James McBride opens LIVE from the NYPL's Spring 2014 season with an exploration of his latest work The Good Lord Bird - winner of the 2013 National Book Award for fiction - through words and music. The evening will feature conversation with the author and musician, as well as performances by McBride and his quintet, whose mix of spirituals and jazz renditions of classic gospel songs are inspired by the abolitionist John Brown, a key figure in this novel. With Keith Robinson on guitar, Trevor Exter on bass, Show Tyme Brooks on drums, Adam Faulk on piano, McBride on saxophone and the whole band on vocals.