“Y’all know what to do,” Grammy Award-nominated performer Oleta Adams said as she requested the audience to stay in the moment and soak in the songs of the season as she headlined IN UNISON Chorus’ Gospel Christmas program on Thursday, December 18.
Guests wore fur coats and dazzling holiday attire suitable for the formal atmosphere that the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra provides.
But soon after Adams’ rich alto tone bounced from the walls and ceilings and into the spirits of the sold-out crowd, Powell Hall was transformed into a soulful sanctuary.
“Sing, Oleta!” someone shouted as she started her second selection.
It was far from the last moment of crowd participation in the nearly three hours of music that blended holiday classics and spirituals, as well as highlights from Adams’ holiday album and her two decades of repertoire.
IN UNISON, conducted by Kevin McBeth, took the audience on a musical journey that stretched from Africa, via “Oba ti de (Here Comes The King)” to Europe with the gospel arrangement of “Hallelujah” from “Handel’s Soulful Messiah: A Celebration.”
The sanctified solo by Salethia Harris fired up the diverse crowd in Powell Hall like a Southern Baptist musical hour as she whooped and hollered in the name of Jesus and the audience echoed with a chorus of hallelujahs.
The performance struck the audience to the point where she was given room for an encore amidst the jam-packed musical program.
Although more subdued, the audience also acted as “the amen chorus” when Adams performed her gospel hit “Holy is the Lamb.”
Adams proved herself to be an impeccable talent over the course of the evening – especially with her performances of “There is Still My Joy” and “Everything Must Change.”
The appreciation for the experience offered through IN UNISON’s “A Gospel Christmas” proved mutual when Adams extended her performance to include a few selections not listed on the program.
“You know what time it is,” Adams said, just before gracefully stroking the keys of the grand piano to deliver the opening chords of “Get Here,” the Brenda Russell cover that put her on mainstream music’s radar.
“Go ‘head, Oleta,” “sing that” and other responses came from the crowd as they basked in the delightful surprise that she would indeed be performing her signature hit. Her voice was still as pristine before a live audience as it was when the song was on the airwaves nearly 25 years ago.
“She sang that,” an audience member said after Adams effortlessly showcased her deep vibrato during the bridge of “Get Here.”
Adams sang the audience out the door with another selection she spontaneously added to the program as a token of her appreciation for such a receptive audience.
“Anybody who doesn’t want to stay, my feelings will not be hurt,” Adams said before offering a scaled-down performance featuring herself and her band as people prepared to head for the exit.
A number of guests stopped midway through their tracks to partake in her surprise second helping.
“This has been amazing,” Adams said, just before finally bidding the audience farewell and bowing to IN UNISON and the orchestra for their accompaniment.
