Lakecia Benjamin came to Jazzkaar with her Phoenix – an album-statement that deserves attention and listening in both of its versions: the original from 2023, and Phoenix Reimagined (Live) from 2024. The original version earner Lakecia her first three GRAMMY nominations, and live version – another two.
A New York City native, born and raised, Lakecia Benjamin began her musical journey at an early age with the recorder. Later, during her high school years, she picked up the saxophone and found her true voice. From the very beginning, Lakecia showed a passion not only for playing instruments but also for writing her own music and lyrics, setting the foundation for her successful career. Lakecia released her first album, Retox, in 2012, followed by five more albums, two of which earned her an impressive five GRAMMY Award nominations in 2024 and 2025.
Today, Lakecia Benjamin stands out as a talented saxophonist, composer, and educator, with five GRAMMY nominations to her name. Her latest album, Phoenix Reimagined (Live), released in 2024, earned her nominations in two categories – Best Jazz Instrumental Album and Best Jazz Performance. Throughout her career, she has had the opportunity to collaborate with some of the biggest names in the music world, including Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Gregory Porter, Missy Elliott, and many others.
Lakecia is known for her ability to craft unique music by blending various jazz styles with elements of R&B and funk. The Jazzkaar audience came prepared for a contemporary, energy-filled, and life-affirming jazz experience. Performing for the first time in Estonia, Lakecia Benjamin and her band – John Chin on piano and keyboards, Elias Bailey on double bass and Dorian Phelps on drums – without a doubt delivered all of that and even more!
The tone of the concert was set by Lakecia from the moment she stepped onto the stage. Instantly, the entire audience was hit by a wave of positive energy and cheerful words of Lakecia. What a start! We got you, girl – and we are ready! Lakecia kicked off the concert by announcing that tonight, we would be celebrating women in jazz. Indeed, most of the time jazz bands are predominantly male, often featuring only a single woman — or none at all. It is encouraging to see how this tendency is shifting, with more and more female musicians stepping into the spotlight!
Of course, Lakecia meant not only celebrating women in music, but overall – to honor women. So many women, through their hard work and active social engagement through history, have helped change the course of events. Together with her band, Lakecia performed a powerful piece called Amerikkan Skin, inspired by the stories and struggles of the Black American population. In the middle of the performance, Lakecia surprised everyone by putting down her saxophone and starting to rap! Quite unexpected for a jazz concert – but in a way, completely fitting for Lakecia! Rapping isn’t something you usually hear at a jazz concert — at least, I had never experienced it before! Later, listening again to the studio version of this song, I learned that the piece was inspired by a 1972 speech of American civil rights activist and former Black Panther member Angela Davis. It’s no surprise that Amerikkan Skin earned Lakecia a well-deserved GRAMMY nomination for Best Instrumental Compositions in 2024!
The entire concert was infused with energy from start to finish! Lakecia’s original compositions are indeed a mix of styles, being funky and jazzy at the same time. Without any questions, Lakecia loves her music, as she didn’t stop dancing throughout the whole show, clearly enjoying every single moment. She kept encouraging the audience, showing us the perfect moments to clap and support her musicians. Lakecia’s energy is so infectious that it’s impossible not to get caught up in it. You can just imagine the whole crowd moving with the beat, clapping along, smiling, and feeling the music in every part of their being.
As the star of the stage, Lakecia took time to showcase her own talents with solos, but she also made sure to share the spotlight with her talented band. Each musician was given their moment to shine. The drummer, Dorian Phelps, undoubtedly had the most attention – and probably the most pressure. On his first-ever tour, Lakecia made sure he had plenty of time to showcase his skills, by giving him solo moments through the performance.
A truly great jazz concert wouldn’t be complete without honoring the legends who paved the way, and Lakecia made sure to pay tribute to some of the most influential figures in jazz. She honored the great John Coltrane by performing one of his iconic pieces, My Favorite Things. This beautiful piece was complimented by a stunning duet between Lakecia and her drummer. But she didn’t stop there – during her encore, Lakecia also took a moment to recognize Stevie Wonder, with whom she had the honor of working personally, bringing even more depth to the evening and reminding the audience of the profound influence of these musical giants.
A great show, where the great Lakecia Benjamin showed Tallinn how to deliver a proper performance! When musicians enjoy what they’re doing, the audience will always feel it. As simple as it is. And that’s exactly what we saw. That is exactly what we wanted. And without a doubts, that is exactly what we loved about this concert.
Photo: Siiri Männi
Lakecia Benjamin
22nd of April 2025, Von Krahl
The band:
Lakecia Benjamin – alto saxophone
John Chin – piano & keyboards
Elias Bailey- double bass
Dorian Phelps – drums