Pakistani guitarist featured at MCLA concert

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Salman Ahmad
On Friday, Dec. 7, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) will present Patrons of the Arts’ annual Songs of the Spirit concert, at 7:30 p.m. in the Church Street Center. This year’s featured performers will be Salman Ahmad, a Pakistani-American guitarist known for his humanitarian efforts, and Gary Lucas, a Grammy-nominated songwriter and NYC-based guitarist. Also performing will be local resident Jamie Choquette ’98 and the Gabriel Abbott Children’s Choir from Florida mountain. An annual holiday tradition at MCLA, Songs of the Spirit is a celebration of song and music showcasing the commonalities found in different faith traditions from around the world. This year’s program will feature individual and collaborative work by three artists whose work is inspired and informed by both secular and sacred traditions, including Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Dubbed “The Bono of the Muslim World,” Salman Ahmad is the musician who formed Junoon, South Asia’s largest and most senior rock band. He also has been involved in two documentaries with the BBC and is working to spread awareness about HIV in South Asia, and to help bring peace between Pakistan and India as an artist. “Salman Ahmad’s prowess as a singer and blues-based guitarist has earned him thousands of fans among moderate Muslims,” according to the LA Times. He recently worked with Annie Lennox, Sarah McLachlan and Dave Stewart in a song for “Green Peace.” His cover “What’s so Funny about Peace, Love and Understanding” (a duet with PJ Olsson) by Nick Lowe/Elvis Costello is featured in the new TV series, “Aliens in America. Last week, Ahmad had his article, “A False Choice for Pakistan” published in the Washington Post. Following his MCLA appearance, Ahmad will perform at the Nobel Peace Prize Awards. Lucas is known for his solo guitar work in “Legendary Left-field Guitarist” and his long-standing band, Gods and Monsters, was called “an underground rock fan’s dream-team” by The New Yorker. He has been described as “one of the best and most original guitarists in America” by the Rolling Stone, a “legendary leftfield guitarist” by The Guardian, “the thinking man’s guitar hero” by The New Yorker and one of “the most innovative and challenging guitarists playing today” by fRoots. Lucas tours all over the world and has performed in 35 countries. Between each set at this event will be readings, curated by MCLA’s Jewish Student Union and Christian Fellowship and read by local clerics, focusing on the shared spiritual ideals of diverse faiths and cultures. Tickets to Songs of the Spirit are $12 for general admission, $5 for MCLA faculty and staff, and free to Patrons and MCLA students. For more information or to order tickets, call 413-662-5543, or go to www.mcla.edu/patrons .
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Armed North Adams Man Arrested Following Domestic Standoff

Staff Reports

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Matthew Parker, a 44-year-old North Adams man, is set to face multiple counts of attempted murder and weapons charges in Northern Berkshire District Court on Friday morning following an hours-long, armed standoff at a Houghton Street home.

The defendant is being arraigned for:

  • Domestic Assault and Battery
  • Assault with the Intent to Murder (3 counts)
  • Carrying a Firearm While Under the Influence of Alcohol (3 counts)
  • Possession of a hi-capacity firearm (4 counts)
  • Improper Storage of a hi-capacity firearm (2 counts)
  • Improper Storage of a firearm (6 counts)

According to a report, on June 10, at approximately 8:42 p.m., officers responded to 365 Houghton St. following a report of a domestic assault and battery. The caller said she and her husband had been involved in a physical altercation.

She said her husband was intoxicated, making suicidal statements about shooting himself, and had access to both a shotgun and a pistol.

Upon arrival, officers made contact with both the caller and Parker. During the encounter, Parker threatened to shoot officers before retreating into the home and refusing to exit.

Officers believed that Parker was armed.

To ensure public safety, police established a perimeter around the home and requested assistance from the Berkshire County Special Response Team (SRT) and North Adams Police crisis negotiators. The Brien Center was also contacted and promptly provided an emergency mental health clinician to assist with the incident.

Special Response Team personnel deployed drones to monitor the residence and provide aerial illumination. During the operation, officers saw Parker exit the house carrying a rifle. He pointed it at the drones, stated a report. Parker subsequently pointed the rifle toward several officers positioned behind their cruisers. After officers attempted to de-escalate the situation, Parker returned inside the residence.

Trained crisis negotiators maintained communication with Parker for several hours in an effort to peacefully resolve the situation. At approximately 2 a.m., Parker ceased communication with negotiators.

Drone operators later observed Parker unconscious in a recliner on the first floor of the residence, with a rifle and shotgun on the floor nearby.

Members of the Berkshire County SRT then executed a coordinated operation. Diversionary devices were deployed through a window while an entry team simultaneously entered the home, secured the firearms, and took the defendant into custody.

A search warrant was executed after Parker was in custody. North Adams Police seized four shotguns, six rifles, two handguns, and thousands or rounds of ammunition from the home.

During the operation, one SRT member sustained a minor injury related to a less-lethal bean bag deployment. Parker also sustained non-life threatening injuries during the arrest and was transported to Berkshire Medical Center for medical evaluation.

"We thank the community for its patience and cooperation throughout this incident, particularly residents in the affected area who complied with temporary shelter-in-place requests," Police Chief Mark Bailey said.  "The North Adams Police Department extends its sincere appreciation to the agencies that provided mutual aid and assisted by handling calls for service during this incident. We are especially grateful to the Berkshire County Special Response Team for its professional and decisive response, the Brien Center for the rapid deployment of a mental health clinician, and our crisis negotiators whose efforts helped maintain dialogue and contributed significantly to the safe resolution of this incident."

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