Review: Dr. Stephen Zegree, concert pianist, educator and one of the most respected Vocal Jazz conductors on the planet, directs two 16-mixed voices permutations of Western Michigan's Gold Company, plus the Gold Company Band, essentially a 21-member Jazz orchestra in this 15-song, mostly-accompanied collection. Guest conductor Duane Shields Davis also directs a version of Gold Company and the Band here, as well as doing the dynamic arrangements for Rodgers & Hart's "This Can't Be Love" and Cole Porter's "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye." Other favorites are the George Gershwin standard "I Got Rhythm, a scattish, salsa take on Caesar & Youman's "Tea for Two," a pair of originals written and arranged by student Tenor Mark Jackson, "Pure Gold," "We're Here for You" and "Go For The Gold;" Gillies & Foster's power ballad "Stand Up for Love," the a cappella version of Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee," arranged, of course by Ward Swingle, Bobby McFerrin's sublime a cappella "In The Garden," and the Glenn Miller Classic that bears the name of the home of Western Michigan, "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo." Dr. Zegree has led Gold Company in winning a fistful of DownBeat Magazine awards and a reputation as one of the most respected Collegiate Vocal Bands in the world. Every one of these cuts is as hot, or cool, as we like it, and we're sure you'll also love "Who could ask for anything more!"

Songlist: I Got Rhythm, This Can't Be Love, Tea For Two, Pure Gold, Prisoner Of Love, In The Stone, Stand Up For Love, Flight Of The Bumble Bee, We're Here For You, Quiet Night Of Quiet Stars, Go For The Gold, Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye, The Garden, I Believe, I've Got a Gal In Kalamazoo

Review: Gold Company is widely recognized as one of the leading collegiate and vocal jazz ensembles in the world, and "Thirty" celebrates thirty years under the direction of Dr. Stephen Zegree, the Bobby McFerrin Distinguished Professor of Jazz in the School of Music at Western Michigan University. The 15 to 16-member Gold Company performs 13 sublime jazz covers and a pair of originals, here with the very hot Gold Company Band. The originals are (founding member and arranger for The New York Voices) Darmon Meader's "And So Am I" and "Snow Samba," the Meader-arranged composition by Paquito D'Rivera and Claudio Rotiti. Other favorites are two different takes on Lennon and McCartney's "Got to Get You Into My Life," the Gene Puerling-arranged "Sweet Lorraine," Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed," "The Jungle Book's" "The Monkey Song," the moody "Autumn in New York," Duke Ellington's "Love You Madly," Cole Porter's "So In Love" from "Kiss Me Kate" and Tamra Gray's lovely "Raindrops Will Fall." We repeat the caveat that this is an all-accompanied recording. That said, this is wonderful jazz, far beyond what one might expect from collegiate musicians!

Songlist: Got to Get You Into My Life, The Very Thought Of You, And So Am I, Sweet Lorraine, Overjoyed, My Love For You, The Monkey Song, Autumn In New York, Love You Madly, Let Your Love, So In Love, Snow Samba, In My Life, Raindrops will Fall, Got to Get You Into My Life