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One Step Down

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2517 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

1963-2000

Originally owned by Joe Cohen, his father, and his brother, Kenneth. Opened in September 1963.

Owned by Joe Cohen (1963-1997). Booked by Ann Mabuchi (1978-1994), Vincent Brienza (1997). Bought by Retail Resource Group in 1997, but ownership reverted to Joe Cohen later that year. Club was closed for less than a month in August 1997 before reopening in September under the management of Cohen family friend Catherine Stuart. Joe Cohen died on October 5, 1997. The building was sold in 2000 to developers for conversion to apartments. In 2000 it did not reopen after the annual August sabbatical. Stuart retained rights to the One Step Down name and hoped to relocate in 2001, but this did not come to pass.

Initially, the bar’s attraction was an all-jazz jukebox. It began hosting a Monday night jam session, and by 1978, the club had hired Mabuchi and was offering live music on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday nights with a Saturday afternoon jam session. Jam sessions were proposed by pianist John Guernsey, who ran them for the first two years. Sessions were run by pianist Lawrence Wheatley on Saturday and Sunday afternoons through 1997, succeeded by Peter Edelman when the club reopened in September 1997.

Recordings by Andrew White (1979), Andrew White (1998), Peter Fraize (2000).

Artists

1978
Bill Glaser
Marc Cohen
Nathen Page
Bernard Sweetney
Kenny Reed
Terry Plumeri
Marshall Hawkins
Carl Cornwell
Dave Palamar
Kevin Toney
Yochk’o Seffer
Tim Eyermann
Adam Makowicz
Charles Covington
1979
Barbara Lea
Marc Cohen
Bob Moses
Big Nick Nicholas
Marshall Hawkins
Carol Sloane
NYC Jazz Cooperative
Buck Hill
Tommy Flanagan
Philly Joe Jones
Bob Moses
Charles Davis
Joanne Brackeen
Ronnie Wells
Cecil Bridgewater
Andrew White
1980
Warren Chiasson
Horacee Arnold
Roger Rosenberg
Big Nick Nicholas
Billy Mitchell
David Friesen
Tom Harrell
Roy Haynes
Turk Mauro
Richie Cole
Skip Gailes
Reuben Brown
Roland Hanna
Kenny Barron
George Coleman
Dave Liebman
Benny Carter
Sonny Stitt
James Moody
Mickey Bass
Jimmy Knepper
Barry Harris
Cedar Walton
Lew Tabackin
David ‘Fathead’ Newman
Bobby Hutcherson
Shirley Horn
1981
Shirley Horn
Slide Hampton
Dewey Redman
Anita Moore
George Adams
Carol Sloane
Jane Ira Bloom
Charles Tolliver
David Schnitter
Bobby Watson
Bob Berg
Joe Lee Wilson
Joe Henderson
Dorothy Donegan
Joe Chambers
Dewey Redman
1982
Shirley Horn
Arnett Cobb
Dewey Redman
Mickey Bass
Johnny Coles
John Handy
Joe Chambers
Joanne Brackeen
Ricky Ford
Johnny Griffin
Lew Tabackin
Leon Thomas
Jimmy McGriff
1983
Ray Bryant
Emily Remler
Pepper Adams
Nat Adderley
Shirley Horn
Joe Henderson
Arnie Lawrence
Bosco Petrovic
Odean Pope
Jon Faddis
Bobby Enriquez
1984
Emily Remler
Ira Sullivan
Allen Houser
Bill Kirchner
Ran Blake
Charlie Rouse
Carter Jefferson
Cedar Walton
1985
Johnny O’Neal
Ronnie Wells & Ron Elliston
Steve Williams
Pete Christlieb
Reuben Brown
Shirley Horn
Stafford James
Marc Copland
Scott Hamilton (replacing Woody Shaw)
New York Samba Band
John Abercrombie
Jimmy Heath
Sphere
Shirley Horn
Winard Harper
Andy Bey
Joe Farrell
Carol Fredette
Ricky Ford
Roy Haynes
T Street Band
Clifford Jordan
Buck Hill
Bob Mintzer & Tom Harrell
