Lakecia Benjamin – The Speigeltent, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

Tonight marks both Lakecia Benjamin’s first time in Scotland and first time in a circus tent and she’s
delighted by the prospect of both. Strictly speaking, the Speigeltent is not a circus big top; true, it
does have a canvas roof but it also has a chandelier and elegant stained glass windows. It’s more
like an Art Nouveau pop-up Parisian absinthe parlour than an arena for jugglers and clowns but as a
description, a circus tent is close enough for jazz.

Lakecia and her band kick things off as soon as they get on the stage. There is no loitering within
tent here tonight. [You’re fired – Ed.] They start with an unnamed number which Lakecia says is
their way of sounding out the audience; getting a feel of who we are and letting us get a feel for
them. The band: Ivan Taylor, bass; EJ Strickland, drums and Zaccai Curtis hit a groove while
Benjamin solos lyrically on top, Curtis’ inventive block chords providing both space and melodic
counterpoint.

Benjamin is dressed tonight in a silver jacket and gold trousers. She looks like she may have come
forward in time from 1973 or back in time from 2073. Likewise, her music pulls from the past and
points towards the future. Lakecia tells us that tonight is a celebration of life, love, freedom and
equality. Her latest album, Phoenix, is a celebration of women featuring contributions from Political
activist Angela Davis, singer Patrice Rushen and the recently departed saxophonist Wayne Shorter.
It’s a thoroughly modern jazz album but tonight it is stripped back to a classic jazz quartet format.
Before embarking on Amerikkan Skin, the album’s opening track, Lakecia tells us she will be taking
on Angela Davis’ vocal. “Whether you pray to Jesus, Buddha, Allah or whoever, this is where I need
your help,” she says. Whether she receives divine assistance or doesn’t actually need it is unclear
but she navigates the complex rap-style lyrics seemingly effortlessly.

Moving on, I manage to impress myself by decyphering a set of chord changes as Amazing Grace.
Although this is a tune with a strong Scottish connection, Benjamin is not just playing it tonight
because she is in Edinburgh, it does form part of her standard setlist. “We’ve been told we need to
take a break but I’d rather just stay here and blow the roof of this place,” says Lakecia. Before the
break, we get her interpretation of John Coltrane's version of My Favourite Things. During the
break, the guy sitting behind me is desperate to point out that of course, Coltrane played My
Favourite Things on soprano sax and Lakecia is playing it on alto sax but in the same pitch which he
feels has resulted in a certain harshness in the higher notes. While there was a slight harshness,
personally I think this was down to the PA rather than Lakecia’s playing.

Post intermission, “Did you enjoy your pointless break?” Lakecia asks with good humour, Jubilation
from the Phoenix album features the rarest of things: an interesting drum solo. I then impress
myself again by recognising a second set of chord changes. Lakecia confirms this to be Going Home.
“Maybe you know that it’s also a well-known classical piece. Or maybe not” she says, before we
have had the opportunity to reply. Maybe she knew it was used as a Hovis advert. Or maybe not.
The evening is rounded off by another Coltrane number: A Love Supreme. As we chant the title,
Benjamin’s wish that the gig should be a celebration has certainly been fulfilled. Lakecia may not
play in a circus tent again but she’ll be welcome back in Scotland any time.

John Scott

All photographs by Ben Glasgow