Cabaret singer, jazz vocalist, songwriter, cult film star, theater artist, drag performer, fashion icon — JOEY ARIAS defies categorization. Long acclaimed for channeling Billie Holiday, Arias has gone on to establish himself as a world-class entertainer – touring internationally and starring in lavish theatrical productions including Cirque du Soleil’s Zumanity and Arias with a Twist. Arias grew up in Los Angeles, and he was the youngest-ever member of the famed Groundlings improv troupe where classmates included Paul Reubens (aka Pee-Wee Herman) and Loraine Neuman (Saturday Night Live). 

At 16 he was signed to Capitol Records with the band Pearly, and at 18 he drove across the country in a pick up truck with Kim Hastreiter (PAPER magazine), and the two friends relocated to New York City.  Over the succeeding three decades Arias emerged as a bona fide New York City icon, distinguishing himself with scandalous wit, sleek style, and an extraordinary voice.

Arias has performed worldwide at venues that include Carnegie Hall, the Freedom Theatre in London, as well as the cabaret clubs of Paris, Tokyo, Moscow, Germany, Finland, Estonia, Canada, and England. On film, he has appeared in Mondo New York, Big Top Pee Wee, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, Wigstock –The Movie, Flawless and To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar. Television credits include the infamous Saturday Night Live episode with David Bowie and Klaus Nomi, Ann Magnuson's Vandemonium (Cinemax), Elvira's MTV Halloween Special, HBO’s Dragtime, HBO's Real Sex, and Gayer Than Gay on VH1, along with numerous appearances on a wide variety of talk shows and programs.

The American dream came true for Catalina Popescu in October of 1986 when she and her husband Bob created a supper club devoted to serving an experience of superb eats and the shared magic of live performance. That grand experience began at the door where every night her mother Maria would greet each guest as family and share in their love of music. Housed in Hollywood and decked out in a timeless charm, the club offers a cozy ambience under sparkling stage lights garnished with its signature concoction — Jazz. The first artist to grace the stage was the masterful flutist and saxophonist Buddy Collette, and ever since then, over the past 36 years, the Catalina Jazz Club has hosted the most illustrious legends of all time — from the powerful puffers of Dizzy Gillespie to the electrified fingers of McCoy Tyner, the bubbly belt of Dee Dee Bridgewater and Lynda Carter, the flirtatious saxophone of Joshua Redman, the slick strumming of Kenny Burrell, the insane drum clinic of Steve Gadd, the romance of Steve Tyrell, and the masterclass of Mike Stern.

For Catalina, Jazz is our way of life. It breathes pain. It knows love. It dreams hope. It bleeds courage. Whether we’re showcasing Broadway, Soul, R&B, or stand-up comedy, the lesson learned from all the greats who have serenaded our spirits is how to connect to one another. And that’s why the Catalina Jazz Club will always have a table ready for you.

The Catalina Jazz Club has been honored by A.S.M.A.C., California Jazz Foundation, Los Angeles Jazz Society, and a City of Los Angeles Certificate of Appreciation on their 25th Anniversary, which was awarded by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the LA City Council which included then City Council member and current Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.