Joe Mennonna
on the JodyJazz ESP-X Tenor Gold
the Classic Alto & Soprano
and "Q" Baritone Mouthpieces

Joe Mennonna

On the JodyJazz ESP-X Tenor Gold .110
"I wanted a brighter tenor sax mouthpiece, than Jody was making so he made me a prototype custom ESP with a higher baffle. Unbelievable! This is the most perfect mouthpiece for tenor I've played to date. So Jody decided to keep making this mouthpiece and it became the ESP-X. I've found that other mouthpieces excel in specific and narrow ways, like a great altissimo, upper register or lower register, but this one plays even and smooth all throughout the horn. I also like a bright sound, and this mouthpiece allows me the brightness I like without sacrificing quality and warmth in any register, and particularly the lower register, where bright mouthpieces suffer. Sub tone - no problem. That "As Time Goes By" club tenor sound like in that perfume commercial years ago? Smooth as silk.

On the JodyJazz Classic Alto Sax Mouthpiece
"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."

I had some repairs done to my horn the other day. After my repair man gave me back the horn and asked me to test it, he nearly fell out of the chair. "What mouthpiece is that?" he asked, "It's the JodyJazz ESP-X." I replied. "I knew it! I've been hearing about that mouthpiece! What a sound! It sounds like you can go from 10dB to 100dB but still retain quality at any level." That's the other thing. As I mentioned earlier, you can adjust your embouchure and get an intimate sound, but then if you want to let it rip, it's like it has a built in P.A. or something. I've never played a mouthpiece like this. They all seemed to have a governor on them when I needed power, or were dry and brittle sounding if I wanted to play softly. I plan to use this mouthpiece on all my recording and live work, and wholeheartedly recommend it."

On the JodyJazz Classic Soprano Sax Mouthpiece - Ruby Red # 9
"One of the producers at a recording session recently told me I had "the best recorded soprano sound he's heard yet". I attribute much of this to the JodyJazz.

I've generally had trouble finding a soprano mouthpiece that I even like a little bit. When I got a hold of the JodyJazz mouthpiece for soprano, I was immediately comfortable and felt like my worries were finally over.

Here are a few of the great aspects of this mouthpiece:

1. In tune throughout the horn, and you know this is issue #1 with soprano.
2. Harder to "choke" on the left palm keys and altissimo. I can get a clear, in tune, warm sound on those high notes with the JodyJazz and while applying similar force on another mouthpiece would make it choke up.
3. Overall warm sound. Sometimes, a soprano can sound thin and whiney. This soprano sax mouthpiece allows you to render a robust, mellow sound, almost of a tenor quality if you so desire. One of the producers at a recording session recently told me I had "the best recorded soprano sound he's heard yet". I attribute much of this to the JodyJazz. It gives me the freedom to express myself and the latitude for huge dynamic and tonal range. This mouthpiece "obeys" the commands of your embouchure!
4. Last - and most certainly least, it looks really cool! The red on the brass horn is great. Obviously, serious players don't care about that, but it's a good looking mouthpiece nevertheless!

I recommend this mouthpiece, and be prepared for some new vistas to open up in your tone."

On the JodyJazz "Q" Baritone
"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.