Lakecia Benjamin is a New York-based saxophonist, arraNGER, composer and educator. Her music offers a unique meld of R&B, many forms of jazz, and funk. Her large, warm, resonant tone -that has often been compared to
Johnny Griffin's -- lends itself to virtually any form of music she chooses to play. In addition to honing her chops early with
Clark Terry and later
Terri Lyne Carrington, she is also a noted accompanist for vocalists --among them
Gregory Porter and Theo Crocker.
Retox, her 2012 leader debut, offered a beat conscious set of soul and funk covers and originals produced by
Ben Kane. She worked on
Charenee Wade's
Gil Scott-Heron and
Brian Jackson tribute,
Offering in 2015.
Benjamin played on "Right On Brotha, the closing track" from
Robert Glasper's Everything's Beautiful in 2018, a collection of reimagined
Miles Davis tracks. Her sophomore date, Rise Up for Ropeadope, contained a provocative,
Prince-inspired series of original jazz-funk jams. In 2020, she released
Pursuance: The Coltranes. The widely acclaimed set contained six tunes each by
Alice and
John Coltrane.
Benjamin led a large cast of of jazz luminaries in her interpretations, including
Reggie Workman,
Regina Carter,
Gary Bartz,
Brandee Younger, and
Jazzmeia Horn to mention scant few.
Benjamin was born in New York City and raised in Manhattan's predominantly Dominican Washington Heights neighborhood. She played recorder in grade school and junior high where she also began writing songs and lyrics. She won admission to the Fiorello LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts. It was there she began playing saxophone in earnest. She picked it up quickly and after graduating joined the renowned jazz program at New York's New School University.
At New School she studied with jazz veterans including
Billy Harper,
Workman,
Buster Williams, and
Gary Bartz.
Bartz proved an important mentor. He introduced her to training technical exercise techniques while facilitating her interest in the music of jazz saxophonists including
Charlie Parker,
John Coltrane, and
Jackie McLean. She also played in and performed with
Clark Terry's Young Titans of Jazz, and some of
Workman's ensembles. While struggling to make ends meet, she won paying gigs with as
Missy Elliott and
Alicia Keys, widening her approach. These influences made their presence known on
Benjamin's Motema leader debut,
Retox in 2010. The unusual set included
Benjamin's Soul Squad band backing a number of singers and rappers in a host of originals and covers; some of which didn't feature her horn at all. She explained in interview that she didn't want to be heard as merely an instrumentalist and soloist, but as an arranger and bandleader too. She also won opportunities to play and tour with a wide array of artists including former Coltrane drummer
Rashied Ali, the David Murray Big Band, vocalist
Vanessa Rubin, and guitarist
James Blood Ulmer. Her deep jazz roots and reputation for hard yet innovative work, made her a first call , she arranger and horn section leader, and landed touring gig with
Anita Baker.
In 2015, she was part of the star-studded cast that played on vocalist. arranger
Charenee Wade's
Offering (The Music Of Gil Scott-Heron And Brian Jackson). In addition to
Benjamin, some of its other participants included
Marcus Miller,
Christian McBride,
Malcolm Jamal-Warner, and
Lonnie Plaxico. The following year she was invited by pianist
Robert Glasper to participate in the sessions for his
Miles Davis tribute, Everything's Beautiful; she appeared with
Stevie Wonder and
DJ Spinna on the set's closing track, "Right On Brotha."
In 2018,
Benjamin issued her Ropeadope debut album, Rise Up leading a large ensemble in a savvy jazz-funk update for the 21st century including not only players but singers and rappers. In the aftermath, she played dates in and around New York, joined
Porter's road band, worked with
Carrington, and was a featured musician and arranger for comedy star
Craig Robinson. In addition to performing,
Benjamin also became an educator, teaching at Jazz at Lincoln Center and at Jazz House Kids.
Benjamin turned heads with her third album -- and second from Ropeadope -- by leaving R&B and funk by the wayside. May 2020's
Pursuance: The Coltranes, is unlike any other tribute project. Its 13 tunes were equally divided between compositions by
Alice and
John, and offered sometimes radical reinterpretations. The outlier was "Going Home"; composed by
Benjamin, its lineup included bass clarinetist Marcus Strickland, and string group Rootstock Republic. In addition to
Benjamin's alto were the selectively featured horns of
Bartz, Steve Wilson,
Greg Osby, and
Bruce Williams, harpist
Brandee Younger, violinist
Regina Carter, bassists
Workman,
Plaxico, and
Me'Shell Ndegéocello, and vocalists
Dee Dee Bridgewater,
Jazzmeia Horn, Zakiyyah Modeste, and
Dudley Perkins. The set was greeted with global acclaim by critics upon release, and subsequently charted at streaming. ~ Thom Jurek