Brown Sugar: Jazz Club Review
For those who adore the sweet sexy sounds of jazz, Brown Sugar is a destination that should be added to the list. The atmosphere on the outside of the club may not seem inviting, in fact it’s a bit run down and is completely empty. That’s only the entrance. Once the front doors are opened, it’s an entirely different world. The only lighting in the room included a few neon lights on the walls and the candle at the dining table. The first thought that popped into my head the moment I stepped through those doors was “The Harlem Renaissance.” Though it wasn’t crowded and as upbeat as people would imagine the Harlem Renaissance to be, the vibe was definitely there.
The live band came on at closer to midnight, they began playing light jazz as the singer was scat singing. The sounds coming out of her mouth were soft yet powerful, and the amount of voice control she had was truly remarkable. The tempo continued to speed up to the point where it began sounding like a rap, but the jazz was still there. Fast scat singing, the singer herself could be compared to Ella Fitzgerald. Every song they played was tuned to perfection, the bass was strong and perfectly in time, the drums set the tempo and added adlibs of its own, while the piano would play the jazz chords with improvisation throughout every song. The lights never changed, but the mood kept swaying back and forth with the sound of the music. It’s proof that lights don’t need to change in order for the air of a place to change from upbeat, to romantic, to nostalgia. I was completely lost in the music for over an hour, completely forgetting that I was sitting in a club in Thailand.
The people at the club came from many different places. In one corner there was a man wearing a hat and sunglasses. He looked like he was in his 50’s, with his long white bear and wrinkled face. There was a vibe to him, a vibe that said he knew Jazz very well. He stood at the bar, watching closely and listening carefully to the music as it played continuously. Every time the bass hit a beat just right, he would start clapping. Over at the table in front of the stage sat a group of university students. It was clear these students weren’t an ordinary group of students. You could see that they were paying very close attention to the music. Moving their fingers up and down in tempo with the beat while gently swaying their heads from side to side. After ever song they would discuss with each other the beauty of the piece and what they liked about it. They talked about how they wanted to be able to play like that and how much more practice they would need.
In another corner of the club was a couple, they sat there leaning on each other, lightly sipping their wine as the music carried them into another romantic world of their own. It was clear they didn’t even notice that there were other people around them. Their eyes were closed as they smiled to the gentle soothing sound of Jazz.
With such a perfect atmosphere, food seems to be the most fitting thing to follow. After giving the waiter my order, the dishes came quickly. The order of the dishes was a little strange and they actually forgot one of my orders. I noticed that they didn’t write down anything when I was ordering, so it was no surprise that they forgot a dish. First came the nachos with Salmon Salsa, the flavor was amazing. It wasn’t too spicy and had just the right mix of tomato and chili. On a side note, the chunks of salmon were huge. The next dish I tried was a Tom Yum Spaghetti with Cream Cheese. The flavors were blended perfectly together. Many places that offer this dish emphasis too much on the Tom Yum and less on the fact that it is still a spaghetti. The flavors burst in my mouth as the smell of tom yum rose into my nose. It wasn’t too strong and wasn’t too mild, the perfect balance created an amazing fusion of flavors. The cream cheese added a wonderful scent to the dish.
To wash things down I ordered a Mojito. The club is called Brown Sugar, so I wasn’t too surprised when I noticed that the Mojito had brown sugar in it instead of white sugar. The flavor of the Mojito wasn’t too strong but the smell of the white rum definitely broke through. The amount of sugar wasn’t overwhelming and the smell of the brown sugar itself made the drink seem smoother than it was. There were, however, too many mint leaves. Though the presentation was nice. The brown sugar was sitting, somewhat dissolved, at the bottom giving it a nice brown swirly look. The center was clear and it was topped with the mint leaves. I can’t say I wasn’t happy with the Mojito, but it was definitely lacking in the blend of flavors. The lime juice and sugar didn’t seem to actually mix and became two strong flavors that just stuck out.
The small details in the drink were overlooked since the music definitely moved my soul. I just stared at the singer as she sang songs like Autumn in New York and Fly me to the Moon. The combination of atmosphere and food make this place truly amazing. It’s unique in the way that it reminds me of America. Other clubs such as Saxophone, though filled with talented musicians, is still very Thai. It’s popular to the point where Thai people go to hang out. The feeling of Jazz doesn’t stand out as much as it does here at Brown Sugar.
For anyone who wants an international vibe, great food, and breathtaking Jazz music, this is definitely a place to go. It will truly take you back into the past where Jazz was the main event in all the clubs in New York.
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