On Friday, July 26th I attended a benefit called the Jam for Sam at Seacret’s Morley Hall. The Jam for Sam is going on its 9th year of providing good food and good music to the people of Ocean City. The benefit is raising money for the National Alliance for Youth Sports, Global Gear Drive. This is a foundation put in place to provide needy young athletes with the opportunity to participate in athletics, as well as provide them with necessary gear. A portion of all the proceeds also goes to Worcester Youth and Family. It was a great way for families and friends to get together and do a great thing.

Also, if you are into golf, check out the Sammy Wilkinson Golf Tournament.

It was a bit overcast on the morning of the event but sure enough, as the evening came closer, the clouds lifted and the sun came through. There really couldn’t have been a better day for the event. I walked into Morley Hall and was greeted with a comfortable atmosphere, which was filled with folks having a great time. Me and my older brother gave our entrance fee to the lady at the door and entered the main part of the event. Local band Hot Sauce Sandwich was onstage laying down some phat tracks filled with elements of funk, rock, and reggae. My favorite song that they performed was their cover of “Folsom Prison Blues.” They managed to maintain the original sound of the song while also giving the song their own spin. You can find Hot Sauce Sandwich on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hotsaucesandwich.

The next performer was Clayton Perry, a solo acoustic guitarist who spit a mad beat or two. The thing I liked about Clayton was his process of looping his beatboxing to create the backbone of his songs. I really liked his rendition of “Santeria;” the acoustic guitar coupled with the beatboxing really gave this song a sound that was simple but sounded great nonetheless. I really enjoyed Clayton Perry and it seemed like the rest of the crowd enjoyed him too.

Opposite Directions also performed, both alongside Clayton Perry and by themselves. Opposite Directions is an acoustic guitar duo made up of Darin Engh and Bob Wilkinson. They play mostly classic rock and a little bit of blues too. Opposite Directions has been playing in venues around Ocean City for many years; a duo that residents of Ocean City have grown to love, for a good reason. They are talented musicians who play good music. When they performed with Clayton Perry it was a treat because it seemed like Clayton worked well with them. Together, the three of them performed 3 or 4 very well done covers. If you get the chance I definitely suggest seeing them. Opposite Directions is also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/oppositedirections5.

Overall, I really enjoyed this event. There were a lot of people there to have a good time, and that’s exactly what they did. The music was good, the people were friendly, and it was all for a great cause. The Jam for Sam raised a lot of money for NAYS (|National Alliance for Youth Sports) and in turn, this event probably gave a child who otherwise couldn’t afford sports equipment, a chance to have fun playing a sport. All of these excellent performers are always around town, so if you get the chance, I’d strongly recommend seeing them. If you missed the Jam for Sam this year, there is always next year to get in on the action.