Born and raised in Newark , New Jersey , from a young age Donovan Mixon was exposed to the rich musical environment of the New York Metropolitan area, which accounts for his versatility as a performer, the wide range of influences in his compositions and his interest in jazz music education .  

His earliest musical experiences took place in the Baptist church in which his mother Aldonia was a member. She was also a member of the choir. It seemed that she was always singing at home and through

her enthusiasm for artists such as B.B. King, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Brook Benton, Otis Redding, Little Richard, James Brown and others, Donovan developed a deep interest and appreciation for music.

Ironically, it was not a guitarist, but rather saxophonist Eddie Harris that piqued his interest in jazz. Hearing his recording 'Listen Here' changed the direction of Donovan's musical life.

As a music education major at Jersey City State College (now 'University') his experiences included performances with the department's big band including a Paris , France concert with the late Gerry Mulligan.

His studies culminated with a solo classical guitar senior recital (as required) including one original composition, 'Very Springish' . After graduating with a B.A. in music education, a six- month Midwest tour with a cover band, three years as a high-school music teacher, honing his guitar skills fronting his own jazz groups in local clubs and a five year stint as the 'first-chair' guitarist for the Resorts International Casino show-band in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Donovan earned a M.M. from Manhattan School of Music in composition jazz/commercial music. Years later, his senior composition project " Culmination " (arranged for chamber orchestra and alto saxophone) earned him a National Endowment for the Arts award for jazz composition. 

Donovan went on to join the faculty of Berklee College of Music teaching in both the ensemble and ear training departments. At this time he was also very busy composing music and performing mostly as a leader in local clubs in around the Boston area. Within the first couple of years, his talent as an educator was quickly recognized and earned him a promotion in rank and the opportunity to participate in the Berklee 'On the Road' clinics. After two years as a clinician for the Umbria Jazz Clinics in Perugia , Italy , Donovan took a leave of absence from university teaching for the purpose of professional development. During that year, he lived in Italy, studied music and the Italian language, taught privately, composed music, performed concerts and recorded three CD's. His concentrated research in ear training gained him a reputation as a masterful teacher/clinician and allowed him to develop unique teaching techniques that eventually culminated in the publication of his text ' ' published by Advance Music. This only furthered Donovan's activities as an international clinician .

After six years teaching on the music faculty at Istanbul Bilgi University, Donovan Mixon is busy with his Jazz-Play Studio (jazzplay.edublogs.org) that he founded in September of 2006, in Istanbul, Turkey

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As an Educator

• Present :

  Jazz-Play Studio: Istanbul, Turkey (founder) :

  Private and group lessons in jazz improvisation, ear training, music performance, and jazz harmony.

• 2000-2006 :

  Istanbul Bilgi University , Istanbul , Turkey :

  Performance Ear Training.

  Improvisation/Ensembles/Guitar

  Vice Chair Music Department: (2001-2002)

• 1998-2000 :

  Scuola Di Musica D'Insieme, Laboratorio Ear Training : Vignola , Italy :

  Director of Curriculum (PT) Continued research in the teaching of musical aural perception in performance.

• 1988-93 and 1997 :

  Berklee College of Music Boston , MA .

  Seven year faculty appointment rising to the rank of Associate Professor of ear training.

• 1994 :

  Universita' di Bologna , Discipline delle Arti, Musica, Spettacolo

  (D.A.M.S.) Bologna , Italy . Ear Training for Jazz Music Criticism (PT)

• 1993 :

  Centro Professionale Musica [CPM]: Milano , Italy :

  Instructor of ensemble studies.

• 1979-82 :

  Elizabeth High School Elizabeth , New Jersey :

  Full time music teacher.

• Clinics

  Donovan Mixon's continued interest in music education culminated into an evolving series of seminars on the subject of ear training. The seminar is entitled after his text "Performance Ear Training" that was published in 1998 by Advance Music of Rottenburg , Germany . He has presented at major institutions of higher education such as: Montclair State University (NJ), Rutgers State University (NJ), Northeastern University ( Boston ), Jazzschule Basel ( Switzerland ), Il Paese Degli Specchi Laboratorio Di Sperimentazione Culturale ( Bologna , Italy ), and Centro Professionale Musica ( Italy ) and Robert College , Istanbul , Turkey . In 2002, he was invited to conduct workshops to students and faculty at Shanghai American School : Shanghai , China .

Performance as leader

• The two CD releases "Look Ma, No Hands" and "Language of the Emotions" featured Donovan's guitar in quartet with piano. Presently he plays in trio (guitar, bass and drums) sometimes with a horn player.

• 2003 Afyon Jazz, 2003 Ankara Jazz Festival, 2002 Istanbul Jazz Festival, House of Blues and Jazz (Shanghai, China), (Italy) Umbria Jazz Festival, Foggia Jazz, Odejon Jazz, Jazz In It, Ancona Jazz, Veneto Jazz, Morbegno Jazz, Monticelli Chet Baker Club [BO], Birdseye Jazz [Swit] Satchmo Club [SLO] USA Boston, MA: Berklee Performance Center, Charles Playhouse, Marriot Hotel, 1369 Club, Wally's. New York City : 55 Grand, Red Rooster. Performed with : Billie Pierce, Alan Dawson, Joe Ford, Mineu Cinelu, George Garzone, Steve Nelson, Tommy Campbell, Lou Soloff, Bob Cranshaw and John Blake.

• His principle instrument is a 1970's Gibson 355 semi-hollow body guitar. It is no longer stereo and has a set of old DiMarzio pickups.

• On 'Language Of The Emotions' he also used a handmade classical guitar made by Frank Dickens and a 1960's Gibson Super 400.

• His amp for the past ten years has been a solid state 'Gallien Kruger Backline 100'.

On "Look Ma, No Hands!", he used a 1970's Gibson 355 semi-hollow body guitar with a set of old DiMarzio pickups. On 'Language Of The Emotions' in addition to the 355 he also used a handmade classical guitar made by Frank Dickens and a 1960's Gibson Super 400. For Hybrid Project and the cd "The Dance Of Life" he used his Dickens classical as well as a Lowden C10 acoustic with a hand made Sunrise Pickup.

His amp for the past ten years has been a solid state 'Gallien Kruger Backline 100'. As for effects; He uses a Marshall chorus pedal, a volume pedal, an original 'Rat' distortion on occasion.