|
 |
 |
|
Artist Testimonials
|
I value the testimonials that I get from students, amateurs and professional saxophonists
just as highly as these artist testimonials. The statements from these top pros have an extra
special importance to me because in all cases these players already owned the most popular and
most expensive mouthpieces. And in most cases those mouthpieces have been refaced by an expert
mouthpiece refacer and are great playing sax mouthpieces. The fact that these seasoned
professionals love my pieces is very rewarding to me. I want to thank them all for allowing me
to use their generous comments.
Jody Espina
Dino Govoni
January 2003
"I have tried a lot of mouthpieces throughout my career and have found many good
ones and probably more bad ones. I was recently at the IAJE convention in Toronto where I
ran into Jody and he had me try his new tenor mouthpiece, the JodyJazz ESP. My initial
reaction to seeing the baffle was, "no way can I play this thing!". Was I ever wrong.
It is an absolutely amazing mouthpiece! Fat...Dark...and has a TON of presence and projection.
Great job Jody!"
Dino Govoni's Bio:
In my opinion there is no one playing more tenor than Dino Govoni.
That's why I'm thrilled that he loves the new ESP Tenor mouthpiece.
Dino is currently on the faculty at Berklee College of Music in
Boston, as an Assistant Professor of Woodwinds, and lives in New
York just outside of Manhattan, where he also teaches. "Breakin'
Out" is his debut CD as a leader and his second CD, "In
the Library" was released in September of 2002. You can hear
both CD's at www.dinogovoni.com.
He's played and/or recorded with Eddie Gomez, Grover Washington,
Jr., George Garzone, Jerry Bergonzi, Arturo Sandoval, Bob Mintzer,
Bill Watrous, Billy Hart, Larry Goldings, Claudio Roditi, Nick
Brignola, Randy Brecker, Steve Marcus, Steve Houghton, Jeffrey
Osborne, Al Jarreau, Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, The Temptations,
The Four Tops, Clark Terry, Henry Hey, Terence Trent D'Arby, Robben
Ford, Mel TormÈ, The Manhattan Transfer, The Boston Pops, The
Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Frankie Valle, Englebert Humperdinck,
The Bucketheads, and more....
Laura Dreyer
"I'm really glad that you turned
me on to your JodyJazz alto mouthpiece. I am very impressed with
the dynamic range that I am able to get on it. The mouthpiece allows
me to play strong and bright when necessary, without sacrificing
the ability to play extremely soft and subtone, all with a nice
fat sound that feels very even throughout the entire range of the
horn. In addition, I am able to get both a bright and dark sound
at the same time. I've been getting a lot of compliments on my sound
since I've been playing the JodyJazz alto #9. You rock and your
mouthpieces rock!"
Laura Dreyers' Bio:
Laura Dreyer is a burning New York City Saxophonist/Flutist/Composer.
If you haven't heard her play do yourself a favor and visit her
website and check out her new CD "Mysterious Encounter" at www.lauradreyer.com
Audiences have heard Laura in the bands of Dr. Billy Taylor, Rufus
Reid and Akira Tana, Walter Bishop, Jr., Norman Williams, Mel
Lewis, Robert Palmer, and Nnenna Freelon. She has also performed
with Dr. Billy Taylor, Helcio Milito, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis
Jr., and many others.
Laura has studied saxophone with Joe
Henderson and Joe Lovano, composition with Lyle Mays and Jim McNeely
and has been the recipient of three NEA grants. She teaches privately,
has served on the faculties of the Jamey Aebersold jazz clinics,
is currently a Faculty member of the Hoff-Barthelson Music School
and regularly does clinics at high schools and colleges. Laura
is a featured writer in the Saxophone Journal and is also featured
in saxophonist Sue Terry's new book, "Practice
Like the Pros".
Steve Goodson,
on the new JodyJazz ESP 24kt Gold Plated tenor sax mouthpiece:
"WOW !!!! I want to thank you
for the opportunity to evaluate your new JodyJazz ESP metal mouthpiece
for tenor saxophone. I can only use one word to describe it: FANTASTIC!!
No resistance,
incredible intonation, and instant response. The chamber is big
and fat, and the sound is unusually full and robust over the entire
range of the horn. The workmanship is absolutely the best you
can find anywhere on the planet: beautiful thin side and tip rails
with hand cut baffles. A very interesting feature is that the
ESP has a removable baffle with a 24kt gold plated secondary reed.
I play tested your new model on several
different tenors from my personal collection: a Mark VI; my Unison;
a Buffet S-1; a King Super 20; a Buescher Aristocrat; a Yamaha 61;
and a Martin. I was amazed that it performed EQUALLY well on all
of them! I was particularly impressed with the lush subtones and
the full voice of the altissimo. Your unique design and jewelry
quality finish work make this mouthpiece a real thing of beauty,
but the sound is the very greatest part. I'd suggest that ANY tenor
saxophonist check this mouthpiece out. The JodyJazz ESP has my very
highest blessing and recommendation!"
Steve Goodson's Bio:
Steve Goodson knows more about
the sax than anyone I know. Cabinets full of doctoral dissertations
on the acoustical properties of the saxophone attest to the studiousness
of his nature. His numerous inventions are implemented on the new
"Steve Goodson" model Unison Saxophone, which he designed. An active
performer, Steve has appeared with Dr. John, Solomon Burke, Marcia
Ball, The Commodores, Eddie Money, Vince Vance, and many others.
A world class saxophone repair
technician, Steve has been brought on stage by both Michael Brecker
and Maceo Parker and thanked for work he did for them. Very few
famous saxophone players visit New Orleans without paying Steve
a visit. www.saxgourmet.com
is one of the most popular saxophone web sites in the world and
has made Steve the largest dealer of vintage horns.
