Noticing xl - Leslie Odom Jr., singer, actor

The other day I went with my friend Kate to see Harriet, a feature film about Harriet Tubman. I learned quite a bit: it actually surprised me how little I knew about that courageous, activist woman. In effect, all I really knew before seeing the film was her name and her likeness.

One of the actors in the film looked really familiar, but I couldn't place him. Turned out it was Leslie Odom Jr., who careened into the spotlight playing Aaron Burr in the musical Hamilton. I haven't seen Hamilton (though I'd like to), but I did know Odom from a This American Life recording that I posted just after the 2016 election: "Seriously," composed by Sara Bareilles.

It remains a song that I can (and do) watch/listen to time and again. It's beautiful, insistent, passionate, angry, aggrieved. Which we all should be, nowadays, in the face of the corruption that's grasped our nation.

This evening I stumbled onto Leslie Odom Jr.'s appearance on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert, and that got me searching for him on YouTube. I found a lovely version of "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" (Jimmy Cox):

And here he is singing "The Star-Spangled Banner":

I just love his voice. And I'm glad he's riding high.

Here's a snippet from Hamilton. One of these days I'll see it. I hope.