Snazzy downtown restaurant and music venue High Cotton renovated the dining area and bar room in the fall, doubling the size of the stage and expanding the bar. Among the nightly and weekly jazz and acoustic acts on the roster, Leah Suarez - Friends stands out as an elegant combo with a healthy dose of Latin-flavored standards and originals in their set list. The president of the Jazz Artists of Charleston, Suarez usually sings on Thursday evenings with backing from pianist Gerald Gregory, drummer Nick Jenkins, and various guests. This is exactly the kind of place that a cool cat like Bob Harris would visit to listen to some cool jazz and sip whiskey.

