Folk Music Fans Have Choice’s

Acoustic music of the non-classical stripe--folk, neo-folk, anti-folk, and sundry variants of unamplified rock and pop--has in recent years rebounded from a period of relative dormancy that, ironically, was triggered by the popularity of amplified music.

The most visible product of that resurgence is the number of acoustic venues sprouting up in cities across the country. In San Diego, several smallish venues exclusively devoted to non-electric music have appeared on the scene in the past year alone. Practical considerations of draw ing power, intimacy, and economics have dictated that some of these concert rooms, such as Choice’s on the Torrey Pines mesa, are housed in fully functioning restaurants.

The first-timer might regard Choice’s as, to paraphrase Churchill, a riddle of a venue wrapped in a mysterious complex inside an enigmatic development. The restaurant is tucked into a corner on the second floor of the Shiley Sports and Health Center, which is itself part of the huge Scripps Clinic, next to the sprawling Sheraton Grande Torrey Pines hotel.

As concert venues go, Choice’s charms are, at first, disguised by its utilitarian decor. From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday (the restaurant is closed on weekends), Choice’s is a cafeteria-style restaurant specializing in “spa cuisine”--the low-fat, low-cholesterol, low-sugar, generally “healthy” foods recommended by nutritionists and the medical establishment. One can graze at a salad bar, or order such items as vegetarian burritos, multigrain muffins and the like.

According to manager Catherine Bouvier, the restaurant caters to a mostly local clientele--Scripps administrators and doctors, business people from the nearby biotech industries, and hotel guests--although others always are welcome.

When Choice’s is transformed into a mini-concert hall on Friday nights, little is done to camouflage the place’s primary purpose. If, upon entering, one is struck by a vague sense of an institutional sterility, however, it soon surrenders to a feeling of calm.

To be sure, some of that feeling has to do with the music. Since Choice’s opened its doors to concerts early this year, it has become a showcase for local performers of mostly traditional acoustic fare. The gentle strains of American and international folk, sometimes played on arcane instruments, is mother’s milk to the ears, engendering in the soul a unique kind of comfort and tranquility.

But credit must also go to the same physical characteristics that might seem rather un-concert-like. The main room, which is separated from the food-serving area by a row of potted plants, has a pleasant, unforced ambience that encourages both casual noshing and listening.

Performers stand--either on the floor or on a tiny, removable stage in the southwestern corner of the room. “Stage lighting” consists of a standard, work-bench-type fixture that illuminates the players--simply, if a mite harshly. The proximity of tables, and the acoustics of the room, combine for an intimacy not found in larger venues.

Choice’s was solely a restaurant for the first year of its existence. Then, in August 1990, former assistant manager Matt McKinnon approached the San Diego Folk Heritage organization with the idea of presenting small-scale, unamplified concerts.

Because SDFH tends to be fairly inactive in the summer months, and also because it wanted to work the initial series of concerts into the publishing cycle of its quarterly newsletter, “Folk Notes,” it took a while to get the concert wheels rolling.

Finally, on Jan. 4 of this year, Choice’s officially joined the ranks of acoustic-music venues with a show featuring the local duo Pam and Maggie.

In a recent phone conversation, Jim Hayes, a musician whose duties as co-chairperson of SDFH’s board of directors now include booking the talent at Choice’s, provided a progress report.

“Attendance has been up and down,” Hayes acknowledged. “On our best nights, we’ve filled all 68 seats; on our worst night, we had six people. But, all things considered, I would say it has been going pretty well.”

According to Hayes, out-of-town acts bring an $8 admission, while local shows at Choice’s cost $4.50. Two-thirds of the door goes to the headliner, a little something goes to the opener, if there is one, and SDFH pockets whatever’s left. Food is served during the concerts, and the restaurant gets the money from those sales (no alcohol is served on the premises). Bouvier likes the arrangement.

“The restaurant was not being used to its full capacity, especially on Friday nights,” she said recently, minutes before the beginning of the lunchtime rush. “Presenting concerts here has provided a great opportunity for local musicians to be heard, it’s given the Folk Heritage people another outlet, and it’s brought us some recognition, as well. It’s worked out well for everyone concerned.”

Choice’s most heavily attended shows are the “theme” nights, such as a recent program featuring Scandinavian music and another spotlighting the hammer-dulcimer, a trapezoid-shaped, stringed instrument played with feather-light, wooden mallets. On such occasions, the restaurant’s tables and benches are clogged with people, most of whom stay for the entire concert, which can last as long as three hours.

“I’ve sort of given up trying to figure out what draws people,” Hayes said, chuckling, “but the theme nights frequently feature players who don’t perform regularly in public. So, the novelty of that, plus the fact that these musicians will draw friends and family members who otherwise don’t get much chance to hear them play, probably contribute to the higher numbers.”

In accordance with Choice’s modest scope, there are no plans to expand the concert schedule.

“From the beginning, we all wanted the same thing for Choice’s,” Hayes said. “Although we’ve had a couple of touring acts there, primarily it’s intended for local acts. But staging concerts--even ones of this size--is a major undertaking. I think we’ll stay at the present level for quite a while, yet.”

Vickie Cottle and David Dekker, members of the local New Expression Band, will perform contemporary guitar-and-vocal arrangements at Choice’s at 7 p.m. Friday. The restaurant is located at 10820 North Torrey Pines Road. On one’s initial visit, it is advisable to allow a little extra time to find the place. Exit I-5 at Genesee Avenue and go west. Take North Torrey Pines Road north to Science Park Road. Make a U-turn, drive past the Sheraton entrance and enter the second driveway on the right. Park in the back lot and walk north to the backside of the adjacent building, bordering the oval running track. Choice’s is up one flight of stairs and down the hallway to the left. For restaurant information, call 554-3663; for concert information, call the San Diego Folk Heritage at 436-4030.