Pepper Adams
Johnny O’Neal
Philly Joe Jones
T Street Band
Al Cohn
John Campbell
Kirk Lightsey
Steve Williams
Cedar Walton
Nathen Page
Mickey Bass
Alice Day
Vaughn Nark
Harper Brothers
T Street Band
Marshall Keys
Jamie Broumas
Jim Snidero
Lee Konitz
Nat Adderley
Roland Hanna
Mad Romance
Lennie Cuje
Joshua Breakstone
T Street Band
David ‘Fathead’ Newman & Hank Crawford
Dewey Redman
Ronnie Wells & Ron Elliston
Phil Woods
Mark Morganelli
Frank Wess
New York Samba Band
Allen Houser
Tommy Flanagan & George Mraz
Arthur Blythe
Harper Brothers
T Street Band
1986
Gary Bartz
Steve Novosel
Lennie Cuje
Reuben Brown
Ronnie Patterson
1987
Jack Wilkins
Bobby Watson
Woody Shaw
Frank Wess
Walter Davis, Jr.
1989
Buck Hill
Harper Brothers
Bobby Watson
Ralph Moore & Brian Lynch
Larry Coryell
Kent Jordan
Barry Harris
Terence Blanchard & Donald Harrison
Michele Hendricks
Benny Golson
Art Farmer
Allen Youngblood
Mickey Bass
Eddie Harris
Johnny Griffin
Lou Donaldson
Nat Adderley
Mike Metheny
Dorothy Donegan
James Moody
Steve Williams
Sonny Fortune
Jamie Broumas
Grachan Moncur III
Mark Murphy
Don Pullen
Nick Brignola
Junior Cook
Donald Harrison
Lennie Cuje
Shirley Horn
1990
Lennie Cuje
Reuben Brown
Larry Camp
Gary Bartz
Sonny Fortune
Mulgrew Miller
Barry Harris
Cedar Walton
Ted Efantis
Tommy Flanagan
David ‘Fathead’ Newman
Billy Pierce & Wallace Roney
Buck Hill
Carter Jefferson
Ellery Eskelin
Walt Namath
James Williams
Al Grey
Frank Morgan
Ronnie Wells & Ron Elliston
Jim Snidero & Tom Harrell
Gary Bartz
Eddie Harris
Buck Hill
Chico Freeman
Shirley Horn
Charlie Young & Tom Williams
Freddie Hubbard
Joanne Brackeen
Ronnie Wells & Ron Elliston
Jack Walrath & Gary Thomas
Nick Brignola
Groove Holmes
Benny Green
Carter Jefferson
Gary Bartz
Valery Ponomarev
Mundell Lowe
Tim Warfield
Marc Copland
Ronnie Wells & Ron Elliston
Johnny O’Neal
Bobby Watson
Jim Snidero & Tom Harrell
Lee Konitz
Mal Waldron & Chico Freeman
Bill Frisell
Barry Harris
Joe Henderson
Peter Leitch
Frank Wess
Carter Jefferson
Ralph Moore
New York Samba Band
Frank Foster
U Street Project
Shirley Horn
1991
Junior Cook
Cedar Walton
Joanne Brackeen
Buck Hill
Tony Martucci
Roland Hanna
Ricky Ford
Cyrus Chestnut
Louis Scherr & Tony Martucci
George Coleman
Marc Cohen
Eddie Harris
Buck Hill
Modern String Quartet
Brian Lynch
Lennie Cuje
Louis Hayes
Charles Tolliver
Quest
Kenny Burrell
Dewey Redman
Gary Bartz
Rick Stone
Malachi Thompson & Billy Harper
Sheila Jordan
Sonny Fortune
Ira Sullivan
Steve Lacy
Hal Galper
Charles McPherson
Henry Butler
Ronnie Wells & Ron Elliston
George Robert
Charlie Young
Horace Tapscott
Mulgrew Miller
Gary Bartz
Holly Hoffman
Tom Williams
Larry Camp
Jim Snidero & Tom Harrell
Jerry Gonzalez
Ronnie Mathews
Andrew White
Antonio Hart & Geoff Keezer
Jesse Davis
Anita O’Day
David ‘Fathead’ Newman
Tom Harrell
Ed Bickert & Lorne Lofsky
Tim Warfield
Jae Sinnett
Danny D’Imperio
Barney Kessel
Marc Copland
Gary Thomas & Paul Bollenback
Lennie Cuje & Bob Butta
Reuben Brown & Steve Novosel
Larry Camp
Shirley Horn
1992
George Coleman
Ernie Andrews
Slide Hampton
James Morrison
Nancy King
1993
Dave Pike
Jae Sinnett
Carter Jefferson
1995
Cedar Walton
1997
Larry Willis
Jerry Gordon
1998
Andrew White
1999
David ‘Fathead’ Newman
Ray Brown
2000
Talib Kibwe
Peter Fraize
John Previti
David ‘Fathead’ Newman
Harry Appelman
Glenn Wilson
Calvin Jones
Joe Locke
Allyn Johnson
Steve Novosel

