1826 M Street, NW
Room capacity of 200.
Formerly Zodiac rock club.
Opened May 22, 1973. Stopped jazz-only policy in 1974 (starting with banjo player Eric Weissberg). Closed April 14, 1975 following failed health inspection.
Owners Raymond and Linda Lecraw.
For the club’s first year or more, its name was spelled as a single word. Ads in 1974 and 1975 show a move to two words: “Et Cetera.”
Artists
- Ramsey Lewis (1973)
- Redd Holt (1973)
- Dizzy Gillespie (1973)
- Michael King (1973)
- Stanley Turrentine (1973)
- Dakota Staton (1973)
- Ahmad Jamal (1973)
- Mongo Santamaria (1973)
- Horace Silver (1973)
- Lou Donaldson (1973)
- Modern Jazz Quartet (1973)
- Donald Byrd (1973)
- Stan Getz (1973)
- Grover Washington, Jr. (1973)
- Rahsaan Roland Kirk (1973)
- Pharoah Sanders (1973)
- Charlie Byrd (1973)
- Eddie Harris (1973)
- Charles Tolliver (1973)
- Billy Taylor (1973)
- Dizzy Gillespie (1973)
- Charles Mingus (1973)
- Yusef Lateef (1973)
- Ahmad Jamal (1973)
- McCoy Tyner (1973)
- Phil Woods (1973)
- Modern Jazz Quartet (1973)
- Carmen McRae (1973)
- Ramsey Lewis (1974)
- Jack McDuff (1974)
- Erroll Garner (1974)
- Groove Holmes (1974)
- Jimmy McGriff (1974)
- Herbie Mann (1974)
- Sonny Rollins (1974)
- Ramsey Lewis (1974)
- Miles Davis (1974)
- Pharoah Sanders (1974)
- Cannonball Adderley (1974)
- Dizzy Gillespie (1974)
- Rahsaan Roland Kirk (1974)
- Charles Earland (1974)
- George Benson (1974)
- Modern Jazz Quartet (1974)
- Billy Eckstine (1974)
- Gloria Lynne (1974)
- McCoy Tyner (1974)
- Jon Lucien (1974)
- Ahmad Jamal (1974)
- Art Blakey (1974)
- Mongo Santamaria (1974)
- Stanley Turrentine (1974)
- Oscar Brown, Jr. (1974)
- Ramsey Lewis (1974)
- Joe Williams (1974)
- Arthur Prysock (1974)
- Freddie Hubbard (1974)
- Norman Connors (1974)
- Jean Carn (1974)
- Jack McDuff (1974)
- Larry Coryell (1974)
- Miles Davis (1974)
- Buddy Rich (1974)
- Robin Kenyatta (1974)
- Dizzy Gillespie (1974)
- Elvin Jones (1975)
- Arthur Prysock (1975)
- Jack McDuff (1975)
- George Benson (1975)
- Erroll Garner (1975)
- Jon Lucien (1975)
- Art Blakey (1975)
- Tim Eyerman (1975)
- Sun Ra (1975)
- Gloria Lynne (1975)
- Stan Getz (1975)
Getz’s appearance is verified by a review in April 10 Washington Post. Club was reported as having closed in the April 20 Washington Post. Subsequently, April 14 was named in September 12, 1976 Washington Star. Planned and listed April bookings for Elvin Jones and Sonny Rollins did not occur.
In her autobiography, Dottie Dodgion recalls,
Phil [Woods] could be hilarious and endearing, like the time, about 1973 or 1974, when he hired me, pianist Kenny Barron, and a pickup bass player to open Club Etcetera in DC. We were playing for the door but it was during a blizzard so getting much of an audience seemed iffy. But Phil was confident. “It’ll pay $400,” he crowed, “because if there’s anything I’m positive about it’s my drawing power.” But it turned out there was no door to split because nobody showed up! We didn’t make any money at all! An abashed Phil was forced to eat his prediction, but in the end, he was good for it. Almost two years later he paid Kenny and me $400 each! (p.151)
1826 M St NW, Washington, District of Columbia
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I was the doorman for most of the time Etcetera was open and have many really good experiences to talk about if you’re interested.
Yes, it would be great to hear some stories. Will contact you soon!
Michael, Linda and Raymond owned the club, I spoke to Linda-my mother- she does not recall a doorman- she was the hostess and Raymond managed the bar and entertainment. My responsibility to my family and our entertainers leads me to this response to Ken. I have very fond memories of the club the entertainers and our employees. I was there, we opened the club after renovations from the previous owner which included an ice cream parlor at the front of the building. Ask Ken about that… Peace.
Brooks,
Been a long time since I’ve been on this page. I remember your mother Linda and quite surprised she would deny knowing me. I worked at Etcetera for several years. Linda was nice but Raymond was an awful person. I actually watched him try to cheat Rasaan Roland Kirk, a blind musician, out of his nights share of the door. They operated a bad business that abused the artists and the patrons. Raymond was a racist prick but I respected his desire to bring great jazz to DC. Tell your Mother hello. Sorry that she chose to lie to you about me. I was a dedicated employee who often had to wait weeks to be paid.
My husband, Jon Ozment, a jazz pianist saw Bill Evans there.
Ken,
I’ve been sorting through all of my husbands Jazz LP’s and artists bibliographies; and remembered my Husband and I were at Et Cetera for the June 1974 Last East Coast Performance of MJQ! The club was packed!!
Miles Davis was also there, but only played briefly, and abruptly left in the middle of his performance. We never knew what happened. George Benson was possibly there during that performance; as much as I love George Benson’s music…I don’t recall him there, at this time–however, we did see him later at the Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, Virginia.
Our experience at Et Cetera was a forever memory. Just wanted to share.
Janice,
I was the maitre d at Etcetera for three years. That night Miles had done too much cocaine and drank cognac on an empty stomach. The doctor we called to treat him backstage sent him back to his hotel to sleep and be treated with an IV…Ken
I turned 17 in December of 1973 and I was taken to etc. to see Dizzy as a birthday present. In my hazy memory it was a trio, not a sextet on the 27th. The club was almost empty and during the first set break Dizzy was at a table close to ours. I went over to him after a minute, told him that it was my birthday and asked if I could get his autograph. He told me to have a seat and asked if I would join him in a drink. There were cards on the tables announcing his shows at the club, and he autographed one to me, with a happy birthday. Being young it didn’t much to get me tipsy. So my story is that I got drunk with Dizzy Gillespie on my 17th birthday, and I’m sticking to it.
I took my brother to see Dizzy! Sad that the crowd was small. We stayed for the second set, it only cost a drink…. Saw Miles too! McCoy Tyner with 21 year old Azar Lawrence…. I can’t remember the bassist and drummer… amazing show!!!
Hi Matthew –
Thanks for your memories! For his December 1973 gig at Etcetera, McCoy had Alex Blake (b) and Billy Hart (d). Not sure about July 1974 – later that month he had expanded to a quintet with Juni Booth (b), Wilby Fletcher (d), and Guilherme Franco (per). Azar Lawrence (ts) in both groups.