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)
Bibliography
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!
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.