Boston, MA

Gospel Night brings spirit to Boston Pops

Published

7 months ago

June 6, 2024

Gospel Night brings spirit to Boston Pops

Long before Dennis L. Slaughter was the Boston Pops Orchestra Gospel Choir artistic director, he was a kid in Jackson, Mississippi transfixed by the magic of the piano.

“There was something so captivating about it,” Slaughter told the Herald. “I saw people putting their fingers on this instrument in random places and creating this beautiful sound. I wanted to know how they could do that because when I put my fingers on it it didn’t sound anything like that.”

Slaughter’s parents were smart enough to put their child in piano lessons. And smart enough to keep him in lessons when he became frustrated at the work it took for him to make those beautiful sounds — he credits his mother with not letting him give up. He eventually received an undergraduate degree in music from the University of Southern Mississippi (plus a master’s in education administration and policy studies from Boston University and a doctorate in law and policy from Northeastern).

The son, grandson, brother, nephew, and cousin of preachers, pastors, and church musicians, Slaughter succeeded in combining his faith and education in gospel music. He has been part of every Pops Gospel Night since its inception in 1993 and will lead the choir again June 8 at Symphony Hall, which will feature 10-time Grammy winning gospel powerhouse Take 6 (who also took part in 1993 debut concert).

For Slaughter, the annual event is a unique showcase to highlight the music and message of gospel.

“What has made this concert a success over the years is that it gives us something very different from what we would normally see at my church on a Sunday morning,” he said. “I’m not going to see a conductor, an orchestra, and a choir on Sunday morning. And the fact that we have to work so diligently to bring all the elements together and make them sound cohesive is another thing that makes the program so successful.”

The event hosts gospel in an unexpected setting. But as Slaughter points out, gospel doesn’t need to adhere to expectations.

“The music we will sing on that night covers a range from traditional all the way to very contemporary,” he said. “When I hear a contemporary artist perform r&b or soul music, it doesn’t sound radically different artistically, stylistically than the gospel music that you will hear at this concert. The message though, that’s a 2000-year-old message, but it’s constantly being put in a new set of clothes.”

Just as when he was a kid, Slaughter remains transfixed by music. He just knows that the music he directs now, the music of the Boston Pops Orchestra Gospel Choir, can’t be separated from the message. Slaughter says there will be no proselytizing from the stage, and yet the message remains.

“It’s nice music, it’s beautiful music,” he said. “But it really can be instructive in your life. It can be meaningful in your life. It can be helpful in your life… My hope is that we get someone thinking about participating in a local church where they can experience all the beauty of God’s love, all the beauty of gospel music, whether it’s with a symphony orchestra or not.”

For tickets and details, visit bso.org

Pastor Smokie Norful performs a solo with the Boston Pops at last year’s Gospel Night. (Photo Robert Torres)

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Boston, MA

Celtics at Bulls preview: Can Boston keep its cool in back end of home-and-home series? – The Boston Globe

Published

21 minutes ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Celtics at Bulls preview: Can Boston keep its cool in back end of home-and-home series? – The Boston Globe

“We were getting decent looks, but we just weren’t making them,” Porzingis said. “And when you’re not making them, not that our energy was lacking, but it’s just not the same hype. And honestly, they were taking and making some tough shots, and they were also making the open ones.”

The Celtics also saw their worst shooting percentage (39.2 percent) from the field in a game this season, connecting on 38-of-97 attempts.

Meanwhile, Chicago is coming off one of their best defensive performances thus far. They had 56 rebounds and forward Zach LaVine led the offense with a season-high 36 points.

“They played physical,” Jaylen Brown said. “They hit shots. They guarded well. If a team’s hitting shots and guarding well, anything can happen on any given night.”

Sam Hauser is questionable to play with lower back spasms.

Here’s your preview.

When: Saturday, 8 p.m.

Where: United Center, Chicago

TV, radio: NBCSB, WROR-FM (105.7)

Line: Boston -10.5. O/U: 240.5.

CELTICS

Season record: 21-6. vs. spread: 10-17. Over/under: 12-14, 1 push

Last 10 games: 7-3. vs. spread: 3-7. Over/under: 4-6

BULLS

Season record: 13-15. vs. spread: 14-13, 1 push. Over/under: 16-12

Last 10 games: 6-4. vs. spread: 6-3, 1 push. Over/under: 5-5

TEAM STATISTICS

Points per game: Boston 119.5, Chicago 118.8

Points allowed per game: Boston 110.0, Chicago 121.4

Field goal percentage: Boston .456, Chicago .473

Opponent field goal percentage: Boston .460, Chicago .477

3-point percentage: Boston .367, Chicago .378

Opponent 3-point percentage: Boston .350, Chicago .339

Stat of the day: The victory ended the Bulls’ five-game losing streak against the Celtics, which included a 138-129 home loss on Nov. 29. It also gave the Bulls three straight victories for the first time this season.

