Known predominantly for his role as Aaron Burr in the highly acclaimed musical Hamilton, Leslie Odom Jr, an award-winning actor, producer, and vocalist, partnered with the Galaxy Defenders to showcase the real meaning behind the holiday season. In “Leslie Odom Jr’s The Christmas Tour”, audience members of all ages were enveloped in the community-building power of music. Leslie Odom Jr. and the Galaxy Defenders, a group of merely five musicians, managed to take the audience on an evolutionary musical journey with unexpected twists and turns reminiscent of a nostalgic, yet retro, Broadway musical. His smooth, sultry vocals floated throughout the Atlanta Symphony Hall as he transformed traditional Christmas songs into intimate stories while simultaneously flipping the narrative of holiday music by delving into original and covered tunes from various genres and languages. With the story in his hands, the stage became a platform for something ethereal and heart-warming.
The Christmas Tour, in its earliest forms, was born roughly a decade ago as a means to bring a sometimes divided world into one room on one accord. Beginning with his Simply Christmas album in 2016, Odom created a whimsical world of his own, drawing from influences ranging from jazz to rock. Although it seemed like Christmas music had already been done, Odom realized that no one had done it quite like him, and he was certainly right. His comedic segments, combined with moving musical selections, awakened the audience to some of the most relatable holiday scenarios as well as the importance of being surrounded by those we love in all seasons.
Regardless of whether the holidays are spent with a given or chosen family, Odom brought comedic life to the holidays by asking one of the most relatable holiday questions; “Is anyone here avoiding family tonight?” His candid response of admitting to doing so himself caused the audience to erupt in a roar of laughter as he gifted us with his rendition of Favorite Things. In the most irreplicable fashion, Odom became one with the music and embraced the Christmas spirit by sharing the spotlight with his Galaxy Defenders’ musicians in rounds of jazz improvisation, acoustic, and acapella performances. The group, at one moment, was cycling through jazz renditions of Last Christmas and The First Noel; yet, in a seeming instant, they would shift to a jolly original piece like Snow or, even, take us to an old-school church with an acapella rendition of Jesus Gave Me Water.
This performance redefined the meaning of the relationship between a headliner and their band as the Galaxy Defenders were as integral of moving pieces as Odom himself. Shifting between and multitasking as background singers and instrumentalists, the Galaxy Defenders were friends of Odom rather than support. All of their musical talents and acuity allowed for the audience to be transported to all parts of the world with Odom’s renditions of O Tannenbaum in German and Ave Maria in Latin. Despite the exact translations being lost for most audience members, the crew managed to connect a room on melody and soul alone. Connection was the key, and humility was the core.
Odom could not finish the show without making us wait for it. After asking forgiveness for singing a non-Christmas song, he treated the audience with an acoustic version of Wait for It from Hamilton. The audience was so deeply moved by his rendition that they gave yet another standing ovation, totaling four throughout the entire performance. The recurring themes throughout this concert embodied the purest essence of the holiday season. In spite of where we may be or the gifts we may receive, we are to always remember the importance of sharing our gifts while leaving space for others to share theirs as well. One of the truest markers of a revolutionary musician is being unafraid to command a room while being willing to let others command it too.
From audience sing-alongs to group clapping sessions, Leslie Odom Jr. and the Galaxy Defenders proved that the holiday season is not about the tangible gifts that we receive from others: instead, it is about the intangible gifts that we give to those who matter most. Even if the year has come to a close, it is never too late to give our gifts to the world, as that is what connects us all.
Written by: Genesis Strother
Photographed by: Maria Austin
Courtesy of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra