Hour One of the February 8, 2026 Blues Before Sunrise broadcast opens the night by throwing expectations out the window. This is not a cautious introduction — it’s a declaration. From the first record, the hour celebrates voices and styles that live just outside the mainstream, artists who bend language, rhythm, and form to make the blues their own. It’s a joyful, knowing reminder that originality has always been central to the music.
Babs Gonzales dominates the early part of the hour, and rightly so. With “Get Out That Bed,” “A Dollar Is Your Only Friend,” “Get Ta Dat,” “A Cool Tale of Love,” and “Oo-Pop-A-Daa,” Gonzales brings his unmistakable beat-era jive into the mix. These tracks blur the line between poetry and rhythm, spoken word and swing. Gonzales doesn’t sing so much as perform language itself, and the effect is electric. His presence signals immediately that Blues Before Sunrise is a place where risks are welcomed.
Sarah Vaughan follows, shifting the mood without breaking the flow. “The Lorelei,” “Jive Samba,” “I’ve Got Some Crying to Do,” and “Shulie-a-Bop” highlight Vaughan’s mastery of phrasing and tone. She can move from playful to pained in a single breath, always in control, always expressive. Her selections here reinforce the idea that sophistication and blues feeling are not opposites — they are partners.
The horn-driven side of the blues takes center stage next with Arnett Cobb’s “Gate Serene Blues,” “Jenny,” and “Black Velvet.” Cobb’s tenor sax roars and purrs in equal measure, pushing the hour toward a harder swing without sacrificing nuance. Julia Lee answers with “Lotus Blossom” and “The Spinach Song,” injecting humor and personality. Lee’s performances are sly, self-aware, and irresistibly human.
The Spirits of Rhythm’s “That’s What I Hate About You” adds string-driven swing and rhythmic bounce, reminding listeners of an earlier jazz-blues hybrid that rarely gets airtime. Albert Ammons’ “The Boogie Rocks” grounds the hour with percussive piano power, while Bert Williams’ “Woodman Spare That Tree” connects the blues to vaudeville tradition and social commentary, his performance both charming and quietly profound.
Bill Doggett’s “Shove Off” brings the hour to a confident close, its smooth groove pointing toward the R&B future while still rooted firmly in the blues tradition.
Hour One works as an opening statement because it refuses to play it safe. It invites the listener in with wit, swing, intelligence, and daring — setting the stage for the deeper emotional journeys that follow. By the time the hour ends, the listener understands exactly what kind of night lies ahead: one filled with rare voices, strong personalities, and music that rewards curiosity.
Hour One Playlist
GET OUT THAT BED – Babs Gonzales
A DOLLAR IS YOUR ONLY FRIEND – Babs Gonzales
GET TA DAT – Babs Gonzales
A COOL TALE OF LOVE – Babs Gonzales
OO-POP-A-DAA – Babs Gonzales
THE LORELEI – Sarah Vaughan
JIVE SAMBA – Sarah Vaughan
I’VE GOT SOME CRYING TO DO – Sarah Vaughan
SHULIE-A-BOP – Sarah Vaughan
GATE SERENE BLUES – Arnett Cobb
JENNY – Arnett Cobb
BLACK VELVET – Arnett Cobb
LOTUS BLOSSOM – Julia Lee
THE SPINACH SONG – Julia Lee
THAT’S WHAT I HATE ABOUT YOU – Spirits of Rhythm
THE BOOGIE ROCKS – Albert Ammons
WOODMAN SPARE THAT TREE – Bert Williams
SHOVE OFF – Bill Doggett