Concert
Lakecia Benjamin
“Phoenix”
Lakecia Benjamin © Elizabeth Leitzell
A rising star on New York’s bustling scene, alto saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin is a force to be reckoned with, blowing soulful lines derived from her hero John Coltrane within a thoroughly contemporary context informed by contemporary R&B and hip-hop.
Lakecia Benjamin: “PHOENIX”
(US)
New York alto saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin celebrated the music of John and Alice Coltrane for the virtual edition of Jazzfest Berlin in 2020, with a streamed live performance from the legendary New York club Roulette. Four years later she’s back in-person, playing music from her acclaimed 2023 album “Phoenix”. There she definitively conjured the spirit of her influences within her own compositions and arrangements, reconciling her traditional roots with her deep and abiding ardor for R&B.
More recently, the saxophonist demonstrated how she’s reshaped those ambitions for the concert stage on “Phoenix Reimagined (Live)”, directing a lean, nimble quartet with pianist Michael King, bassist Elias Bailey and the veteran drummer E.J. Strickland to braid those twin sources into one soulful, elegantly swinging affair that honors the richness of Black American music. Benjamin unleashes her artistry within a mix of brash energy and prepossessing grace, pushing the music forward and expressing self-determination while satisfying core pleasures.
Line-up
Lakecia Benjamin – alto saxophone
Michael King – piano
Elias Bailey – double bass
Dorian Phelps – drums
23:30
Jam-Session
On all four days of the festival, the daily jam sessions at Quasimodo will revive an old Jazzfest Berlin tradition. Musicians from the festival programme will be invited to improvise together in entirely new constellations in a relaxed atmosphere until late at night.