Dr. Stephen Zegree is one of those rare directors of collegiate ensembles who is able to take that group, in this case WMU's Gold Company, to a professional level in performance and recordings. That the group is able to maintain that level through the years of constantly graduating members means, of course, that the best young jazz musicians are going to Kalamazoo to work with and learn from Zegree, When we see recordings, this only the fourth in over 25 years since the group's founding, it's cause for celebration! 'Absolute Integrity' is an impressive collection of 15 songs, many of them originals by former group members, such as Justin Avery ('Just Sing,' 'Soul Conspiracy,' 'All Night,' the wonderfully funky and nearly a cappella 'Cell City Mode,' the title tune, and '100 Years'), and Gary Fry's 'Higher Purpose.' Others are arranged by former members, like Matt Falkner's arrangement of Rodgers and Hart's 'I Didn't Know What Time It Was,' Nathan Lansing's arrangement of 'Stompin' At The Savoy' and others. Our friend Gene Puerling lends a great arrangement of 'I Remember You,' the only pure a cappella cut, as Zegree attracts as many jazz instrumentalists as vocalists. We of course would prefer many more, but 'Integrity' is still an amazing, and rare CD from one of the best collegiate ensembles in the world.

Listen to I Remember You in RealAudio.