¡¡¡¡The New York City Visitors' Bureau says jazz musicians and entertainers first called New York the Big Apple 50 years ago.At that time, jazz musicians earned money by performing in many cities and towns across the United States. But performers liked to play in New York City best of all. New York was the place with the best-paid jobs, the most money to earn and a greater number of people to appreciate jazz music. The early jazz musicians described each town and city in America as an apple on a tree. Naturally they called New York City the Big Apple. Later a nightclub in New York was named the Big Apple and a popular dance was also called The Big Apple. But no one except jazz musicians, and some entertainers, used this term to describe New York City.About twenty years ago, the city officials wanted to get more people to visit New York. They needed a new symbol for their city. They remembered the stories of the jazz musicians and began using the Big Apple in their advertisements. The idea worked.Today so many people from different parts of the world visit New York City every day. They probably know New York's nickname but they most likely don¡¯t know why the city is called the Big Apple.