Jody Espina, founder and president of JodyJazz, Inc., has been inducted into the Savannah Jazz Hall of Fame. Recognized for his significant contributions to the Jazz landscape in Savannah, Espina became the 47th inductee into the Hall of Fame taking his place alongside such Jazz giants as Joe King Oliver, Johnny Mercer, Ben Tucker, James Moody, and more. The official induction took place during the recent Savannah Jazz Festival where Espina was congratulated on stage by the honorable Mayor Van Johnson, Mayor of the City of Savannah.Â
A 1983 Magna Cum Laude graduate of the Berklee College of Music, Jody Espina performed and taught music in Barcelona, then toured the United States with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra before settling in New York City in 1985. For the next 23 years, Espina pursued a successful career performing, recording, teaching music, in Broadway shows, recording movie soundtracks, and as the head of the Jazz Department for the Hoff-Barthelson Music School. He founded JodyJazz Inc. in New York City in 2000 and moved it to Savannah in 2008 where he now employs 24 people. JodyJazz is now considered one of the world’s premier manufacturers of saxophone and clarinet mouthpieces for Jazz, and the business continues to grow with the recent acquisitions of the Chedeville and E. Rousseau brands of classical mouthpieces.Â
A world-class saxophonist, he still tours the world today as a performer and clinician while running his successful mouthpiece making business in Savannah GA. Espina is a regular performer in Savannah at many venues, and also performs with the Savannah Jazz Orchestra.Â
As a member of the Savannah Jazz Hall of Fame, Espina will now be featured in the new Savannah Jazz History & Hall of Fame Exhibit located in the Savannah History Museum.Â
