The Cedar Presents
Summer at The Cedar: Wesli
Tuesday, July 23, 2024/ Start: 6:00 PM / End: 8:00 PM
All Ages
Outdoors on The Cedar Plaza, Mixed Seated and Standing (Bring Your Own Chair)
Free
Please note that the event will begin outdoors on The Cedar plaza at 6:00pm. Please feel free to bring your own chairs - limited seating is available on the planters. Concessions will be available for purchase from The Cedar, and food from Tamu Grill and desserts from Nader Persian Restaurant will be available for purchase, as well.
In the event of severe weather, or an air quality advisory, we will not reschedule the event. Instead, we will host the show indoors at The Cedar and admit all patrons into the show on a first-come, first-served basis until the venue reaches capacity.
Prospective attendees can RSVP to this event online.
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Join us for Summer at The Cedar: a free Tuesday night concert series outdoors on the Cedar Plaza featuring both international and local artists! This evening features the Juno award-winning artist Wesli sharing Haitian Vodou and Rara music with Twoubadou's roots, Afrobeat, and reggae. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local vendors and The Cedar, and various community organizations will be tabling.
Please RSVP for the event, so we can communicate updates about the event with you - come join us for a series of lovely nights under the lights!
WESLI
Wesli’s musical journey has gone from stringing up an oil can with nylon fishing string to winning a juno for world music album of the year.
Born Wesley Louissaint in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, he has grown into his role as a prolific songwriter, guitarist, and producer. Uniting a large cross-section of Montreal talent, his music links Haitian vodou and rara with Twoubadou roots, Afrobeat and reggae – guest spots on his albums have included the likes of Tiken Jah Fakoly, AfrotroniX, Mes Aïeux, Paul Cargnello and Radio Radio.
Since being crowned the Revelation Radio-Canada for 2009–2010, Wesli has gone on to win the Babel Med Music Prize (2010), SOCAN’s Hagood Hardy (Composing) Award (2016), an award from the Académie Charles CROS (2019) for Diaspora representation, a JUNO for World Music (2019), a Félix for Album of the Year in World Music (2019), and a CFMA for World Solo Artist of the Year (2020). He has toured across North America, Haiti, Colombia, Brazil, and Europe, and participated in WOMEX, Mundial Montréal and Cape Verde’s Atlantic Music Expo.
Wesli’s unstoppable creativity led to two album releases in 2015: the star-studded Immigrand alongside the more traditional Ayiti Étoile Nouvelle. Rapadou Kréyol (2018) was followed by his 7th album, "Tradisyon'', released internationally on Oct 21, 2022, in partnership with the American label Cumbancha. Tradisyon Volume 2 will be released in 2024.
TRADISYON
Tradisyon is the first of a two-part project that retells the story of Haiti’s past and imagines its future. “You have to know where you’re from to know where you’re going,” says Wesli, the acclaimed Montreal-based winner of the prestigious 2019 JUNO Award.
Overflowing with 19 songs, Tradisyon explores traditional chants from the voodoo religion, explosive carnival rara rhythms and lilting, folksy twoubadou songs.
“I’d never seen delivered music new to my ears but instantly inviting. Complex but never busy, they came across as an extremely seasoned unit dedicated to escaping gravity and inviting us along for the ride. “ - American Blues Scene
“Tradisyon is the first of a diptych of albums engaging directly with Haitian music: this one looks back, and the second instalment will look forward and more widely, with a syncretic blend of electronic music, Afrobeat, soul, funk, hip-hop and more.” ★★★★ - Financial Times, UK
“Wesli weaves contemporary messages into traditional forms, keeping a wide range of roots percussion at the heart of open-eared arrangements.” -American Songwriter, USA
To learn more about Wesli:
Sponsors
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.