Skip to main content
NC State Home
Arts NC State
NC State LIVE

Lakecia Benjamin

Lakecia Benjamin

Thursday, January 21
7:30 p.m. in Stewart Theatre
$30-35 | $25 Faculty/Staff | $10 NC State Students

Subscribe & Save

Save up to 25% when you Create Your Own Series, on sale August 12 – September 30, 2026.

Single Tickets

Single tickets for our Mainstage Season on sale September 3, 2026.

Six-time Grammy nominee Lakecia Benjamin is a force of nature. An alto saxophonist with a fiery stage presence, she melds R&B, jazz and funk into something magical. Her acclaimed albums Phoenix and Pursuance: The Coltranes have firmly established her among today’s foremost jazz artists.

Pop-Up Performance and More

Lakecia will join us on campus for MLK Week to offer classes and a pop-up performance. Join our email list for details.

Sign up for our newsletter.

“The alto saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin plays jazz that is sprinkled with the rich flavors of funk and soul – she’s a crafty traditionalist who remains in step with the rhythms of the young generation.”

The New Yorker

Lakecia’s 2020 album, Pursuance: The Coltranes, incorporated a spiritual, genre-bending sound in tribute to John and Alice Coltrane, featuring musical legends like Reggie Workman, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Last Poets and more.

Phoenix, her fourth studio album, also features star-studded guests, including Dianne Reeves and Angela Davis. Released in 2023, the the project received three Grammy nominations and an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Jazz Album. The accompanying live album, Phoenix Reimagined (Live), earned two more Grammy nominations.

If you missed her NC State LIVE performance in 2021, don’t make that mistake twice.

Lakecia Benjamin smiling in elaborate gold floral jewelry. Photo by Elizabeth Letizell.
Lakecia’s most recent Grammy nomination was for “Noble Rise,” a single released ahead of her 2026 album, We Dream. Photo by Elizabeth Letizell.

Connect with the artist

Performances you may enjoy

2026/27 Shows
Paul Beaubrun lays on his back in the grass with his locs and arms reaching out around him. He looks up at the camera through sunglasses. Photo by Cuba Tornado.

Paul Beaubrun
September 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Stewart Theatre

Born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Paul Beaubrun is a captivating Haitian singer and guitarist. As a touring member of the world-renowned band Arcade Fire, he has performed with legends like Ms. Lauryn Hill and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

Info and Tickets
Lucía stands in front of a warm, moody spotlight and looks directly to camera while draping her arm across her forehead. Photo by Shervin Lainez.

Lucía
October 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Stewart Theatre

With a voice that transports you across cultures and time, Lucía is a young vocalist from Veracruz, México whose singular artistic vision bridges the gaps between jazz, Latin and pop music.

Info and Tickets
Alfredo Rodríguez sits on a velvet couch to the left of Pedrito Martinez in front of a grey, marbled background; both look to camera. Photo by Anna Webber.

Alfredo Rodríguez and Pedrito Martinez
February 13 at 3 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Titmus Theatre

Pianist Alfredo Rodríguez and Grammy-winning percussionist Pedrito Martinez are a high-energy Afro-Cuban jazz duo known for their fearless and virtuosic collaborative style.

Info and Tickets

Accessibility

NC State LIVE strives to make our programming accessible to everyone. If you have an access need or an accommodation request, please email Liza Green, director, at [email protected]. Learn more about accessibility at NC State LIVE.

It Takes a Village

NC State LIVE is supported in part by grants from the City of Raleigh based on recommendations of the Raleigh Arts Commission and the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. Our State Magazine is our official media sponsor.