Schmitt composed his own pieces, incorporating improvisation and challenging techniques, among which Bossa Dorado which has become a jazz standard.
He established the Dorado Trio in 1978 with Gino Reinhardt on double bass and Hono Winterstein on rhythm guitar.
[1] Later, guitarist Claudio Favari joined the group and performed at the Burghausen Jazz Festival in 1983.
He spent two years in rehabilitation before he could return to the trio, which recorded Gypsy Reunion in 1993 and Parisienne in 1994.
[1] His cousin Tchavolo Schmitt is also a gypsy jazz guitarist, as are his sons Samson, Bronson, and Amati.