The first hour launches this week’s Blues Before Sunrise with an expansive selection of swing, blues, boogie, and vocal material. Richard Berry’s “Next Time” opens the program before a substantial Holiday for Swing segment from Erskine Hawkins. From there, the hour passes through Hot Lips Page, Marion Abernathy, Nellie Lutcher, Mills Bros., Cow Cow Davenport, Josephine Baker, and Julian Dash. The records have no announced special theme, but their sequencing makes a strong case for the pleasures of an open-format old-record program.

Erskine Hawkins receives four consecutive selections: “The Buffalo Nickle,” “Coast to Coast,” “I’ve Got a Right to Cry,” and “I Keep Rollin’ On.” The group provides the hour’s most extended early spotlight and establishes a swing-oriented foundation. Their titles suggest movement, travel, and persistence, while the sequence itself allows the program to settle into Hawkins’s sound before turning to another artist. That unhurried treatment helps make the opening feel like a coherent musical passage rather than a quick survey.

Hot Lips Page follows with “Blues Jumped the Rabbit,” “Uncle Sam Blues,” and “LaDANSE.” The three-record set keeps the hour in motion while shifting away from Hawkins’s four-song feature. Marion Abernathy’s “Voo-It Voo-It,” “Ja-Housey Baby,” and “Love Me or Let Me Be” continue the pattern of concentrated artist sets. Each grouping has its own vocal and musical identity, but the programming links them through momentum and the shared sense of swing-era energy.

Nellie Lutcher brings another three selections: “Come & Get It Honey,” “Princess Poo-Poo Has Plenty,” and “The Song Is Ended.” Her segment is followed by Mills Bros. with “Around the World,” making a concise but effective transition from one vocal presentation to another. The hour does not depend on long narration or a single stylistic label; instead, it lets a succession of distinctive artists shape the flow. The result is a first hour that remains lively while leaving room for changes in voice, ensemble, and tempo.

Cow Cow Davenport’s “Jeep Boogie” arrives late in the hour, followed by Josephine Baker’s “I Love Dancing” and Julian Dash’s “Open Up Them Pearly Gates.” These final selections summarize the hour’s broad character: boogie piano, a vocal feature, and a final title with spiritual language. Rather than ending on one fixed mood, the hour closes by widening its scope once more. It is an inviting beginning to the five-hour show, full of compact artist spotlights and records that keep the program’s promise to rock, swing, and groove.

Hour 1 Playlist

Next Time — Richard Berry

The Buffalo Nickle — Erskine Hawkins

Coast to Coast — Erskine Hawkins

I’ve Got a Right to Cry — Erskine Hawkins

I Keep Rollin’ On — Erskine Hawkins

Blues Jumped the Rabbit — Hot Lips Page

Uncle Sam Blues — Hot Lips Page

LaDANSE — Hot Lips Page

Voo-It Voo-It — Marion Abernathy

Ja-Housey Baby — Marion Abernathy

Love Me or Let Me Be — Marion Abernathy

Come & Get It Honey — Nellie Lutcher

Princess Poo-Poo Has Plenty — Nellie Lutcher

The Song Is Ended — Nellie Lutcher

Around the World — Mills Bros.

Jeep Boogie — Cow Cow Davenport

I Love Dancing — Josephine Baker

Open Up Them Pearly Gates — Julian Dash