ENTRPRENEUR, COMPOSER, GUITARIST, TEACHER, AUTHOR
PROPRIETOR: Jazz-Play Studio — Present
Teach online & in person, Performance Ear Training, Guitar and Jazz Improvisation. performanceeartraining.com
CREATOR/CURATOR: Donovan’s Garage —Present
Performance Laboratory producing jazz concerts to the public. Book and assemble jazz ensembles to perform for the public. Responsible for all organizational duties, performing, writing and arranging music, sound reinforcement, advertising, public relations.
TEACHING ARTIST, Performance Ear Training: 2015 —Present
Jazz Institute of Chicago, Vandercook College, Niles West High School, Jazz Educator’s Network, University of Illinois, School of the Arts-Singapore, Mohawk College -Ontario, Istanbul International Community School, Shanghai American School, Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Outreach Jazz Camp, Old Town School of Folk Music, Evanston High school, New Trier High School
COLLEGE TEACHING
Oakton Community College (Present - adjunct)
City Colleges of Chicago (adjunct)
Assistant Professor, Istanbul Bilgi University (full-time)
Universita' di Bologna Discipline delle Arti (adjunct)
Associate Professor, Berklee College of Music (full-time)
PUBLICATIONS
Young Adult novel, “Ahgottahandleonit” - Cinco Puntos Press
Performance Ear Training, Advance Music
PERFORMING MUSICIAN
Juneteenth Festival DMix Funk & Soul
DMix Brazil: Chicago Brazilian Festival
Great Black Music Ensemble 55th anniversary concert, Logan Center
Jazz Institute Resident Artists concert, Logan Center
Black History Month Event ‘Tenacity’, Donovan’s Garage Concert
Reggie Nicholson Quintet, Englewood Jazz Festival
Z-Fest, Donovan Mixon’s World Jazz Quintet, Elastic Arts
Festival of the Wall – Rogers Park, Lucy Smith Quartet
Great Black Music Ensemble GBME of the AACM
- Chicago Jazz Festival, Stony Island Arts Bank, Logan Center, Pitchfork Festival
Chicago Jazz Festival—Co-leader: Montage
Festival of the Wall – Rogers Park Hybrid Project Chicago.
Twenty-Two: Concert at Jazz-Play Studio, Evanston:
Israeli Jazz & World Music Festival
RECORDINGS
It's Been Good (single) Bandcamp.com
We Play When We Play - Bandcamp.com
Culmination - Bandcamp.com
Free With Lee [Lee Konitz] – Philology Records
Language of the Emotions - Philology Records
Look Ma, No Hands - Philology Records
Finding Center - New Release in 2025 -
EDUCATION
M.M. Jazz/Commercial Music, Manhattan School of Music
Composition: Michael Gibbs
B.A. Music Education, Jersey City State College
K-12 Teaching Certification /Classic Guitar
Post graduate studies Temple University, 20th Century Composition
Private Guitar Studies: Ted Dunbar, Harry Leahey, Jimmy Ponder.
Improvisation concept: Dennis Sandoli, Charlie Banacos.
SKILLS
Finale (music editing)
Final Cut Pro (video editing)
Logic Pro
AWARDS & DISTINCTIONS
Evanston Arts Council grant recipient.
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA),
- Jazz Composition http:// www.nea.gov/ about/AnnualReports/ NEA-Annual-Report-1990.pdf P. 198
PROPRIETOR: Jazz-Play Studio — Present
Teach online & in person, Performance Ear Training, Guitar and Jazz Improvisation. performanceeartraining.com
CREATOR/CURATOR: Donovan’s Garage —Present
Performance Laboratory producing jazz concerts to the public. Book and assemble jazz ensembles to perform for the public. Responsible for all organizational duties, performing, writing and arranging music, sound reinforcement, advertising, public relations.
TEACHING ARTIST, Performance Ear Training: 2015 —Present
Jazz Institute of Chicago, Vandercook College, Niles West High School, Jazz Educator’s Network, University of Illinois, School of the Arts-Singapore, Mohawk College -Ontario, Istanbul International Community School, Shanghai American School, Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Outreach Jazz Camp, Old Town School of Folk Music, Evanston High school, New Trier High School
COLLEGE TEACHING
Oakton Community College (Present - adjunct)
City Colleges of Chicago (adjunct)
Assistant Professor, Istanbul Bilgi University (full-time)
Universita' di Bologna Discipline delle Arti (adjunct)
Associate Professor, Berklee College of Music (full-time)
PUBLICATIONS
Young Adult novel, “Ahgottahandleonit” - Cinco Puntos Press
Performance Ear Training, Advance Music
PERFORMING MUSICIAN
Juneteenth Festival DMix Funk & Soul
DMix Brazil: Chicago Brazilian Festival
Great Black Music Ensemble 55th anniversary concert, Logan Center
Jazz Institute Resident Artists concert, Logan Center
Black History Month Event ‘Tenacity’, Donovan’s Garage Concert
Reggie Nicholson Quintet, Englewood Jazz Festival
Z-Fest, Donovan Mixon’s World Jazz Quintet, Elastic Arts
Festival of the Wall – Rogers Park, Lucy Smith Quartet
Great Black Music Ensemble GBME of the AACM
- Chicago Jazz Festival, Stony Island Arts Bank, Logan Center, Pitchfork Festival
Chicago Jazz Festival—Co-leader: Montage
Festival of the Wall – Rogers Park Hybrid Project Chicago.
Twenty-Two: Concert at Jazz-Play Studio, Evanston:
Israeli Jazz & World Music Festival
RECORDINGS
It's Been Good (single) Bandcamp.com
We Play When We Play - Bandcamp.com
Culmination - Bandcamp.com
Free With Lee [Lee Konitz] – Philology Records
Language of the Emotions - Philology Records
Look Ma, No Hands - Philology Records
Finding Center - New Release in 2025 -
EDUCATION
M.M. Jazz/Commercial Music, Manhattan School of Music
Composition: Michael Gibbs
B.A. Music Education, Jersey City State College
K-12 Teaching Certification /Classic Guitar
Post graduate studies Temple University, 20th Century Composition
Private Guitar Studies: Ted Dunbar, Harry Leahey, Jimmy Ponder.
Improvisation concept: Dennis Sandoli, Charlie Banacos.
SKILLS
Finale (music editing)
Final Cut Pro (video editing)
Logic Pro
AWARDS & DISTINCTIONS
Evanston Arts Council grant recipient.
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA),
- Jazz Composition http:// www.nea.gov/ about/AnnualReports/ NEA-Annual-Report-1990.pdf P. 198