The three-person jazz ensemble 1032K presents a Lincoln Center-commissioned work “Hard Time Killing Floor Suite,” which explores the legacy of Delta blues icon Skip James.
The group 1032K consists of members Ku-umba Frank Lacy on trombone, flumpet and vocals; Kevin Ray on bass; and Andrew Drury on drums. As a group, they are known for their live, high-energy performances and adventurous repertoire. Other featured guests include J.D. Allen and Justin Hicks. The show will not only highlight James's incredible talent, but try to work a 21st-century perspective into his music.
James's musical background is an interesting and complicated one. In 1931, he emerged from the Mississippi Delta to record 18 of some of the most highly respected blues songs ever documented. After, he returned to the Delta, gave up music and became virtually unknown to the world for the next 33 years. But he was discovered in a hospital in 1964 by three young blues enthusiasts, and his music got redisovered. He spent the rest of his life in the limelight as a celebrated figure of the mid-1960s folk/blues revival.
James is known for his multi-talented instrumental ability, playing guitar and piano, which was unusual for a blues players of that time. His falsetto singing voice gave a forlorn feeling to his work -- perfect for the blues.
“Hard Time Killling Floor Suite” is free and open to the public. The performance will take place at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m.
