Jacque Lamont Harenberg on the DV Tenor 7*
The DV7* Tenor is Incredibly Free Blowing…! My frustration is over.
"I rarely do reviews, but when I do, I do so wholeheartedly. I am a long time performer and studio musician with over 50 years of experience. I practice at least 14 or more hours a week and when involved in a project, up to 4 hours a day. I play mostly smooth jazz. A mentor of mine (Mark Maxwell) recommended the Jody Jazz DV Series.
I have been playing on a hard rubber mouthpiece since I started playing the saxophone in 1963. I switched to a 6* Strathon Adjustotone in 1970 and for the last 20 years on a Ralph Morgan Excalibur 6*. Over the years I tried several different brands of metal mouthpieces, but never liked any of them until I tried the DV7 which I purchased from JodyJazz about 7 months ago. From the moment I started playing it, I fell in love with the free blowing and tonal characteristics of this mouthpiece. I could not believe in only an hour or so of playing, I felt so comfortable with it. I love to play and this mouthpiece just makes me so happy when I play it. I already have a great free blowing tenor, a 2003 Black Nickel Keilwerth SX90R Tenor, but this mouthpiece has helped me better target altissimo notes, improved intonation, improved control, and removed stuffiness from certain notes (especially middle D). It provides full sound for the entire range.
I am now playing a DV7* with a 3.25 Legere Signature reed and a Rovner Versa ligature. After a few weeks of playing, this combination has proven to be the perfect setup for me. Great for ballads, smooth jazz and fusion. I can play soft and beautiful, or push it hard. It doesn’t matter; I get a great sound live or in the studio. Free blowing, very good intonation, ease of altissimo, nice harmonics and even tone in all registers plus it is beautifully finished. Jody Espina has done an incredible job developing this high end mouthpiece at a cost effective price. Tyler Schaefers and Jody Espina both personally assisted me with my decision. A great company with knowledgeable and experienced employees. Fantastic trial policy, free shipping and very quick delivery. I highly recommend their products and also buy direct from JodyJazz."