The Big Apple's Music in the Park

 

Mo lightly singing “Puff the Magic Dragon lived by the sea and frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called…”

Sa "Are You Singing?

Mo “Yes, I got music fever from the concert last weekend.”

Sa “Oh yea. The blues and jazz concert in the park?”

 Mo “Yep and according to mom there is another one this Sunday.” (Note: 1 May 2016)

Sa “Interesting, do you know why New York is called the Big Apple?”

Mo “What? What does that have to do with the concert!?”

Sa “Well, the story goes like this around 1920, New York City human John Fitz Gerald who worked at a newspaper, worked the horse track for his stories, heard African-American stable hands in New Orleans say they were going to “the big apple,” a reference to New York City, whose race tracks were considered big-time venues.”

Mo “Wait that has nothing to do with music or the park”

Sa “Be patient I am getting to that. Fitz Gerald soon began making mention of the Big Apple in his newspaper columns. In the 1930s, jazz musicians adopted the term to indicate New York City was home to big-league music clubs.”

Mo “Oh I see, since the jazz from the 30’s the city has been the Big Apple.”

Sa “Kind of. The term went away for a bit but than in the early 1970s, as part of a tourism campaign to spruce up New York’s terrible image”.

Mo “Yea pop pop said back then the city was still very crowded and the money situation was bad and crime was really bad.”

Sa “True. So a jazz enthusiastic human Charles Gillett, president of the New York Convention and Visitors Bureau, created an ad campaign, because he knew that the Big Apple had once been a nickname from the music that bestowed respect on the city. Pins, T-shirts and other promotional items featuring apples soon became very popular, and visitors were invited to take a bite out of the Big Apple; this time around, the name stuck.”

Mo “Since the jazz songs spoke nice about the city the name Big Apple has become part of the city. Interesting can we now get back to the music in the park?”

Sa “Sure, just thought I would give you a little history lesson about where we live now.”

Mo “Ummm, ok. Well the band this week will be in the same spot.” (Note: West 116^th street Riverside Park at the overlook)

Sa “I wonder if it will be the same kind of music as before?”

Mo “Nope not this time. Mom told me it was going to be a big music band.”

Sa and Mo “We are looking forward to sitting on our blanket and enjoying the day. Hope to see many humans and puppies at the park and taking a bite out of the Big Apple.”