Lakecia Benjamin Press
Salt Lake Magazine:
Lakecia Benjamin isn’t only a five-time Grammy-nominated musician and saxophonist—she’s far more. She’s often an explosion of joy, and eager to share about what she’s learning along the way. When she plays here next week, it’ll be just a couple days after her birthday, too. Go ahead and consider the performance a belated celebration of sorts. Read more…
The Utah Review:
In the video for Noble Rise, the epitome of musical collaboration is dynamic. An exquisite conversation is captured in a montage with alto saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin on her solos and her core band Phoenix in the studio while fellow alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins plays his solos from his home. Joining in is guitarist Mark Whitfield. This is the jazz version of the apotheosis we find in classical chamber music when each musician stands out for their individuality just as much as they do for their contributions to ensemble chemistry. Read more…
Front Row Reviewers:
As part of the UtahPresents Jazz at Kingsbury Hall series, Lakecia Benjamin and Phoenix create an evangelistic awakening rather than a concert. Benjamin, renowned for combining the sacred fire of jazz with the throb of hip-hop, funk, and soul, performs a set that blurs genres and dismantles any notion of boundaries or limitations. The result is a sonic communion in which groove becomes gospel and rhythm becomes revelation. Benjamin not only redefines modern jazz in her hands, but she also brings it to new life. Read more…
The Rhetorical Review:
Alto saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Lakecia Benjamin has become one of the most dynamic voices in contemporary jazz. A five-time Grammy nominee, Benjamin is known for her radiant stage presence, ensemble-forward leadership, and a sound that braids jazz improvisation with the Black musical lineages of funk, R&B, and hip-hop. What distinguishes her, however, is not only stylistic fluency but the sense of purpose driving her work: her music insists that joy is not decorative—it is survival, discipline, and strategy. Read more…