CHESHIRE, Mass. — The Berkshires' Summer Jazz Camp returns this August and sign-ups are open now.
In mid-August, high school and middle school students throughout the county will get a chance to sit in with a group of master jazz musicians at Hoosac Valley High School.
"The students will be able to hear and play with some of the top musicians in the world today," professional trumpeter and North Adams native Richard Boulger said. "It is a real pleasure to see how the students are inspired by hearing our faculty. Not to mention, hearing how much the students progress in just a matter of days."
This is the second Jazz Camp sponsored by the Adams-Anthony Center and Boulger will again be joined by saxophonist Alex Foster, pianist Charles Blenzig, drummer Victor Jones, and bassist Alex Blake.
New to the team this year is guitarist David Gilmore, who has worked with multiple artists including Wayne Shorter and David Sandborn. He has appeared on over 50 recordings and has contributed to popular acts including Joss Stone and Melissa Etheridge.
More information on the clinicians and the camp can be found here.
Boulger said the clinicians will hold group sessions during which they will cover improvisation techniques as well as ensemble playing. Students will then split into break out sessions to work with faculty on their respective instruments, cover fundamentals and advance ideas for sound production, and practice techniques.
"Many of the ideas we teach, we learned directly from true master jazz musicians. I myself, for example, spent several years ... apprenticing with jazz trumpet icons Freddie Hubbard and Donald Byrd," Boulger said. "... Some of what I teach was directly shared with me and I share it with the students. The same can be said of each of our jazz faculty members who have collectively worked, recorded, and toured extensively with true masters of music."
Boulger added that they place an emphasis on listening to the masters and specific renowned recordings.
"How to really listen and begin to understand not only what is happening on said recordings, but also begin to think about the idea of finding one’s own voice on their respective musical instrument," he said.
In general, they do not use music stands or sheet music and they try to teach students how to hear melodies and "simplify/demystify" the art of improvisation.
Boulger said the camp is completely free thanks to the sponsorship of the Adams-Anthony Center.
The camp runs from Aug. 19 to 23 and ends with a cabaret in which the students will play publicly with the clinicians.
Applications can be found online here and Boulger said they are working on a first-come, first-serve basis so any students interested should return their applications as soon as possible.
Donations can also be made to Adams-Anthony Center that makes the event possible.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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Suspect in High-Speed Adams Chase Arrested
ADAMS, Mass. — A suspect test-driving a pickup truck who led police on a wild high-speed chase on Tuesday was arrested in Adams early Wednesday morning.
The incident began at about 11:41 a.m. on Tuesday when an officer conducted a motor vehicle stop on Howland Avenue. During the stop, the operator was positively identified and was determined to have a suspended license. When ordered out of the vehicle, he fled, said police, leading law enforcement on a multijurisdictional pursuit toward the town of Florida.
A number of people posted about seeing the black pickup truck enter the Walmart parking lot; a video shows the driver surrounded by cruisers as they try to exit the parking lot at the light. Witnesses say the pickup backed into cruiser to get around the block.
The driver headed up West Shaft Road and toward Florida with Adams and North Adams Police in pursuit. The pursuit was called off at the city line.
The suspect was able to elude police but his vehicle was found abandoned in a remote location in the Savoy State Forest. It was later learned this vehicle was being test driven from a local auto dealer. With the assistance of the State Police Airwing, K9 Unit and drone unit, officers canvased the wilderness for the suspect but were unsuccessful.
Officers received information at about 3:14 a.m. on Wednesday that the suspect was in the area of Glen Street. Police say he fled on foot as officers secured a perimeter.
K9 Adam and his handler Sgt. Curtis Crane began an area search. K9 Adam was able to locate the suspect hiding in a back yard, but the suspect again ran — straight into officers on the perimeter who took him into custody.
The suspect faces a litany of charges pending from the previous day's encounter as well as the early morning contact with officers. Additional charges are pending as well from North Adams Police Department and their involvement in the apprehension.
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