Mac Gollehon to Play at Port 41, 2/3

Mac Gollehon to play at Port 41 on Thursday Feb. 3rd at 8pm featuring Mac Gollehon on trumpet and trombone, Michael Grey on trombone, Noriko Kamo on organ, and Craig Haynes on drums. Port 41 is located at 355 W. 41st St. For more information call 212-947-1188 or visit http://www.port41bar.com/. There is a $10 cover charge. Visit http://www.mac-nyc.com/ for more information regarding Mac Gollehon's new CD, "Straight Ahead," featuring Mac Gollehon, Ron McClure, Ronnie Cuber, Victor Lewis, Warren Smith. American Showplace Street Date: 2011.

What The Press Is Saying About Mac Gollehon's "Straight Ahead"

CD Review: http://www.OsPlaceJazz.com

Mac Gollehon - Mac Straight Ahead 4/3
O's Notes: Mac plays a sweet trumpet and gutsy trombone over ten classic bebop tunes including three originals. His band is Ron Cuber (baritone sax), Victor Lewis (d), Ron McClure (b), Sam Burtis (bass tb), Jun Saito (d), Greg Kogan (organ) and Warren Smith (d). They open with the swinging blues of "Fish Market" followed by a brassy version of "Round Midnight". The crisp trumpet, rich trombone and raspy bass trombone alternate the lead line throughout the session and each does a fine job. Brass is the business of Mac Straight Ahead and they execute well transforming the oldies and ushering in new favorites. Among the best are "Lush Life", "After You're Gone" and the cooking title track.

D. Oscar Groomes
O's Place Jazz Magazine

CD Review: http://jazzafonik.blogspot.com/

Review BY Michael 'Jazzofonik' Edwards

With a resume that encompasses Madonna and Chaka Khan as well as Lester Bowie, multi-hornist (pardon the coinage) Mac Gollehon gives new meaning to the term journeyman.

His latest both typifies and departs from the premise of its title, with the opening track, Roy Eldridge's "Fish Market" hewing to the former, while the leader's original "Mac straight Ahead" throws in a funky organ treatment to complement the stratospheric 'Maynard Ferguson-type' flights.

Indeed, the overall mood is propulsive; his "Lush Life" has a bit more forward momentum than some renditions, and Gollehon's trumpet work, along with some stellar solo runs, make for an intriguing listen. Of course, the support cast is more than up to the task. Baritone saxophonist Ronnie Cuber delivers a strong performance. The soloists on this one could easily be walking the bar as they deliver their spirited lines. Gollehon and company further crank things up on "Strange Behavior," and practically nuke a reading of "After You've Gone." They only catch their collective breath a bit at the end, with a soulful take on the Mingus dirge, "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat." Gollehon's trombone and Cuber's baritone smoldering. Gollehon has certainly been around, but on this excellent release, he shows that he knows how to take it home.

CD Review: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=38119

Review By Dan Bilawsky

Brass man Mac Gollehon means business on Mac Straight Ahead. The ten tracks on this album present Gollehon in a variety of settings and on a variety of instruments...at the same time. While the idea of overdubbing oneself on record is fraught with peril, Gollehon beats the odds. Sometimes he conjures sounds of a full, brassy big band, while other settings pare things down to a few instrumental voices. Though trumpet might be his main axe, Gollehon plays better trombone (and French horn) than most players on the scene today, and his diverse experiences--having played in the Buddy Rich and Stan Kenton bands, and worked with the likes of Lester Bowie, Ray Barretto, Madonna and Chaka Khan--have certainly helped to expand his outlook on music. Most importantly, the overdubs aren't done as a gimmick, but in service of some fantastic arrangements.

The album starts with Roy Eldridge's "Fish Market," and Gollehon's arrangement of the piece has a slightly raunchy air to it. The Texas tenor attitude is transplanted to baritone saxophone, as Ron Cuber delivers a strong performance. The soloists on this one could easily be walking the bar as they deliver their spirited lines. It's hard to imagine anybody doing anything too new with Thelonious Monk's "Round Midnight" at this point, but Jack Jeffers' arrangement--with the bass handling some melodic moments and Gollehon's trumpet working over some unique brass backgrounds--takes this well-worn tune to a new place. Gollehon is more Maynard Ferguson than MiLes Davis, and his stratospheric flights find a place on the large majority of these songs.

This "Lush Life" has a bit more forward momentum than some renditions, and Gollehon's trumpet work, along with some stellar soli runs, make for an intriguing listen. The title track is Gollehon's first original on the album and organist Greg Kogan makes things simmer right from the start. Bassist Ron McClure underscores the opening of "Carol's Song" with some fat half notes that are simple, yet well-suited to this piece and some swanky, rich brass voicings give way to a slightly noir-ish sensibility on this burnished ballad. Gollehon and company turn up the heat on "Strange Behavior," which begins with the leader's bone work dancing atop Victor Lewis' intense drumming, and an explosive version of "After You've Gone." The final track on the album is a soulful take on Charles Mingus' "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat." Gollehon's trombone and Cuber's baritone saxophone sizzle here and this dirge-like composition is transformed into a dirty, blues-drenched beauty. While Mac Straight Ahead is far from a one-man show, Gollehon proves to be a jack of all trades and a master of everything.

CD Review: http://www.amazon.com/Mac-Straight-Ahead-Gollehon/dp/B004176JI0/ref=cm_cr-mr-title

5.0 out of 5 stars Focus: Trumpet with Mac Gollehon, November 15, 2010

By Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States)

This review is from: Mac Straight Ahead (Audio CD)

Jazz lovers will welcome the return of one of the best trumpeters in the business with this issue MAC: STRAIGHT AHEAD. This talented man can get more variation and color out of the trumpet than anyone. On this very subtle album he plays all the trumpet and trombone solos and is joined by his compatriot Sam Burtis on bass trombone on occasion. The combo arranged for this set is Victor Lewis, Warren Smith and Jun Saito on drums, Ron Cuber baritone sax, and Greg Kogan, organ. It is a brassy album and one that explores just about every brass color of tone and range of expertise available.

The songs combine works written by Gollehon along with some standards including a terrific 'Lush Life' and 'Round Midnight'. This is a connoisseur's album - for those who know Mac Gollehon's gifts and for those who will be discovering them for the first time - that kind of album that is more a exploration of the particular gifts of a fine jazz musician such as you'd hear in a club. But it is all right here!