donna schwartz

Danielle Walker has been playing saxophones since age 11.

She performed in all ensembles offered at her school, and at age 16, was the youngest and only female member of the group, The Jekyll Island Big Band.

In 1998, as a sophomore at Brevard College, she was featured on the baritone sax with that college’s Summer Jazz Workshop Faculty Band. The band was featured on National Public Radio, hosted by Branford Marsalis.

In September 2004, she joined the cast of the Historic Savannah Theater in Savannah, GA, and has performed 4000 shows over the years.

Danielle has performed on all saxophones, plus other woodwinds, percussion, and has also acted in major roles on stage.

Danielle is endorsed by Legere Reeds, Rovner Products and Sax Dakota.

She has been working with Jody Espina, Founder of JodyJazz Mouthpieces since 2013.

The link to her full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

🎷How Danielle met Jody Espina

🎷Features of the JodyJazz SuperJet mouthpiece

🎷Her approach to playing Legere Reeds & when to change reeds

🎷Life as a musician in the pit 

🎷How she avoids burnout 

🎷Her approach on playing popular recorded solos

🎷The mouthpiece switch that no one expected during COVID

🎷And more!

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In our 6th interview from the NAMM Show 2022, Donna interviewed Joel Pekin and Bob Sheppard, from Retro Revival.

The Retro Revival company is known for their vintage replica mouthpieces, and are committed to making mouthpiece dreams come true by making exact Replicas of the classic mouthpieces from the Golden years, from the highest quality materials, and the finest hand craftsmanship.

Joel Peskin, CEO of Retro Revival and multi-instrumentalist, is also known as iReedMan, and has performed with such diverse artists as Barbra Streisand, the Beach Boys, Albert Collins, Johnny Otis, Frank Zappa, and others.

He’s been on hundreds of studio sessions, and in the early 1980’s played the alto sax solo on the theme song for Entertainment Tonight.

Bob Sheppard, Artistic Director of Retro Revival and also a multi-woodwind instrumentalist, has performed with Herbie Hancock, Billy Childs, Peter Erskine, Steely Dan, Freddie Hubbard, Chick Corea and others.

Bob has also been on hundreds of studio sessions as well, and is on the faculty of USC Thornton School of Music.

They just came out with their new Tru Six Saxophone.

The link to their full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

🎷What’s special about the new Retro Revival TRU Six Saxophone

🎷 How they improved typical Mark VI intonation problems

🎷 Bob Sheppard demonstrating dynamics

🎷 Ken Beason’s “recipe for Brass”

🎷 Impromptu Jam with Bob & Joel on Tenor Madness

🎷 How Retro Revival started

🎷 Comparison of old mouthpieces and new mouthpieces & how the Masters dealt with it

🎷 And so much more!

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Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode’s video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.