Avondale venues still swinging

A few Tuesdays ago, my friend Herb Frazier and I decided to bring to a halt the grinding routine of that work day with some food, beverage and music.

We chose to go "'cross the bridge" (We're both natives of The Borough, an old downtown neighborhood) to Avondale, one of my favorite neighborhoods in the Lowcountry. It hums with activity, due in large part to the fact that residents, business owners and customers have a sense of who they are and they know how to have a good time.

Herb and I started out about eight, landing first at Pearlz Little Oyster Bar, a fun joint with good food managed by another pal, Craig Nelson. Over the years, Craig has promoted live and recorded music in venues such as Coast and Raval, always a friend to the music and to musicians.

We talked old and new times with Craig and scarfed down a couple of dozen oysters and some beers.

Then, we walked a few doors down Magnolia Road to Voodoo Tiki Bar and Lounge to hear Tumbao, a Latin jazz band, an authentic one that specializes in Afro-Cuban.

I didn't have time to stop in at Al Di La, a Northern Italian trattoria and another Avondale gem that has had live jazz over the years.

The show that night was the last event in the third year of Voodoo's now famed jazz series. The always swingin' Quiana Parler opened up the run in June, a rare performance by The Gradual Lean had the July slot and Fernando Rivas and David Heywood's rocking ensemble was going to close it out.

It was only a three-buck cover for world-class entertainment, another another master stroke by club owners Jen and Mike Kulick (who live in the neighborhood) and line producer Quentin Baxter.

By the time we walked through the door, the place was already on fire. The relentless, driving pulse of the band's beats unified everyone there, in rhythm at least. It was so compelling, women were asking men to dance. Mike and Jen gave up table space so people could dance, which they were still doing when Herb and I left.

As hip as all that was, the coolest thing to come out of Avondale for me this past year was a new brewski.

Sugar Hill Golden Ale.

It started in April at the reception for the exhibition of photos curated by Jazz Artists of Charleston at the Center for Photography on King Street. The exhibit contained the large-format images you may have seen the last couple of months in the windows of the WALK galleries at King and Cannon and King and Calhoun streets.

Chef Maya Morrill catered the reception. Check this out. Among the goodies were: a table presentation with a salmon, caviar and cream cheese "piano," accompanied by Celeste Albers Farm fresh eggs, capers, roasted red peppers, toast points and asparagus.

There were also watermelon gazpacho shooters with cucumber mint confetti, Hoison and five-spiced pulled pork sliders with pickled cucumbers, sage biscuits with brie, ham and apples, Morrocan quinoa and chickpea salad, strawberry rhubarb tarts with fresh whipped cream and assorted chocolate truffles.

Quite a spread, huh? Well, as scrumptious as that all sounds - believe me, it was - the hit among hits for me was the beer.

Sugar Hill is made by the Harlem Brewing Co. The 15-year-old brewery markets Sugar Hill as coming from a recipe that was popular in Harlem, N.Y., during the Jazz Age and the Harlem Renaissance.

A friend from the early days at FIG restaurant, Liz Volz, used to work for Aleph Wines, distributors of Sugar Hill. She told me about it, knowing of my love for jazz and beer, a year or so ago but I didn't follow up.

Then I bump into it at the reception. After some investigation, I found out Manoli Davani of Avondale Wine and Cheese, a founding supporter of JAC, had sent over the beverages. "I thought it would be perfect for JAC events," she said. "I think it's a great beer with a great story." She sells it in Avondale for $3 a bottle.

Osei Chandler, producer of SCETV Radio's Roots Music Karamu and reggae impresario, was at the party and tasted a brew or two.

With not a lot of arm twisting, I asked him to give Sugar Hill another shot and let me know how he felt about it. So, he goes to Manoli's and picks up a few.

"I first tasted Sugar Hill beer at the JAC exhibit," he wrote to me later." I liked it so well that I had a second bottle, smooth, not fruity or too bubbly or gassy.

"I found two more bottles at Avondale Wine and Cheese and I had one with shrimp and angel hair pasta. They went well together. I am drinking the last of my stash as I write. I prefer to drink from a glass. Now, I see a nice, not too lacy or fluffy head and pleasing hazy amber color, as opposed to light yellow and clear."

So you see, good, jazzy things continue to bubble up out of Avondale.

This just in …

The Charleston Ballet Theater has engaged the Charleston Jazz Orchestra for a performance in the CBT 2010-2011 Mainstage Season in mid-February. The music of Duke Ellington will be featured. Stay tuned for more on that show. Everyone involved is already excited..

Jack McCray, author of "Charleston Jazz," can be reached at jackjmccray@aol.com.