The Bob Sneider & Joe Locke Film Noir Project was conceived as an exploration of familiar themes from favorite movies, though it is so much more than that. The bittersweet treatment of Jerry Goldsmith's "Chinatown (Theme)" opens with a moving duet by trumpeter/arranger John Sneider and pianist Paul Hofmann, before segueing into a driving setting for the full septet. Locke's breezy setting of another Goldsmith work, "Katya," is full of suspense. Locke's sultry treatment of John Barry's "Body Heat" can easily conjure up images of Kathleen Turner as the smoking seductress luring John Hurt to his doom, showcasing Grant Stewart's powerful tenor sax. The originals are just as worthy of being utilized in movies. Hofmann's "Last Kiss" is a provocative duet with guitarist Bob Sneider, perfect for a seductive scene in a mystery flick, while Locke's tense, strutting "Fallen Angel" would seem to be perfect to wrap a movie, or an opening theme, as it is utilized on this top-notch CD.

— Ken Dryden
© All Music Guide, 2006