Born and raised in New York City's Washington Heights, a predominantly Dominican neighbourhood in Manhattan, Lakecia Benjamin is a six-time Grammy-nominated alto saxophonist, arranger, composer, and educator whose music offers a unique meld of jazz, funk, soul, R&B, and hip-hop, with a warm, resonant tone compared to Johnny Hodges.
Benjamin's first job was with Clark Terry's Young Titans of Jazz, and whilst still a student she was already playing with renowned jazz figures including Reggie Workman, which led to gigs and tours with Rashied Ali, the David Murray Big Band, Vanessa Rubin, and James "Blood" Ulmer. With her deep jazz roots, she was soon in demand as an arranger and horn section leader, landing stints with Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Macy Gray, The Roots, Anita Baker, Count Basie Orchestra, Harry Belafonte, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Kool & the Gang, Missy Elliott, and Gregory Porter. Her 2012 leader debut Retox on Motéma offered a beat-conscious set of soul and funk covers and originals produced by Ben Kane, followed by Rise Up (2018) on Ropeadope containing a Prince-inspired series of original jazz-funk jams. In May 2020, she released Pursuance: The Coltranes on Ropeadope, an intergenerational masterpiece featuring six tunes each by Alice and John Coltrane with sometimes radical reinterpretations, featuring an all-star cast including Gary Bartz, Steve Wilson, Greg Osby, Bruce Williams, Reggie Workman, Meshell Ndegeocello, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jazzmeia Horn, Regina Carter, and Brandee Younger.
Her fourth studio album Phoenix appeared in January 2023 on Whirlwind Recordings, produced by Terri Lyne Carrington and exploring themes of rebirth and female empowerment following Benjamin's 2021 car accident recovery, featuring guests including Dianne Reeves and Georgia Anne Muldrow. Voted 2020 DownBeat Critics Poll Rising Star Alto Saxophonist and Up and Coming Artist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association, Benjamin was selected as 2023 Monterey Jazz Festival Artist-in-Residence and teaches at Jazz at Lincoln Center and Jazz House Kids.
