Birth of the Blues poster

Birth of the Blues

Strike Up The Band ! * Here comes happiness . . . in a merry medley of romance . . . and rhythm !

6.2(12)19411h 26m1

Jeff grows up near Basin Street in New Orleans, playing his clarinet with the dock workers. He puts together a band, the Basin Street Hot-Shots, which includes a cornet player, Memphis. They struggle to get their jazz music accepted by the cafe society of the city. Betty Lou joins their band as a singer and gets Louie to show her how to do scat singing. Memphis and Jeff both fall in love with Betty Lou.

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Status
Released
Budget
—
Box office
—
Language
English
  • jazz
  • new orleans, louisiana
  • scat singing

Top billed cast

Behind the camera

Produced in

United States of America

Where to watch

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Availability for Japan. Provided by JustWatch through the TMDB API.

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Release dates

  • United StatesUS

    • TheatricalNR7 Nov 1941

Frequently asked questions

Birth of the Blues was released on 7 November 1941.

Audience reviews

1
  • C

    CinemaSerf

    7/27/2025

    6/10

    It’s set in the American Deep South in the late 1930s so of course there are going to be unsavoury racial overtones, but in some ways this films strives to suggest that by using jazz music and the wholesomeness of Bing Crosby, there might be some green shoots of desegregation starting to emerge. The young “Jeff” is a pretty prodigious talent, but is regularly strapped by his father for playing with “darkie bands” in …

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