Lakecia Benjamin @ the Jazz Arena, Cheltenham Jazz Festival - May 4.

I had bobbed down to that Big Fancy London last year to see Benjamin at the Jazz Café. Since then she has continued her peregrinations around various international hot spots, in her quest to promote her fine Phoenix album. So, what did we learn from tonight’s gig? Firstly, she did not enjoy her visit to Budapest and, secondly, she came to make some noise. Whilst the main acts in the big tent next door were the sort of pop acts that help pay for the rest of the Festival, the Jazz Arena is where the next generation of big jazz headliners do their thing. Benjamin’s thing is loud, uncompromising, modern and reaching back to that explosion of Coltrane influenced music that lit fires that continue to burn.

A brief opening piece is a statement of intent; a fury of tumbling ‘Coltrane-esque’ notes ring out, furious and pile-driving, punching holes in the very fabric of the tent. American Skin opens with the same declaration as on the album, a defiant “I am somebody, I AM SOMEBODY.” A long, bluesy, middle-east tinged sinuous sax line sings out. She answers her own short shout outs with longer lines; the band members throw their separate weight behind her. The pianist leads off in a more lyrical section before Benjamin returns to rap out a call for peace in the cities.

My Favorite Things opens with a breakneck speed wail, pounding and hammering before they slow down to state the familiar melody before the band lifts off again, Benjamin blasting out more Coltrane type sheets of sound that rise in pitch as the energy levels soar. Her alto screams before she plunges into a veritable forest of notes and she duels with drummer, EJ Strickland, as the others drop out. She tumbles in and back out of the familiar melody. Benjamin punches the air in victory as the pianist solos, again hinting at the melody line and working away from it, hammering the keys. Benjamin returns to the fray, blowing looong lines and punching out notes as Strickland again pounds away on the drums. It’s breathless stuff!   

There is no let up for Jubilation which opens with full force Strickland as his drumming sounds like a demolition, pounding and rolling, crashing his cymbals; thunder and lightning. Benjamin’s solo is full of trills and longer swooping lines which she develops into a celebratory dance, packed with soul.

The pace drops for the next piece. Benjamin slides into a blues line followed by a moment of silence before she comes back in. A gospel laden duet with the piano before the blues returns with force and it seems that the music contains the roots of so much different music. As it goes on hints suggest that it’s Amazing Grace they are playing (they are!). From gospel and blues they move onto something funky and Stevie Wonder-ish. The dancing bass solo carries the mood forward.

There is an inevitability that she will close with A Love Supreme. It’s a crowd-pleaser but also a defiant planting of boots on the ground. This is where she is and she is making a pitch to wear the crown. A full charge from the bass and drums and powerful blowing from Benjamin sets the scene before a heavy chorded piano solo joins the battle and adds gravitas and weight. Benjamin’s solo rides the drums and the pace actually picks up, if that were possible. A dense piano solo hammers out the theme of Acknowledgement and Benjamin takes off again into more tightly wound flurries of notes and wailing squeals to bring the close.

Phoenix is a great album but, live, Lakecia Benjamin attains a whole new, higher level. She was great in London; she was even better at Cheltenham. Dave Sayer