Sneakin' Out

In 2003, David Gerow (mandolin), Don Henson (percussion) and Mike Cheddar Schmitt (bass) met on a musical project in Flint, Michigan. David was a native Michigander; Don and Mike were guest musicians from Portland, Oregon. David left the project and found his way, coincidentally, to Portland, where a friend had another gig all lined up; Mike returned home a week later. For a couple of months, David and Mike lived in the same house, played music 10 hours a day, and busked on street corners as they began built a repertoire of cover songs and a few original compositions.Enter Don, fresh from that Michigan gig. At a show at Portland eatery Eugenios one day where Don had accompanied Mike and David as appreciative audience memberhe picked up the couple of percussion instruments lying around, and the trio broke into a rendition of Pink Floyds Money. With that a band was born. David remembers that day and the electrifying impact it had on all three band members: From that point on it was full speed ahead. It was like we werent exactly doing what was happening: it was happening to us, through us. We just realized it, cooperated with it, received it, and are giving it away.On the horizon for the band are more original tunes that showcase the unique instrumentation of the trio, along with experiments in inspired improvisation. At its most basic, Sneakin Out simultaneously confirms and explodes listeners expectations. People recognize the songs, but with a disorienting twist. Its a combination that unleashes laughter, headnodding and singing-along. Hearing Sneakin Out, youre bound to hear differently.In the two years that have followed, Sneakin Out has played hundreds of shows and developed a loyal audience. The bands opened for luminaries kd lang, John Jorgenson and Pink Martini; played on the stages of bars and festivals and concert halls; released one CD (Train Wreck) and recorded another (Opera Tuna Teen Ox, slated for release in 2006); appeared on KOPBs LiveWire and KMHDs Home Grown Live; and formed the 11-piece Billy Shears Orchestra, with which it performs a loving recreation of The Beatles Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.