Eric Schneider has fallen into obscurity since his 1979 recording debut as a leader, but the saxophonist leads a superb studio session here, accompanied by legendary pianist
Earl Hines, drummer
Barrett Deems, and bassist Duke Groner. So how did he manage to get such illustrious company for a debut? Well, he was already working as a member of
Hines' band and he more than holds his own throughout this fun, swing-filled date, which mixes standards and jazz classics. "In a Mellotone" is upbeat, featuring the leader on alto sax, while "Memories of You" gives
Hines a chance to show off his well-hewn chops before
Schneider joins him with his big-toned tenor. He romps through "Second Balcony Jump" and "Shine," though the latter song is plagued with some repeated reed squeaks from the young player. One humorous part of the packaging is that since the veterans' photos were all vintage shots taken in the early '50s, the leader is shown as a toddler during the same era. Since Gatemouth has long since disbanded, this LP will take some time to find, but it is very much worth the effort. ~ Ken Dryden