As part of NY1’s Jazz Lives Here coverage, Arts Reporter Stephanie Simon took a day-long tour of the world of jazz in New York City. Following is Part 4 of her six-part series. After pulling an all-nighter, Arts Reporter Stephanie Simon jazzes up her 7 a.m. breakfast in the Upper West Side’s Metro Diner with jazz historian Phil Schaap, who supports jazz marathons in the city. ‘њWell I am commending you on showing me that there’s 24 hours of jazz in New York City,’ќ says Schaap.

‘њUsually I’m the only jazz person up at this time and I am getting ready to play Charlie Parker records, but you have been partying all night.’ќ However, Schaap sees fewer people burning the midnight oil with jazz. ‘њI don’t want to sound like a graybeard, but it was a little easier to do jazz 24 hours a day in New York City when I was your age and before, because well most clubs went until 4 a.m. and there were some clubs that opened at 4 a.m.,’ќ says Schaap.

‘њNew York City really used to have 24-hour-a-day capability but you couldn’t do banking. Now you can do banking 24 hours a day but the other stuff you can’t do.’ќ New York has a long and illustrious history with jazz, dating back to the very beginning when the new sound was taking hold. ‘њWell, it became famous here. In fact, jazz from New Orleans arrived in New York in January of 1917,’ќ says Schaap.

That’s when the Original Dixieland Jazz Band came to New York and wowed audiences at a club in Midtown called Reisenweber’s, known at the time for featuring live classical music. ‘њSort of as an additive, they had an alternative act, this new crazy music,’ќ says Schaap. ‘њAnd the band played Reisenweber’s and no one really knew what to make of it.