Jeff Parker & The New Breed

Jeff Parker & The New Breed play The Cedar Cultural Center on Wednesday, February 3. It's a quartet led by guitarist Jeff Parker, with Makaya McCraven on drums, Josh Johnson on saxophone, and Paul Bryan on bass. If you've followed Parker's work, you know he's spent years moving between the jazz world and the more open, textural side of indie and experimental music, and this is the group he's touring with right now.

It's a heavy-hitting lineup. Makaya McCraven is one of the most prominent names in the current jazz scene, known for his work as both a drummer and a producer who reshapes recordings in the studio. Josh Johnson is a versatile saxophonist who's played across a wide range of styles, and Paul Bryan is a bassist who's worked with everyone from Aimee Mann to Beck. Together they make up the New Breed, the band Parker is bringing to the stage.

The venue is The Cedar Cultural Center in Cedar Riverside, one of the most active live-music neighborhoods in the Twin Cities and home to the largest Somali diaspora in the United States. The Cedar is a listening room, which means it's a space designed for paying attention rather than talking over the music. It's known for its wood floors and warm acoustics, and it hosts more than 100 musicians from around the world every year, with volunteers running the events. The whole place is built around the idea of intercultural appreciation through global music and dance.

So, the details: Jeff Parker & The New Breed at The Cedar Cultural Center on Wednesday, February 3. It's a quartet featuring Makaya McCraven, Josh Johnson, and Paul Bryan. You can find more information and tickets at thecedar.org.