Jazz Camp & More
BAAMS BRINGS YEAR-ROUND MUSICAL OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR YOUTH
By Benjamin Lerner // Photos Courtesy of BAAMS
From the pages of our August 23 Issue.
ON THIS BEAUTIFUL SATURDAY afternoon in North Adams, Richard Boulger stands in one of the two spacious rehearsal rooms on the campus of the Berkshires’ Academy for Advanced Musical Studies (BAAMS). He talks with great passion and gratitude about the fulfillment he has found as founder and executive director of BAAMS, where he helps talented musicians pursue their musical passions.
Ada Rovatti, virtuosic saxophonist and visiting faculty member for this year’s Summer Jazz Camp.
BAAMS is a multifaceted musical education program that hosts year-round lessons and workshops at its campus in Western Gateway Heritage State Park, as well as in-school programs throughout the Berkshires. Their flagship program is coming—the dynamic and intensive five-day Berkshires’ Summer Jazz Band Day Camp, held this year from August 14–18. The program is open to vocalists, pianists, bassists, woodwind players, brass players, and percussionists. Students are given the opportunity to elevate their skills through a series of open-ended workshops on performance, improvisation, music theory, and composition, all of which exemplify BAAMS’s continued commitment to holistic musical education.
“We see each musical instrument as an extension of the musician in every sense,” says Boulger. “We also help young musicians build creative, collaborative networks with one another.”
Classes are taught by a team of musicians who hold positions at academic institutions such as The Juilliard School and Berklee College of Music.
Richard Boulger listens intently to a student at BAAMS.
Boulger is one of those instructors who has a rich musical history. He has toured and performed with The Allman Brothers Band, Little Louie Vega, and John Hicks. He was a longtime private student of trumpet legends Freddie Hubbard and Donald Byrd, and he has served as a studio producer. Jazz camp faculty also have included Alex Foster, who taught saxophone and wood- winds, and Ron Blake, who also specialized in saxophone instruction. Both have spent years playing in the Saturday Night Live house band. Blake also is a member of the Grammy® Award-winning Christian McBride Big Band, and Foster, who is co-musical director for the Grammy® Award-winning Mingus Big Band, has performed with musical luminaries such as Jaco Pastorius, Herbie Hancock, Tito Puente, Dizzy Gillespie, Aretha Franklin, and Stevie Wonder, among others.
Joining the camp this year is saxophonist Ada Rovatti, member of the reconstituted edition of the Brecker Brothers Band. Rovatti was part of the Grammy®-winning CD by Randy Brecker, 34th N Lex, and on the acclaimed CD of John McLaughlin’s Industrial Zen.
A plaque in the central hallway that connects rehearsal spaces lists the names of the musicians that the BAAMS faculty has collaborated with over the years, inspiring future generations of rising artists to remain ambitious in their creative efforts. “We’re passing a torch, a legacy, directly from musical masters to the next generation,” says Boulger.
Boulger, founder and executive director of BAAMS, received the legacy of trumpet playing and teaching from his father, Richard Boulger, Sr.
Director of Development Jane Forrestal adds that the main purpose of BAAMS is to make world-class music education accessible to young artists in the Berkshires. Working closely with Boulger, Forrestal has played a key role in the programs offered by BAAMS, which began with the first Berkshires Summer Jazz Band Day Camp in 2018. After establishing a presence in the music-education scene during the program’s first two years, BAAMS was incorporated in 2020. They were able to weather the pandemic shutdowns, thanks to the philanthropic contributions of community members, and they held an outdoor Summer Jazz Day Camp in 2020. They were forced to temporarily close down in 2021 due to restrictions, but in 2022, they reopened.
“The community has been incredibly generous in helping us move forward,” shares Forrestal. “We’re continuing to raise funds to improve our programming, and it’s been wonderful to see things progress, thanks to their support.”
Boulger’s commitment to improving musical education opportunities in the Berkshires is rooted in his upbringing. His father, Richard Boulger Sr., taught him to approach music with a sense of openness and wonder. The sounds of the Berkshires, such as passing trains and natural resonant sounds, became the soundtrack to Boulger’s musical growth, laying the groundwork to express himself freely throughout his career. Serendipitously, the building that now houses BAAMS stands adjacent to a commercial train track that runs through North Adams—and the sounds of passing trains offer an opportunity for students to similarly ground their musical understanding in their native surroundings.
“Whenever a train passes by when we’re rehearsing during the Summer Jazz Day Camps, we take a moment to listen to it and let the sounds sink in and influence our musical understanding,” says Boulger. “Sound and sensory input is closely tied to the life experiences of our students, and we believe that music serves as a vehicle through which they can express themselves and tell the stories that mean the most to them.”
Students and faculty gather in one of BAAMS’s welcoming rehearsal spaces.
To that end, students are given the opportunity to write, compose, and record songs that speak on their life experiences. In one case, a student who faced considerable medical challenges was able to actualize new levels of self-confidence through his musicianship. During his time at BAAMS, he composed a bold song that spoke on the unrelenting tenacity that he brought to his life journey. His heartfelt verses were complemented by inspiring production and an uplifting chorus, which was performed by fellow young artists from BAAMS.
“It was a beautiful moment,” recalls Forrestal. “There’s no greater feeling than seeing our young performers blossom and express themselves.”
BAAMS participants put their skills to the test in a spirited performance.
Although BAAMS’s programs are primarily designed for middle and high school students with basic musical skills, they also are suited for all capable young musicians who express interest. “We’ve worked with a talented nine-year-old musician who showed incredible aptitude,” says Boulger. “We welcome musicians of all skill levels. We also bring back young musicians who have been through the program as apprentice instructors, who pass on their love for music to the next generation of students.”
Boulger and Forrestal both believe that there is no limit to the potential of musical expression. “It brings us closer together,” says Forrestal, “and it creates an open dialogue that helps us learn from each other in beautiful ways.”
For more information about BAAMS and the upcoming Jazz Band Day Camp, visit berkshiresacademyams.org