish folk music. Catch Sarah as part of this year’s Cedar Commissions performances on Saturday, February 10th.
Special Activities Planned in 2024 Include 35th Anniversary Concerts, a New Mural by Leslie Barlow and Hibaaq Ibrahim, and Community Collaborations
Whether you are a performer, a patron, a volunteer, a donor, or a neighbor (or a combination of these!), thank you for being part of The Cedar Cultural Center community. You are important to this place.
HELP US MAKE MORE MEMORIES: SUPPORT THE CEDAR
Our audience members and artists make The Cedar what it is: a home for music that values cultural connections, that embraces artists from all over the globe, and welcomes all.
We depend on generous supporters like you to keep global music thriving in the heart of Minneapolis. With your contribution, you can empower local emerging artists as they compose new works and bring 100+ musicians from around the world to our stage each year.