The JodyJazz Story

There is a current trend among top saxophonists to have their favorite mouthpiece "tweaked" or refaced by a mouthpiece master. This usually results in a superior mouthpiece that is customized to the player's needs. The JodyJazz is just such a mouthpiece.

As a highly regarded New York City Jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and flutist with a unique and personal sound, Jody Espina is in demand for sessions, jingles, Broadway pit orchestras, pop, R & B, and funk bands, as well as the thriving downtown New York avant-garde music scene. Jody hadn't found a mouthpiece versatile enough to handle such a wide range of musical styles and performing situations. After playing dozens of mouthpieces over the years, the one that came closest to fitting Jody's needs was the Runyon Custom.

Santy Runyon has been in the business of designing and selling mouthpieces for over 50 years. Over the years, Santy's students include some of the greats of jazz like Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, Paul Desmond, Lee Konitz, and Jerry Coker. Santy's name is derived from Santy Claus for his predilection for gift giving. Beside the gift of teaching, Santy's other significant gift is the creation of a line of woodwind mouthpieces. Some of these mouthpieces have been used by the famous musicians named earlier as well as professionals and students around the world. Master musician of all the woodwinds, plus drums, and vibes, Santy played in Al Cappone's speakeasies in the 1920's, worked with Jack Teagarden, jammed with Louis Armstrong, and played in the Orchestra of the Chicago Theater for eleven years. Well into his nineties, Santy is easily one of the best mouthpiece designer and refacers in the country - he's still burning on the horns and still giving gifts. God Bless Santy Runyon.

In April of 2000, Jody was in Lafayette, Louisiana, for his annual trip to perform at Santy Runyon's birthday bash. On this particular trip, Jody asked his friend and mentor, the great Santy Runyon, legendary player, teacher and mouthpiece designer, if he would be willing to modify Jody's favorite mouthpiece, The Runyon Custom.

After several trips to Santy's studio in Louisiana, where Santy worked his mouthpiece refacer's magic, Jody now had the mouthpiece of his dreams. A versatile mouthpiece with a big sound on the bottom end, great projection, singing highs, warmth and roundness throughout the entire range.

The question was, could such a highly customized mouthpiece be mass produced? This is where master technician Leroy Guilbeau's skill proved invaluable. More trips by Jody to the Runyon Factory were needed to work with Leroy to reproduce in the factory what Mr. Runyon had done by hand in his studio. With much trial and error, hard work and patience on Leroy's part, he was able to come up with the exact feel that Santy had given the mouthpiece. In Jody's words, "When I play a mouthpiece I ask myself, does it play like the best mouthpiece I ever played?" If the answer is yes, then we've achieved our goal, and if the answer is no, then that mouthpiece won't be a Jody Jazz. Thanks to Santy Runyon's expertise, Leroy's skill, and Jody's persistence and stubbornness, we feel the JodyJazz is one of the best playing mouthpieces on the market at any price.