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The annual Summer Jazz camp offers a chance for young musicians to learn from master jazz musicians.

Berkshires' Summer Jazz Camp Enrollment Open

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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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.

Tags: jazz,   music,   summer camp,   

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Adams Sees No Races So Far

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
ADAMS, Mass. — With less than a week left before nomination papers are due, there are currently no contested seats.
 
Only selectman incumbent John Duval has returned papers. Selectman Howard Rosenberg has decided not to seek re-election. 
 
Rosenberg, who was elected in 2021, said he has chosen not to run again to make room for younger candidates.
 
"I feel strongly, we need younger people running for public office,  as the future of our town lies within the younger  generation. The world is so fundamentally different today and rapidly changing to become even more so. I believe we need people who are less interested in trying to bring back the past, then in paving the way for a promising future. The younger generation can know that they can stay here and have a voice without having to leave for opportunities elsewhere," he said.
 
The only person to return papers so far is former member the board Donald Sommer. Sommer served as a selectman from 2007 to 2010 and before that was a member of the School Committee and the Redevelopment Authority. He ran unsuccessfully for selectman in 2019 and again in 2021 but dropped out of before the election.
 
Incumbent Moderator Myra Wilk and Town Clerk Haley Meczywor have returned papers for their respective positions.
 
Assessor Paula Wheeler has returned papers and incumbents James Loughman and Eugene Michalenko have returned papers for library trustees.
 
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