Bill
Harris on the new JodyJazz ESP:
August 29, 2002
"WOW is all I can say! Jody stopped by
my gig a couple of nights ago and let me try one of his new mouthpieces.
I was a little nervous about playing a brand new, never tried before
mouthpiece in front of an audience, so I waited until the end of
the first set. I wish I had started the night on Jody's piece because
it sounded awesome and it was the best I played all night! I've
been playing on a Guardala "King" for the past ten years and have
recently switched to a Vandoren V16 in order to gain more bottom
end and a more "traditional" sound. Jody's mouthpiece really gave
me the best of both - it's exactly what I've been looking for in
a mouthpiece! Unfortunately Jody had to leave at the end of the
first set and he took his mouthpiece with him! I can't wait to get
one of my own!"
Bill Harris on the JodyJazz Alto:
July 2001
"I just came home from Jody's pad
where I tried all the mouthpieces he had and let me tell you the
mouthpiece of my dreams was there! A JodyJazz in black - number
8. It is the very best alto mouthpiece I've ever played - it does
it all."
Bill Harris' Bio
Bill Harris has played with everybody,
as you'll see from the list below. This is literally a fraction
of the world famous musicians that Saxophonist, Clarinetist, and
Flutist Bill Harris has played with. I'm thrilled that he loves
to play JodyJazz mouthpieces!
Bill has performed or recorded with
(POP/R&B) Destiny's Child, Celine Dion, Natalie Merchant, Maxi
Priest, Brian McKnight, Take 6, Dr. John, Patti Labelle, Patty Smyth,
Paul Shaffer, Bruce Willis; (LEGENDS) Stevie Wonder, Isacc Hayes,
Jose Feliciano, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Spinners; (JAZZ
GREATS) Phil Woods, Randy Brecker Hiram Bullock, The Rippingtons,
Jack Dejohnette, Michael Brecker, Omar Hakim, Lenny Pickett, Steve
Gadd, Gerry Mulligan and Dave Weckl.
Bill and trumpet playing brother, Don, are founding members of Harris
Bros. Horns, one of the tightest, most in-demand horn sections around
New York City. Bill's versatility as a multi-reed player has made
him a veteran of the off-Broadway scene and keeps him active in
studios doing jingles. Bill teaches Woodwinds at the University
of Bridgeport and privately.
Joe Mennonna
"I love playing the JodyJazz mouthpieces!
On alto, I like the way I can move freely between all the registers
with uniform ease.
Since I tend to use the first octave of the horn a lot, it allows
me to play warm full tones without air or resistance down there,
and without sacrificing the bite and edge I like in the upper and
altissimo ranges.
The baritone JodyJazz "Q"
mouthpiece is great! It's the first one I've ever played that allows
me the flexibility and range of tone color I'm intending to play
at the moment. A big, thick, fat low register as well as a free
blowing, open top end without that characteristic "thinness".
As a result, it works equally well for section as well as solo situations.
I wholeheartedly recommend it!"
Joe Mennonna's Bio
Joe Mennonna is the most accomplished
musician I know. Besides being a burning sax player, he's a master
pianist, flutist, guitarist, vocalist, and he wails on brass instruments,
too.
He began his musical career at Yale
University where he graduated as Scholar of the House in Music,
1981. He has performed and recorded with the Frank Foster, Big Band,
Garland Jeffrey's Band, Tom Rush, Don Maclean, Richie Havens, Janis
Ian, David Bromberg, John Sebastian, Jesse Colin Young, Steve Forbert,
Al Stewart, and Jonathan Edwards.
His saxophone and keyboard solos have
been featured on the albums of Vanessa Williams, Melba Moore, Melissa
Morgan, Jean Carne, Ian Gillan and Roger Glover,Vaneese Thomas,
Michael Colina, as well as numerous radio and television jingles.
Joe has scored over twenty movie features
and documentaries, as well as several theatre productions. His corporate
compositions include work for IBM, Colgate, American Express, Pfizer,
Pizza Hut, McDonalds, Sony, Toyota, Ford, and Lincoln-Mercury.
Joe currently teaches at Fairfield
University, and continues touring and recording with folk legend
Tom Rush.
Paul Vercesi
"The JodyJazz mouthpieces are a
pleasure to play. I'm playing both the clarinet and tenor 'pieces
down in the pit at The Full Monty, and have found them to be incredibly
responsive, full-bodied and ready to "speak" across the
full range of the horns. In a notoriously bad acoustic environment
like the orchestra pit, Jody's pieces sing and project; I know that
the sound going into the microphone is what's needed. I've also
played the alto, soprano and baritone mouthpieces in more free-blowing
venues, and all deliver in a big way. The consistency of sound and
getting-reeds-to-work-ability can't be beat; for a woodwind doubler,
you couldn't ask for more. Also, their versatility - they play and
sound good everywhere - is great."
Paul Vercesi
Paul Vercesi plays
woodwinds in The Full Monty orchestra, and has recorded with groups
ranging from the Beastie Boys to Bob Dylan, the Bad Brains to
Urban Blight. He also records and performs regularly around NYC
with Full Monty composer David Yazbek's band. 
©
2001 by JodyJazz Mouthpieces.
Click here to contact us.
Welcome ~ Soprano
Sax Mouthpieces ~ Alto Sax Mouthpieces
~ Tenor Sax Mouthpieces
Baritone Sax Mouthpieces ~
Clarinet Mouthpieces ~
Testimonials ~
Facing Charts
Accessories ~ Mouthpiece
Patches ~ Artist Testimonials
~ Movie Gallery
~ Photo Gallery
Free
Online Lessons ~
Listening Room ~
The JodyJazz Story ~
Jody's Bio ~
Dealer Links
Return & Trial Policy ~
FAQ ~
Contact Us ~
Newsletter
|
|
