BAAMS Faculty Band to Perform Benefit Concert

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Richard Boulger, founder of BAAMS and a North Adams native, established the academy.

ADAMS, Mass. — The Berkshires' Academy for Advanced Musical Studies (BAAMS) Faculty Band is scheduled to perform a benefit concert on Wednesday, July 16, at Studio 9, located at The Porches' Inn.

The concert aims to help offset the costs associated with the week-long Summer Jazz Band Day Camp.

The performance also marks the five-year anniversary of BAAMS, a nonprofit organization.

The concert is set to begin at 7 p.m. The faculty band, led by trumpeter Richard Boulger, will feature saxophonist Ron Blake, guitarist Rodney Jones, bassist Alex Blake, pianist Dario Boente, percussionist Mino Cinelu, and drummer Kenwood Dennard.

Additional information regarding the musicians is also available online.

The band's repertoire will include jazz, world, blues, and funk music.

Richard Boulger, founder of BAAMS and a North Adams native, established the academy, which receives support in part from the Cultural Council of Northern Berkshire. The 7th Berkshires' Summer Jazz Band Day Camp is scheduled to take place from July 14-18 at the BAAMS' academy building in Heritage Park, North Adams.

Tickets for the concert can be purchased through this link

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Berkshire Reign Baseball Program Hosts Inaugural Tournament

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com Sports
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – With the fall high school sports season just around the corner, the boys – and women and men – of summer are still going strong.
 
The next week or so features a plethora of baseball and softball games around the county, with the Berkshire Adult Baseball League finals this weekend, the North Adams Women’s Softball League tournament building to next Thursday’s semi-final round and the county’s newest summer offering: the 1791 Classic youth baseball tournament that gets underway on Friday in North Adams and Dalton.
 
The 1791 Classic is the brainchild – or Reign child – of Berkshire Reign baseball coach Kristopher Ireland.
 
Since 2022, the Reign program has been offering local youngsters a chance to develop their skills on the baseball diamond in Berkshire County and beyond, including road trips to compete in tournaments from Maine to Maryland.
 
Now, the non-profit is ready to offer the same experience in its backyard.
 
“Since 2022, 23 wanted to get a feel for the landscape, make some contacts out and about,” Ireland said this week. “The plan was always to host a tournament. We wanted to leverage Wahconah Park, but, obviously we can’t use that now. The surrounding towns have been awesome – Pittsfield, North Adams, Dalton.
 
“Ultimately, what I’d love to have is a 50- to 100-team tournament where could have a North County Division, Central County Division and South County Division and everyone meets at the new Wahconah Park for the final. That’s what I’m seeing in Upstate New York, seeing in Maine, seeing in Boston.
 
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