Mac Gollehon: Mac’s Smokin Section

Having worked on over 1,000 recordings-ranging from Lester Bowie to David Bowie, trumpeter Mac Gollehon has been in on groundbreaking work throughout his career. His eclectic solo work, Mac’s Smokin’ Section (McKenzie Entertainment 671995; 63:24) is no exception-if you pass the first two tracks by. Forego the bleak, hip-hop percussive mood piece “Park Avenue” and the mid-tempo groover “One Secret Night,” neither of which support Mac’s haunting melodies, and you’ll find gems like the nearly hypnotic “Boulevard,” on which his piercing solo is a twisted seduction encircled by big, whirling percussion effects. Equally unusual are “Out of Bounds,” which throws straight-ahead style trumpet play and deep-funk bass in a distant, reverb tunnel effect, and “Back Porch,” with its loose guitar blues progression and weird “underwater” melody. These atmospheric, humor-injected pieces are well worth waiting for.

Originally Published March 1, 1997