Hour 5 of this week’s Blues Before Sunrise brought the program full circle—closing with a rich tapestry of sounds that moved from polished vocal harmony and jazz sophistication to the deep growl of Howlin’ Wolf, the power of Ike Turner and B.B. King, and finally a modern instrumental coda from Fleetwood Mac. Steve Cushing served this final set like a “soul breakfast,” mixing flavors from across the Black American musical tradition.
The Basin Street Boys opened the hour with “This Is the End of a Dream”, their silky harmonies capturing the elegance of postwar vocal groups. That mood continued with Milt Jackson’s vibraphone artistry on “Slowly”, followed by the smooth baritone of Al Hibbler on “Every Hour on the Hour.” Together, these selections reminded listeners of how seamlessly blues, jazz, and pop once intertwined.
Shirley Horn’s “Just for a Thrill” offered smoky intimacy, her phrasing conveying both longing and restraint. Babyface Willette brought an organ groove with “Swingin’ at Sugar Ray’s”, giving the set a late-night club atmosphere. Then Wynona Carr added gospel-fired soul with “I Wanna Be Around,” a performance brimming with vitality and joy.
The energy shifted as Bro Jack McDuff delivered his signature Hammond B-3 firestorm on “Hot Barbeque.” From there, the mood turned raw and primal with Howlin’ Wolf’s sequence: “I Want Your Picture,” “Riding in the Moonlight,” “Chocolate Drop,” “The Sun Is Rising,” and “Mr. Airplane Man.” Each track displayed Wolf’s ferocious voice and growling intensity, backed by a band that carried the urgency of Chicago blues into every note. Few performers could straddle the line between menace and exhilaration like Wolf, and Steve’s setlist reminded listeners why his records remain among the most powerful in blues history.
Ike Turner and B.B. King brought contrasting shades of rhythm & blues to the table. Turner’s “Cubano” and “All Blues All the Time” showcased his restless creativity, mixing blues with Latin and jazz touches. Meanwhile, B.B. King’s “You’re Still My Woman” was pure elegance, his voice and guitar phrasing intertwining in perfect conversation.
Finally, Steve closed the hour—and the show—with Fleetwood Mac’s “Albatross.” The instrumental, with its oceanic calm, served as a surprising but fitting coda. After five hours of history, grit, and energy, “Albatross” felt like a cool breeze, a moment to reflect on the journey from Basin Street harmonies to Howlin’ Wolf’s roar.
Hour 5 was less about one theme than about a balance of contrasts—urban sophistication and raw Delta energy, sacred soul and secular blues, the old and the modern. It captured what makes Blues Before Sunrise so compelling: the way it traces the blues not as a straight line, but as a sprawling map of voices, styles, and emotions.
Hour 5 Playlist
- Basin Street Boys – This Is the End of a Dream
- Milt Jackson – Slowly
- Al Hibbler – Every Hour on the Hour
- Shirley Horn – Just for a Thrill
- Babyface Willette – Swingin’ at Sugar Ray’s
- Wynona Carr – I Wanna Be Around
- Bro Jack McDuff – Hot Barbeque
- Howlin’ Wolf – I Want Your Picture
- Howlin’ Wolf – Riding in the Moonlight
- Howlin’ Wolf – Chocolate Drop
- Howlin’ Wolf – The Sun Is Rising
- Howlin’ Wolf – Mr. Airplane Man
- Ike Turner – Cubano
- B.B. King – You’re Still My Woman
- Ike Turner – All Blues All the Time
- Fleetwood Mac – Albatross