Hush (Yo-Yo Ma and Bobby McFerrin album)

Hush is a collaborative album by vocalist Bobby McFerrin and cellist Yo-Yo Ma.^[1][2] It was released on the Sony Masterworks label in 1992.^[3] The pair first met at a 1988 celebration of Leonard Bernstein.^[4]

Hush
Studio album by Bobby McFerrin and Yo-Yo Ma
Released	1992
Recorded	August 22, 1991 – August 25, 1991
Studio	Dreamland (Hurley, New York) Different Fur (San Francisco, California) Power Station (New York City, New York)
Genre	Classical, vocal jazz
Length	46:28
Label	Sony Masterworks (US) Sony Classical (international)
Producer	Bobby McFerrin, Steven Epstein
Bobby McFerrin chronology
Play (1992) Hush (1992) Bang!Zoom (1995)
Yo-Yo Ma chronology
Prokofiev: Sinfonia Concertante (1992) Hush (1992) Brahms: String Sextets, Opp. 18 & 36 (1992)

The album peaked at No. 93 on the Billboard 200.^[5]

Production

The album was produced by McFerrin and Steven Epstein.^[6] McFerrin wrote five of its songs; the collaborators adapted three Johann Sebastian Bach compositions.^[7][8] According to McFerrin, Ma was hesitant to improvise during the recording sessions.^[9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[10]
The Indianapolis Star	[11]
Vancouver Sun	[8]

The Indianapolis Star wrote: "Apart from a rousing indulgence in country fiddle-music licks on 'Hoedown!', McFerrin's own compositions here lean toward the artfully overdubbed New Age."^[11] The St. Petersburg Times praised "the album's best track, McFerrin's beautifully melodic 'Stars'."^[12] The Washington Post admired "the winning combination of Ma's unerring, often deeply expressive touch and McFerrin's wit, whimsy, resourcefulness and sheer musicality."^[13]

Track listing

1. "Grace" (McFerrin) – 3:54
2. "Double Mandolin Concerto in G, RV 532" Andante (Vivaldi) – 4:03
3. "The Flight of the Bumblebee" (Rimsky-Korsakov) – 1:08
4. "Stars" (McFerrin) – 4:04
5. "Hush Little Baby" (Trad.) – 2:36
6. "Vocalise," song for voice & piano, Op. 34/14 (Rachmaninov) – 6:26
7. "Musette for keyboard in D Major (AMN II/22; doubtful), BWV Anh. 126" (J. S. Bach) – 4:12
8. "Coyote" (McFerrin) – 2:52
9. "Sonata for 2 cellos, No. 10 in G Allegro: Prestissimo" (Barrière) – 2:36
10. "Ave Maria" (Gounod / J. S. Bach) – 2:37
11. "Hoedown!" (McFerrin) – 5:38
12. "Air" (Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068) (J. S. Bach) – 5:11
13. "Good-bye" (McFerrin) – 1:11

Personnel

• Yo-Yo Ma – cello
• Bobby McFerrin – vocals, arrangements (5)

Production

• Linda Goldstein – executive producer
• Steven Epstein – producer
• Bobby McFerrin – producer, liner notes
• Chris Tergesen – recording, mixing
• Ron Rigler – recording assistant
• John Yates – assistant engineer
• Aaron Krops – mix assistant
• Matthew LaMonica – mix assistant
• Bud Graham – mastering
• Julia Cohen – production coordinator
• Allen Weinberg – cover design
• Carol Friedman – cover photography
• Yo-Yo Ma – liner notes