Just like it has done so many times before, the Jazz Spring festival continues to present women who exude strength as they proclaim the bright future of jazz. For Lakecia Benjamin, the dynamics, styles and moods of jazz, funk, R&B and hip-hop are all equally her own, and she combines them in the most natural ways imaginable. The New York alto saxophonist is bringing her latest material: Phoenix, inspired, obviously, by the theme of a bird rising from its ashes, but also by Benjamin’s own personal history. Get ready for some heat in the atmosphere!
During her studies at New York’s New School of Music, Lakecia Benjamin was taught the eternal values of the jazz tradition by her mentors: Billy Harper, Buster Williams, Gary Bartz and Reggie Workman. Not long afterwards, she began performing alongside Missy Elliott and Alicia Keys, experiences that added many colours to her palette. Her debut album, Retox, came out in 2012. Even then, she showed huge promise, especially because of the weighty material she was producing as a composer. In addition to collaborating with younger singers like Gregory Porter and Theo Croker, she has also joined Stevie Wonder and DJ Spinna in a production by Robert Glasper. All throughout, she has preserved in her music the energies from both the heroic era of jazz and its present, which included creating material that pays tribute to the work of John and Alice Coltrane couple: this was 2020’s Pursuance. Her 2023 album Phoenix embodies the present state of jazz itself, one in which music and poetry, expression through blues and words, statements both determined and gentle in the struggle for gender and racial equality, all have a place. Produced by Terri Lyne Carrington, the album has its significance further enhanced by the musical contributions of Dianne Reeves and Wayne Shorter and the words of Angela Davis.
Presented by: Müpa Budapest
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We wish to inform you that in the event that Müpa Budapest's underground garage and outdoor car park are operating at full capacity, it is advisable to plan for increased waiting times when you arrive. In order to avoid this, we recommend that you depart for our events in time, so that you you can find the ideal parking spot quickly and smoothly and arrive for our performance in comfort. The Müpa Budapest underground garage gates will be operated by an automatic number plate recognition system. Parking is free of charge for visitors with tickets to any of our paid performances on that given day. The detailed parking policy of Müpa Budapest is available here.
