Voted 2020 Downbeat Critics Poll Rising Star Alto Saxophonist and Up and Coming Artist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association, the charismatic and dynamic Lakecia Benjamin fuses traditional conceptions of jazz, hip-hop, and soul. One of the most sought-after and revered saxophonists in the world, she is an amazing player and a formidable composer and arranger. “Equally melodic and assertive, her sound feels rooted in tradition, yet broad enough to encompass R&B and Latin music; its pronounced funk suggests allegiances to hip-hop and dance.” – Marcus J. Moore, The New York Times