L.A. Buckner
As WHITEBOYSUMMER, the duo of drummer Arthur “L.A.” Buckner and guitarist Thomas Abban explore the entire spectrum of the African diaspora with reckless abandon. Their influences range from the soul-stirring melodies of Nina Simone and Howlin’ Wolf to the innovative productions of Ye West and Lee Scratch Perry. Their Recomposing America project, presented in partnership with The Cedar Cultural Center, is part social experiment, part American popular music masterclass, featuring drums, guitar, piano, sampling, DJing, singing, and rapping. WHITEBOYSUMMER fears no genre, no convention, and no judgment.
World Premiere: New work by WHITEBOYSUMMER
Saturday, Apr. 10, 2027, 8:00 p.m.
The Cedar Cultural Center
416 Cedar Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55454
About L.A. Buckner
Arthur “L.A.” Buckner is a performing musician, teaching artist, and producer from the Northside of Minneapolis. He holds a Master’s degree in Percussion Performance from McNally Smith College of Music, and is an accomplished teaching artist in the Twin Cities. Currently, L.A. serves as co-host for the award winning PBS music education YouTube series “Sound Field” and is a Professor of Race & Identity at the University of Minnesota. His compositions blur the line between Sunday church service and face melting jam sessions in a blend of jazz, gospel, hip hop, and avant-funk. His artistry is full of energy, excitement, and culture.
About The Cedar Cultural Center
Located in the heart of Cedar Riverside — formerly 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. From world legends to up-and-coming new bands, The Cedar presents unique voices from around the globe with programming that spans global roots, folk, indie, experimental, bluegrass, Americana, and blues genres, and includes artist residencies, educational programs, workshops, films, dances, comedy, spoken word, and community events.
This program was supported by a grant from Jerome Foundation.