Hush Point (feat. John McNeil, Jeremy Udden, Aryeh Kobrinsky & Vinnie Sperrazza)

There\'s definitely something striking about the quartet known as Hush Point. For starters, the players—trumpeter John McNeil, alto saxophonist Jeremy Udden, bassist Aryeh Kobrinsky, and drummer Vinnie Sperrazza (who uses bushes throughout)—are truly excellent. The band looks back to the sounds of the late \'50s but expands on them, moving along the lines that separate outside and inside. Seven compositions on this self-titled debut are by either Udden or McNeil. Kobrinsky contributes one track, and there are covers of two Jimmy Giuffre pieces: “Iranic” and “The Train and the River.” (The latter has an arrangement by McNeil, a veteran who\'s played with Horace Silver and Gerry Mulligan and has released several albums as a leader.) “Peachful,” by McNeil, has a vibe that evokes ’50s California cool. The horn solos are subtle and fine, and the rhythm section’s work is unusual. Udden’s “Bar Talk” is a dance of counterpoint between trumpet and sax, while McNeil’s uptempo “Get Out” swings fiercely. Kobrinsky’s easygoing, country-flavored “Cat Magnet” closes the album.