About us
In 2001 Cellar Cat launched as a small take-out cafe, unseen from the highway, in Glen Ellen, California. The cafe, intended only to hold us over until we could acquire a larger next door lease for a live music venue, soon became an intimate, destination fine-dining restaurant, its success eclipsing immediate plans for growth. Thanks to three levels of decks hanging over Sonoma Creek combined with a hot summer, we soon realized our dream of producing live jazz an hour north of San Francisco.
For three years, four to five nights a week, we hosted musicians such as Bill Douglas, Clairdee, Eddie Duran, Dee Bell, Madeline Eastman, Jackie Ryan, Dick Conte and more. We were able to add a dedicated jazz club to the restaurant.
Three restaurants featuring live jazz and 23 years later we have opened Cellar Cat jazz & wine bar once again, this time without the distraction of a restaurant. We are located right off the Edmonds/Kingston ferry in Kingston.
Dearest MEWsicians,
As we all too well know, the only money in live music is reserved for the fortunate 2% or fewer. Cellar Cat pays what amounts to the same stipend offered by others able to produce live performances on the west side of the Sound. We are told we pay slightly better than most, making up for the dearth as best we can by doing all we can to promote performances, and ask that listeners listen and not talk during the show.
We highly recommend visiting Cellar Cat prior to requesting a performance date. Musicians who support other musicians and performance venues get our appreciative attention and are more likely to be booked by us. Also, ours is an unusual layout, with couches, high tables, art, gifts, wine, and can only seat 35 paying guests. While we are happy to allow one guest per musician to attend without paying, members of the musician’s party may need to sit or stand near the back. Couches, front row seats, tables are reserved for paying customers.
In addition to gig pay we also have private parking right behind Cellar Cat reserved for employees, owners and musicians only. We are glad to provide snacks (usually making a charcuterie for the band to share during breaks), and a beer or glass of wine or two.
At the start of each show we announce the performers and encourage tipping and CD sales done directly through the musicians. If you have a QR code and would like it to be prominent with the tip jar, please provide it to us in advance and we will have it at the ready. Tips cannot be processed through our credit card system.
We ask the audience to refrain from speaking, videoing and taking photographs during the performance due to the distracting nature of these actions. Musicians who don’t allow photos or videos of any kind are not the best fit for Cellar Cat as we are in the entertainment business, and want our guests as well as our musicians, to feel comfortable, warm, and included. Folks love to document their experiences, best practice is to let them enjoy this small amusement and not worry about it. Most publicity is good publicity 🙂.
Professional Puget Sound musicians - or those pros traveling through the area looking for dates - are welcome to send [email protected] requests for booking.
Thanks for all your hard work. Although the best make it look easy: we know it's anything but. Only practice makes purrrfect.
We look forward to hearing you,
Holly, Jim, Greg & Darcy
In 2001 Cellar Cat launched as a small take-out cafe, unseen from the highway, in Glen Ellen, California. The cafe, intended only to hold us over until we could acquire a larger next door lease for a live music venue, soon became an intimate, destination fine-dining restaurant, its success eclipsing immediate plans for growth. Thanks to three levels of decks hanging over Sonoma Creek combined with a hot summer, we soon realized our dream of producing live jazz an hour north of San Francisco.
For three years, four to five nights a week, we hosted musicians such as Bill Douglas, Clairdee, Eddie Duran, Dee Bell, Madeline Eastman, Jackie Ryan, Dick Conte and more. We were able to add a dedicated jazz club to the restaurant.
Three restaurants featuring live jazz and 23 years later we have opened Cellar Cat jazz & wine bar once again, this time without the distraction of a restaurant. We are located right off the Edmonds/Kingston ferry in Kingston.
Dearest MEWsicians,
As we all too well know, the only money in live music is reserved for the fortunate 2% or fewer. Cellar Cat pays what amounts to the same stipend offered by others able to produce live performances on the west side of the Sound. We are told we pay slightly better than most, making up for the dearth as best we can by doing all we can to promote performances, and ask that listeners listen and not talk during the show.
We highly recommend visiting Cellar Cat prior to requesting a performance date. Musicians who support other musicians and performance venues get our appreciative attention and are more likely to be booked by us. Also, ours is an unusual layout, with couches, high tables, art, gifts, wine, and can only seat 35 paying guests. While we are happy to allow one guest per musician to attend without paying, members of the musician’s party may need to sit or stand near the back. Couches, front row seats, tables are reserved for paying customers.
In addition to gig pay we also have private parking right behind Cellar Cat reserved for employees, owners and musicians only. We are glad to provide snacks (usually making a charcuterie for the band to share during breaks), and a beer or glass of wine or two.
At the start of each show we announce the performers and encourage tipping and CD sales done directly through the musicians. If you have a QR code and would like it to be prominent with the tip jar, please provide it to us in advance and we will have it at the ready. Tips cannot be processed through our credit card system.
We ask the audience to refrain from speaking, videoing and taking photographs during the performance due to the distracting nature of these actions. Musicians who don’t allow photos or videos of any kind are not the best fit for Cellar Cat as we are in the entertainment business, and want our guests as well as our musicians, to feel comfortable, warm, and included. Folks love to document their experiences, best practice is to let them enjoy this small amusement and not worry about it. Most publicity is good publicity 🙂.
Professional Puget Sound musicians - or those pros traveling through the area looking for dates - are welcome to send [email protected] requests for booking.
Thanks for all your hard work. Although the best make it look easy: we know it's anything but. Only practice makes purrrfect.
We look forward to hearing you,
Holly, Jim, Greg & Darcy