While I was in Sydney, I had the chance to spend some time with the incredible Dave Theak. Dave is a highly respected saxophonist and educator, currently teaching jazz studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where he also conducts the jazz orchestra. He's not just a brilliant musician, but also someone with deep insight into jazz performance and education in Australia.
Dave is not the kind of player who’s particularly into gear—he had been playing on the same Otto Link hard rubber 8* mouthpiece for over 20 years. So I was genuinely thrilled when he tried the Syos Max Ionata Signature mouthpiece and told me he preferred it to the mouthpiece he’s used for most of his professional life.
In this video, Dave shares his first impressions of Syos mouthpieces and offers a comparison with his longtime Otto Link. He talks about the clarity and precision of the Max Ionata model, as well as how easy it is to play—especially for someone like him who has reduced lung capacity due to a spontaneous pneumothorax in his youth. According to Dave, the Syos mouthpiece gives him the same intensity and projection with much less effort.
It was an absolute pleasure to hear such positive feedback from a musician of his caliber. Have a look at the video to hear it in his own words!
