If there's one musician who truly embodies resilience, it's Lakecia Benjamin.

Just a couple of weeks ago, at the 60th Jazzfest Berlin, I had the privilege of sitting down with powerhouse saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin for an inspiring conversation.
 
Throughout her career, she's played alongside legends like Anita Baker, the Count Basie Orchestra, Harry Belafonte, Stevie Wonder, the Roots, Missy Elliott, Alicia Keys, and so many more.
 
After a serious car accident in 2021, Lakecia didn't just bounce back—she wrote new music that would become her latest album, Phoenix, earning three Grammy nominations. Her journey shows just how far small steps forward can go.
 
Lakecia opened up about her roots growing up in Washington Heights, New York, a predominantly Dominican neighbourhood pulsing with Latin music.

She shared insights into her 2020 album Pursuance: The Coltranes, her triple Grammy-nominated 2023 Phoenix, the influence of Alice and John Coltrane, and the courage it takes to reveal your authentic self to an online audience as an independent artist.
 
I saw Lakecia in an incredible concert at Quasimodo.

What impressed me the most was her attitude. I had to think of what Miles Davis once said: "Anybody can play. The note is only 20 percent. The attitude of the motherfucker who plays it is 80 percent." The concert wasn't just music, it was a party with all of us - we all celebrated life and women in music.

I love her story, her truth and her drive.
 
Enjoy listening! 🎧 

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