''..a thoughtfully programmed, carefully produced and immensely satisfying album....with four musicians that share an uncommon musical telepathy' - All About Jazz
'Van Asselt is nimble of foot and there is not a clumsy moment in this good hour of music - Jazz Journal

'Penpals' marks the start of the musical collaboration between Dutch pianist Edgar van Asselt and American tenor saxophonist David Schnitter. The met occasionally at Barry Harris' weekly workshop in New York. They clicked and Asselt invited Schnitter to come over to the Netherlands to do some concerts together. As a result of this collaboration, the two got invited to make a record for Munich records in 2002, which turned out to be 'Penpals'. Schnitter is often referred to as 'the lost Messenger', because he had the longest tenure of any player with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. His playing has a broad range of influences, from Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane. Penpals featured compositions by both Edgar Van Asselt and David Schnitter and had a very supportive rhythm section consisting of Wim Kegel and Erik Robaard. The album was received with enthusiastic reviews from the jazz press.