Bibliography

Brace, Eric. “All That Jazz: Club Changes.” Washington Post, May 23, 1997.
Brace, Eric. “Steppin’ Out Again.” Washington Post, September 5, 1997.
Brace, Eric. “Club Closings.” Washington Post, November 10, 2000.
Brown, Joe. “On the Town: Murphy’s Law: Jazz in Joints.” Washington Post, September 29, 1989.
Fisher, Marc. “All Jazzed Up, No Place to Go: Fewer Places for a Sound D.C. Loves.” Washington Post, November 2, 1997.
Gebhardt, Sara. “Guernsey Likes to Get To the Art Of the Matter; Jazz, Drawings Excite Takoma Park Resident.” Washington Post, April 8, 2004.
Harrington, Richard. “Limelight.” Washington Post, August 21, 1983.
Harrington, Richard. “Jane Ira Bloom.” Washington Post, May 9, 1981.
Himes, Geoffrey. “The Winning Hands of Joanne Brackeen.” Washington Post, April 26, 1982.
Himes, Geoffrey. “Marshall Hawkins.” Washington Post, September 1, 1979.
Himes, Geoffrey. “Blythe’s Bold Jazz Sounds.” Washington Post, December 14, 1985.
Himes, Geoffrey. “Waldron & Freeman’s Restrained Jam.” Washington Post, October 16, 1990.
Himes, Geoffrey. “Bill Frisell, Fiddling With Jazz.” Washington Post, October 23, 1990.
Jackson, Reuben. “Performing Arts: Dewey Redman.” Washington Post, May 7, 1991.
Jackson, Reuben. “Gary Bartz Quartet’s Deft Interplay.” Washington Post, May 16, 1991.
Jackson, Reuben. “Saxophonist Lacy’s Poetic Playing.” Washington Post, June 22, 1991.
Jackson, Reuben. “Horace Tapscott’s Frenetic Piano.” Washington Post, July 31, 1991.
Jackson, Reuben. “Warming Up Some of Jazz’s Old Chestnuts.” Washington Post, April 3, 1992.
Jackson, Reuben. “Sonny Fortune.” Washington Post, August 4, 1992.
Joyce, Mike. “Ronnie Wells.” Washington Post, July 2, 1990.
Joyce, Mike. “Carter Jefferson, Live & on Tape.” Washington Post, September 27, 1993.
Joyce, Mike. “Pike’s Peak Performance.” Washington Post, March 16, 1993.
Joyce, Mike. “Jazz at One Step Down.” Washington Post, October 12, 1987.
Joyce, Mike. “Performing Arts: Freddie Hubbard.” Washington Post, June 18, 1990.
Joyce, Mike. “Frank Wess’ Romantic Reeds.” Washington Post, September 26, 1987.
Joyce, Mike. “Cedar Walton’s Jazz Trio With Brio.” Washington Post, May 1, 1995.
Joyce, Mike. “Carol Fredette.” Washington Post, April 22, 1985.
Joyce, Mike. “Jazz Standards, With Style.” Washington Post, August 27, 1990.
Joyce, Mike. “Uplifting U Street.” Washington Post, December 21, 1990.
Joyce, Mike. “Rowles and Sloane.” Washington Post, February 7, 1981.
Joyce, Mike. “Anita O’Day, On Her Day.” Washington Post, October 19, 1991.
Joyce, Mike. “Bobby Watson & Curtis Lundy.” Washington Post, February 23, 1987.
Joyce, Mike. “Dewey Redman.” Washington Post, January 16, 1982.
Joyce, Mike. “Jazz Trio.” Washington Post, September 22, 1979.
Joyce, Mike. “Richie Cole.” Washington Post, July 10, 1995.
Joyce, Mike. “Ran Blake’s Monkish Piano.” Washington Post, August 18, 1984.
Joyce, Mike. “Warne Marsh.” Washington Post, March 17, 1984.
Joyce, Mike. “Moody & Heath: Common Themes on Sax.” Washington Post, June 19, 1989.
Joyce, Mike. “Junior Cook.” Washington Post, December 5, 1989.
Joyce, Mike. “Bartz Quartet’s Intimate Interplay.” Washington Post, January 8, 1990.
Joyce, Mike. “Sonny Fortune.” Washington Post, July 24, 1989.
Joyce, Mike. “Ted Efantis.” Washington Post, February 12, 1990.
Joyce, Mike. “Eddie Harris.” Washington Post, May 14, 1990.
Joyce, Mike. “Sonny Fortune’s Good-Luck Gig.” Washington Post, June 10, 1991.
Joyce, Mike. “Jack Wilkins’ Fluent Guitar.” Washington Post, January 17, 1987.
Joyce, Mike. “Mulgrew Miller.” Washington Post, January 22, 1990.
Joyce, Mike. “Cedar Walton.” Washington Post, February 6, 1990.
Joyce, Mike. “Flanagan & Mraz, Seamless Team.” Washington Post, February 21, 1990.
Joyce, Mike. “Billy Pierce and Wallace Roney.” Washington Post, March 5, 1990.
Joyce, Mike. “Frank Morgan.” Washington Post, April 2, 1990.

