One of the things that makes Asbury Park so special is its music scene and one of the guys who helps make that scene so special is Sandy Mack. His story and the weekly jams he organizes are the subject of The Sandy Mack Experience, a documentary film created by his daughter Sarah Ann McCuiston and Henry Donohue Frost.
Sandy is known as a great harmonica player and as the organizer of jam shows throughout the Jersey Shore for the last two decades. These are not open mic nights, these are jams that include stellar local performers often performing alongside musicians with national resumes.
The project may have started as a love letter to her father, but McCuiston’s wonderful documentary winds up as a love letter from the Asbury Park music community.
“He is the music scene in Asbury,” explains Tom Marshall from Phish as he talks about how Sandy invites musicians from different bands to jam together that often go on to collaborate together. “His tentacles are vast.”
Marc Ribler says, “I would call Sandy the Wavy Gravy of Asbury Park. I’ve always wanted to bring my great musician friends to meet Sandy and jam and build this family of musicians that Sandy now calls Jamily.”
The documentary does a great job of showing the man behind the jams and the “Jamily” community that they have spawned. The Sandy Mack Experience will be screened at the New Jersey International Film Festival on Saturday, May 31, 2025.
The film will be available via video-on-demand on May 31st and will have an in-person screening in the movie theater located on the Rutgers University campus in New Brunswick at 5:00pm. It will be screened with Wrestle-Off, a short film about a tenacious high school wrestler who battles with the grief of her father’s passing and the hostility of her teammates as she fiercely competes for a varsity spot on an all-male wrestling team. To purchase tickets for the screening or the Video-On-Demand, click here.
Sarah Ann McCuiston had never created a documentary before, but had a vision of the film she wanted to make. In the spirit of the "Jamily" community, she had been looking for someone to shoot the film when she met Henry Frost outside the Asbury Hotel one night when Sandy was performing. Henry said he had recently moved to Asbury Park from New Orleans and creates documentary films. About a week later, the film was off and running.
The film gives you a good idea of who might be on stage on any given night at one of Sandy’s jams. In addition to Marshall and Ribler, some of the many musicians in the film include Jeffrey Arevalo of Goose, Mark Diomede from Juggling Suns, and bands like Dogs in a Pile. Locals will undoubtably recognize many of the music fans and performers as well as folks like Kyle Brendle from The Stone Pony and Stu Coogan of 90.5 The Night. Even the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, David Sancious, makes an appearance and likens what Sandy is doing to the legendary Upstage Club where he performed growing up.
One of the nice aspects of the film is how it shows Sandy as a talent scout - often finding great musicians early in their career and helping them out. He knows the importance of giving people the opportunity to play - something Margaret Potter of the Upstage Club had in common with him.
“Music is tough, man,” admits Sandy Mack. “You’re baring your soul; it can hurt. You can feel like your not worthy, but you are. You’re bringing something special, something different. And that’s what we do.”
The film has a nice balance of conversations with musicians and music fans, showing the two sides of the “Jamily” community. Between young musicians thankful for Sandy’s guidance to experienced professionals who just love seeing the live music, but often find themselves on stage as well.
“He’s just the master at bringing people together and teaching them that it’s not about your ego, musicianship, the band you’re in, or getting famous; it’s not about that… he enjoys bringing people together and creating a fun scene and a fun environment,” states Kevin Cooper from Abandoned Outcasts.
At the end of the film, many offer thanks to Sandy for all that he does, including his daughter.
“Thank you for being authenticately you,” says Sarah Ann McCuiston. “I’m so grateful to have you as my Dad, I’m very inspired and I admire the work that you do. This documentary is really showing me how much everybody loves you and the amazing work you’ve done.”
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