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Cellar Door

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3477 M St., NW

Opened 1963, sold in 1981 and renamed.

Formerly the location of The Shadows, which relocated to 3125 M St., NW. Both clubs existed in 1963-64.

Owned by Jack Boyle (1963, only three months); Tom Lyons (1964-1968); Charles Fichman (at first half interest, adding remainder in September 1968 – full owner through October 1970); Jack Boyle again (October 1970-1981) and Sam L’Hommedieu (1978) and Dave Williams (-1981). Bought by Paul Kurtz and Howard Bomstein, who, after six months, renamed it as The Door (1981-1982). Manager Ralph Camilli (-1973-).

Capacity 124 (had been 199 until D.C. Fire Department review in 1978)

Recordings by Oscar Brown, Jr. (1964), Miles Davis (1970), Danny Gatton (1978).

Artists

  • Eddie Phyfe (1963)
  • Oscar Brown, Jr. (1964)
  • Stan Getz (1965)
  • Joe Williams (1966)
  • Milt Jackson (1967)
  • Nina Simone (1967)
  • Jimmy Smith (1967)
  • Hugh Masekela (1968)
  • Mose Allison (1968)
  • Modern Jazz Quartet (1969)
  • Miles Davis (1969)
  • Charlie Byrd (1969)
  • Thelonious Monk (1969)
  • Oscar Brown, Jr. (1969)
  • Art Blakey (1969)
  • Count Basie (1969)
  • Charlie Byrd (1969)
  • B.B. King (1969)
  • Buddy Rich (1970)
  • Miles Davis (1970)
  • Cannonball Adderley (1970)
  • Herbie Mann (1970)
  • Weather Report (1971)
  • Stan Getz (1972)
  • Return To Forever (1973)
  • Freddie Hubbard (1973)
  • Hugh Masekela (1974)
  • Herbie Hancock (1974)
  • Larry Young (1975)
  • Larry Coryell (1975)
  • Michal Urbaniak (1975)
  • Larry Coryell (1976)
  • Tony Williams (1976)
  • Les McCann (1977)
  • Lonnie Liston Smith (1977)
  • Michael Franks (1977)
  • John Handy (1977)
  • Sam Rivers (1977)
  • Bill Evans (1977)
  • Noel Pointer (1977)
  • Larry Coryell (1977)
  • Norman Connors (1977)
  • Jean Carn (1977)
  • Charles Mingus (1977)
  • Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee (1977)
  • Danny Gatton (1978)
  • Steve Kuhn (1980)
  • Lyle Mays (1980)

Bibliography

Casey, Phil. “Jazz Circuit.” Washington Post, February 7, 1969.
Dreyfuss, Joel. “Mangione: Good Sounds.” Washington Post, November 6, 1974.
Gaivar, Carlos. “Norman Connors at The Cellar Door.” Radio Free Jazz, June 1976.
Gilmore, Martha Sanders. “Capital Caper: Buddy Rich in Washington.” Down Beat, March 19, 1970.
Harrington, Richard. “Eddie Harris.” Washington Post, October 28, 1978.
Harrington, Richard. “The Door Closes in Georgetown.” Washington Post, January 9, 1982.
Harrington, Richard. “Two from D.C. Buy The Cellar Door.” Washington Post, January 31, 1981.
Joyce, Mike. “Richie Cole.” Washington Post, July 17, 1979.
Kernis, Mark. “Pat Metheny’s Melodies.” Washington Post, October 5, 1978.
Kernis, Mark. “Henderson and Manieri.” Washington Post, December 2, 1977.
Pagones, John. “Cellar Door Opens to Jazz.” Washington Post. January 3, 1965.
Pagones, John. “Cellar Door Swings with Oscar Brown Jr.” Washington Post. February 12, 1965.
Pagones, John. “M Street Is No ‘Strip,’ Yet.” Washington Post, February 14, 1965.
Rice, William. “On the Town: Year That Was Faltered.” Washington Post, December 24, 1967.
Rohter, Larry. “Curson and Gillespie.” Washington Post, February 22, 1977.
Segraves, John. “Owners Change at Cellar Door.” Washington Star. October 10, 1970, sec. Weekend.
Segraves, John. “A New Owner Looks Ahead.” Washington Star, September 21, 1968.
Segraves, John. “After Dark: The Real Miles Finally Stands Up.” Washington Star, January 15, 1970.
Stokes, W. Royal. “Steve Kuhn Trio.” Washington Post, June 10, 1980.
Stokes, W. Royal. “Mose Allison and Beverly Cosham.” Washington Post, March 31, 1979.
Stokes, W. Royal. “Long John Baldry.” Washington Post, August 30, 1979.
Sumrall, Harry. “Miroslav Vitous.” Washington Post, April 30, 1980.
Sumrall, Harry. “The Gil Goldstein Trio at Cellar Door.” Washington Post, September 11, 1979.
Sumrall, Harry. “The Heath Brothers.” Washington Post, June 1, 1979.
Sumrall, Harry. “Eberhard Weber.” Washington Post, September 24, 1979.
Weintraub, Boris. “Washington Gig Scene Sizzles.” Billboard, October 22, 1977.
Weintraub, Boris, and Rosalie Weintraub. “The Cellar Door. It Was a Good Club. Born 1963, Died --?” Washington Star. September 7, 1969, sec. Magazine.
West, Hollie I. “Dizzy: Jazz Without Drums.” Washington Post, September 9, 1970.
West, Hollie I. “Jazz with Art and Appeal.” Washington Post, October 14, 1970.
West, Hollie I. “Thelonious Monk At the Cellar Door.” Washington Post, October 8, 1969.
West, Hollie I. “The Byrd Word.” Washington Post, September 24, 1969.
West, Hollie I. “The Music of Les McCann.” Washington Post, June 12, 1969.
West, Hollie I. “Black Tune.” Washington Post, March 13, 1969.

Wiki Tags: 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Your list of notable performers is missing Sonny & Cher who performed there in 1969. I don’t recall the exact date, but it was definitely in late September. I’m positive about that, and the performers, because it was my wife’s and my first date — and a blind date at that.

    Reply

  2. I saw Richard Pryor at the Cellar Door as a solo act sometime in late 1972 or early 1973. He was previewing his new material and I laughed so hard, continuously, that he came by and shook my hand as he left the stage.

    Reply

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