Notes: LaVine scored five consecutive points after Boston made it a 99-96 game on a Brown 3-pointer. Two of those five points came on free throws after Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla and Brown were each hit with a technical foul with 5:12 to play — Mazzulla for walking onto the court and Brown for asking why his coach was given the tech. Tatum also received a technical with 3:10 remaining . . . The Bulls were 19 of 52 from 3-point range. They trailed 57-54 at halftime and 86-82 entering the fourth, but used a 12-0 run to take a 99-90 lead . . . Tatum had 31 points and 10 rebounds but was 10-of-22 shooting from the field.

Information from Field Level Media was used in this report.

Alexa Podalsky can be reached at alexa.podalsky@globe.com.

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Boston, MA

SMU faces Boston College on 5-game win streak

Published

8 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

SMU faces Boston College on 5-game win streak

Associated Press

SMU Mustangs (9-2, 1-0 ACC) at Boston College Eagles (7-4, 0-1 ACC)

Boston; Saturday, 12 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Mustangs -7.5; over/under is 147.5

BOTTOM LINE: SMU aims to keep its five-game win streak alive when the Mustangs take on Boston College.

The Eagles have gone 4-2 at home. Boston College scores 70.2 points and has outscored opponents by 1.2 points per game.

The Mustangs have gone 1-0 against ACC opponents. SMU leads the ACC with 16.5 assists. Kevin Miller leads the Mustangs with 5.7.

Boston College scores 70.2 points per game, 1.0 more point than the 69.2 SMU allows. SMU averages 15.7 more points per game (84.7) than Boston College allows to opponents (69.0).

The Eagles and Mustangs match up Saturday for the first time in ACC play this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Donald Hand Jr. is averaging 13.5 points and 7.5 rebounds for the Eagles.

Chuck Harris averages 1.9 made 3-pointers per game for the Mustangs, scoring 12.1 points while shooting 45.7% from beyond the arc.

LAST 10 GAMES: Eagles: 6-4, averaging 70.3 points, 33.2 rebounds, 11.8 assists, 4.8 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 42.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 69.9 points per game.

Mustangs: 8-2, averaging 83.6 points, 38.5 rebounds, 16.1 assists, 7.6 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 46.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 69.9 points.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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How much snow fell in Boston today? Quite a bit, so far!

Published

16 hours ago

December 20, 2024

Press Room

How much snow fell in Boston today? Quite a bit, so far!

With snow still falling in the Boston area Friday evening, early reports of the snowfall totals show that several inches have fallen in the city.

The winter storm hitting Boston Friday into Saturday was expected to bring up to six inches of snow, and some places have already seen nearly that much, including Needham and Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood, according to the National Weather Service.

The agency said that there were reports of 4-5 inches of snow in Dedham and Norwood as well.

[Winter Weather Advisory Update] We continue to see snow totals increase across eastern MA this evening with some reports of 4-5 inches between Dedham and Noorwood. Here is the latest storm total snow forecast update that includes snow that has already fallen this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/XnvdNmVIDy
— NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) December 20, 2024
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PHOTOS: Snow blankets Boston area

We want to see your pictures of the snow in Boston! Send them to shareit@nbcboston.com.

For context, five inches of snow is already half the amount that fell in Boston all of last winter.

Here’s how much snow fell by late afternoon Friday, the most recent snowfall totals shared by the National Weather Service. Explore the Boston-area snowfall total map here.

City/town	Snowfall amount (in inches)
Needham, MA	5
Cambridge, MA	4.9
Beacon Hill, MA	4.8
Dedham, MA	4.5
Westwood, MA	4.5
Norwood, MA	4.5
Walpole, MA	4.5
Newton, MA	4.5
Boston, MA (not Logan airport)	4.4
Brighton, MA	4
Norfolk, MA	4
Allston, MA	3.3
Brookline, MA	3.2
Chelsea, MA	3.2
Rehoboth, MA	3.2
Harrisville, RI	3
Blackstone, MA	3
Somerville, MA	3
Millis, MA	2.9
Vernon, CT	2.8
Weston, MA	2.6
Lexington, MA	2.6
Lexington, MA	2.6
Warwick, RI	2.5
Tolland, CT	2.4
Mansfield, MA	2.3
Grafton, MA	2.3
Cumberland, RI	2.3
Chelsea, MA	2.2
Dedham, MA	2.1
Mansfield, MA	2
Richmond, RI	2
Milford, MA	2
West Warwick, RI	2
North Attleborough, MA	2
North Attleboro, MA	2
Franklin, MA	1.9
Holliston, MA	1.9
Westborough, MA	1.9
Sandwich, MA	1.9
Cumberland, RI	1.7
Lexington, MA	1.7
Providence, RI	1.6
Arlington, MA	1.6
Sturbridge, MA	1.6
Auburn, MA	1.5
North Kingstown, RI	1.5
Narragansett, RI	1.5
Cumberland, RI	1.5
Oxford, MA	1.5
Grafton, MA	1.5
North Reading, MA	1.5
Shrewsbury, MA	1.5
Barrington, RI	1.4
Reading, MA	1.1
Coventry, RI	1.1
Charlton, MA	1
South Kingstown, RI	1
Worcester Airport, MA	1

Snow continues to fall as a storm moves through, and with cold temperatures ahead Saturday, look out for icy conditions. Here’s your First Alert forecast.

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