Hour 3 brings together several distinct strands of the Blues Before Sunrise sound: Brownie McGhee’s blues performances, Jimmy Blythe’s piano records, the vocal harmony of the Golden Gate Quartet, a four-song visit with Kalama’s Quartet, and a closing pair from Teddy Bunn. The hour is especially notable for the way it moves among solo performers and vocal groups. Each segment has its own identity, yet the overall sequence feels carefully balanced between blues, piano, spiritual material, and ensemble singing.

Brownie McGhee opens with “Million Lonesome Women,” “Ain’t No Tellin’,” “I Done What the Lord Said Do,” and “Swing Soldier Swing.” The four selections provide the hour with a substantial opening voice rather than a brief introduction. Their titles range across lonesome reflection, uncertainty, religious language, and swing, giving the first section a wide frame without requiring the program to define the material too narrowly. McGhee’s set establishes the hour as one built around contrast and change.

Jimmy Blythe follows with “Fat Meat & Greens,” “Alley Rat,” “Lovin’ Been Here & Gone,” and “Don’t Break Down.” The four-record run gives piano a central place in the hour. Its position after McGhee’s opening block makes the transition especially clear: the show moves from one artist’s blues sequence into another performer’s compact set, retaining continuity through the programming while changing the musical emphasis. Blythe’s titles also provide a lively counterpoint to the more solemn language found elsewhere in the hour.

The Golden Gate Quartet then takes over with “Little Wheel Turning in My Heart,” “In the Great Getting Up Morning,” “He’s My Rock My Sword My Shield,” and “Wrestling Jacob.” This is the hour’s strongest explicitly spiritual section, and its four-song length allows the vocal group sound to become a defining part of the broadcast. The placement after Blythe also makes the contrast between piano-led selections and vocal harmony especially vivid. Rather than separating sacred and secular material into isolated programs, the hour lets both forms contribute to one broad listening experience.

Kalama’s Quartet extends the group-vocal dimension with “Hano Hano Hanalay,” “Let Ana Ika Mokihana,” “Inkiniki Malie,” and “Kuu Lei.” Their four selections create another full segment, preserving the hour’s attention to ensembles while introducing a clearly different set of song titles and language. Teddy Bunn finishes the hour with “Tampa Twirl” and “Goose & Gander.” Those final two records return the focus to an individual performer and give the hour a concise closing turn after its extended quartet sections. The result is an hour of strong internal variety, unified by patient programming and the steady movement from one distinctive set to another.

Hour 3 Playlist

Million Lonesome Women — Brownie McGhee

Ain’t No Tellin’ — Brownie McGhee

I Done What the Lord Said Do — Brownie McGhee

Swing Soldier Swing — Brownie McGhee

Fat Meat & Greens — Jimmy Blythe

Alley Rat — Jimmy Blythe

Lovin’ Been Here & Gone — Jimmy Blythe

Don’t Break Down — Jimmy Blythe

Little Wheel Turning in My Heart — Golden Gate Quartet

In the Great Getting Up Morning — Golden Gate Quartet

He’s My Rock My Sword My Shield — Golden Gate Quartet

Wrestling Jacob — Golden Gate Quartet

Hano Hano Hanalay — Kalama’s Quartet

Let Ana Ika Mokihana — Kalama’s Quartet

Inkiniki Malie — Kalama’s Quartet

Kuu Lei — Kalama’s Quartet

Tampa Twirl — Teddy Bunn

Goose & Gander — Teddy Bunn