Jammonton

HAMMONTON — There was a time before radio and television when recreational music was part of most families’ lives, and people got together in the evenings to play instruments and sing favorite songs

Now it is becoming a regular part of life at Kramer Hall, through Jammonton, where musicians of all skill levels play together and audience members sing along.

Thursday night was the third Jammonton event at the Stockton College instructional site, and it attracted six acoustic guitar, bass and dobro players from all over the region.

“We’re always looking to get together with others to play,” said organizer Jim McCarthy, of Sweetwater in Mullica Township. He is the Associate Provost for Computing & Communications at Stockton College. He played dobro with the group.

He was a member of the now-disbanded Piping Plover Acoustic Music Society, active in the area more than a decade ago, and said he hopes some other former members will start attending Jammonton.

Dobro is a form of Hawaiian or slide guitar, played on the lap using a steel slide rather than fingers for chords.

Peter Hagen, of Mays Landing, who is associate dean of general studies and director of academic advising at Stockton, played stand-up bass and sang.

There were several guitarists who also sang, including Brendan Rosenberg, of Sweetwater, a business agent for highway construction union Local 172

Jammonton is scheduled mostly to coincide with Hammonton’s Third Thursday special nights, said Ginna Petrillo, Stockton professional services specialist.

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 Mullica Township resident and teacher Marci Galli, a friend of McCarthy’s, who said she has dinner with friends in Hammonton before Jammonton, and makes a night of it.

On Thursday night, there was also a live comedy show in the art gallery that attracted about 40 people, with comedienne Michelle Tomka, of Linwood.

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