A series of jazz-focused guided walking tours through selected New York neighborhoods will continue through the autumn of 2003.
Operating under the SwingStreets banner, jazz journalist Paul Blair began leading groups on excursions through three different sections of Harlem in mid-2002. Each route covers a multitude of sites associated with both the area's rich jazz history and its current music scene. Also seen are the homes, offices and studios of other notables, famous churches, landmarks associated with the civil rights struggle and blocks exemplifying particularly distinguished architecture.
In addition to three Harlem walks, Paul has since expanded his menu to include three other Manhattan excursions: one through the midtown entertainment district, another in Greenwich Village and a third in the rapidly evolving East Village.
"This whole enterprise began with my own curiosity about where jazz has actually happened in New York over the years," says Paul. "Whenever I'd read about Minton's Playhouse or Clark Monroe's Uptown House, I'd wonder if they still existed. When I'd listen to tracks that Mingus recorded at The Showplace, I'd wonder exactly where that club was located. How about the Five Spot, Slug's, the Half Note and the original Birdland?
"Where did Ellington and Parker and Gillespie and Billie Holiday first stay when they arrived in town? Where's the block where both Fletcher Henderson and W.C. Handy owned homes? Where's the apartment building where Mary Lou Williams used to give piano lessons? Well, it turns out that all these places are still there, along with hundreds of others that are significant in the music's history. Yet I've discovered that very few historic jazz sites in this city have official plaques affixed to them. In fact, I know of only three or four such spots -- and that's a sad situation.
"Anyway, after researching these addresses for a couple of years, I began leading friends around. Eventually, I started offering tours to the public. The response from overseas visitors has been particularly enthusiastic. And mind you, the excursions I'm now leading cover much more than just jazz. That's because it's impossible for me to stroll along New York streets without noting other historically noteworthy addresses, remarkable buildings, quirky signage, the effects of government legislation and planning (or lack of it) and the process of constant change within neighborhoods."
Regular SwingStreets tours take place on Saturdays and Sundays, although group tours and custom itineraries are also possible. Details on individual routes, along with a schedule of upcoming walks, is posted on the Internet at
http://www.SwingStreets.com The site also contains links to dozens of New York jazz clubs plus an abundance of other useful information for visitors to the city.
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