Bli Blip is a song composed by

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

with lyrics by Sid Kuller. "Bli Blip" was featured in Ellington's 1941 musical revue '' Jump for Joy''. It was performed by

Marie Bryant Marie Bryant (November 6, 1919 – May 23, 1978) was an American dancer, singer and choreographer, described as "one of the most vivacious black dancers in the United States". Biography Bryant was born in Meridian, Mississippi, moving with her fa ...

and Paul White in a 1942 soundie featuring Ellington and his orchestra produced by Sam Coslow for R.C.M. Productions and directed by

Josef Berne Josef Berne (January 19, 1904 – December 19, 1964) was a Russian-born American writer, film director and producer. Berne was born Josef Berstein on January 19, 1904, in Kyiv, Russia (now Ukraine). He also wrote and directed Yiddish langu ...

. The soundie was released on 5 January 1942. Ellington and his orchestra made the first recording of "Bli Blip" on 26 September 1941 at the Hollywood Recording Studio in Los Angeles. John Franceschina, in his 2017 book ''Duke Ellington's Music for the Theatre'', described "Bli Blip" as a "catchy, blues, rhythm number" with a "highly syncopated melody line, filled with skips and scat-like riffs". Franceschina notes that the "arhythmical nature of the melody in which no two bars are exactly alike".

Recordings

* Ella Fitzgerald - '' Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book'' (

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * ''The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee ho ...

, 1957) * New York Voices - '' Sing! Sing! Sing!'' ( Concord Jazz, 2000) * P.J. Benjamin and Terri Klausner - ''Sophisticated Ladies'' (1981) (Original Broadway cast recording) *

Dee Dee Bridgewater Dee Dee Bridgewater (née Denise Garrett, May 27, 1950) is an American jazz singer and actress. She is a three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, as well as a Tony Award-winning stage actress. For 23 years, she was the host of National ...

with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and John Mauceri - '' Prelude to a Kiss: The Duke Ellington Album'' (1996) * The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and Dianne Reeves - ''Live in Swing City - Swingin' with Duke'' (

Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region in ...

, 1999)

References

*{{cite book, last=Franceschina, first=John, title=Duke Ellington's Music for the Theatre, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=geIjmMbqwYIC, date=6 July 2017, publisher=McFarland, isbn=978-0-7864-5026-8 1941 songs Songs with music by Duke Ellington