Wiki Tags: 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. PRIOR TO MOVING TO PENN. AVE AROUND 1963? THEY WERE IN GEORGETOWN ON M STREET. CALLED THE B&J BACK THEN. EVERY FRI. SAT. SUN. NIGHT I WOULD BE THERE SITTING AROUND DRINKING PITCHERS OF DRAFT BEER WATCHING A WAITRESS BY THE NAME OF JENNY WAITING ON TABLES. SHE WORE A BLACK PATCH ON HER EYE. ( I THINK IT WAS FAKE) BUT KIND OF NEAT. SHE WENT TO NYC SHORTLY THEREAFTER. FAST FOWARD A FEW YEARS I WAS AT THE ONE STEP DOWN ON M STREET AND THERE SHE WAS. SHE LOOKED DIFFERENT, I DRANK ONE BEER AND LEFT. I WAS IN LOVE WITH SOME ONE ELSE AT THE TIME. END OF STORY.

    Reply

  2. Recordings from One Step are popping up on YouTube, including one from 09/22/89 with Grachan Moncur III and Archie Shepp.

    Reply

  3. I caught a gig there in 1992 or 1993. It was Cedar Walton, Ron Carter, and Billy Higgins. I went alone. When I arrived I was told the seats were all taken and I’d have to sit at the bar. No problem, I thought. The seat was at the front end of the bar. I had to spread my knees to avoid touching Billy Higgins’ ride cymbal. What can I say. It was fabulous. From my perch on the bar stool I was closer to Billy Higgins than were either Ron Carter or Cedar Walton. What a cool experience.

    Reply

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