Draft:Don Mock
Jazz/Fusion Guitarist and Former
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Don Mock (December 22, 1950 – April 14, 2025) was an American jazz and fusion guitarist and music educator best known as a co-founder of the Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT) in Los Angeles. He was described by public radio station KNKX as a “significant figure in modern guitar education” and was widely recognized for his influence on contemporary guitar pedagogy through institutional teaching, instructional publications, and educational video production.[1][2]
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Don Mock | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 22, 1950 Port Angeles, Washington, United States |
| Died | April 14, 2025 (aged 74) Seattle, Washington, United States |
| Genres | Jazz, jazz fusion |
| Occupations | Guitarist, music educator, author |
| Instrument | Guitar |
| Years active | 1970s–2025 |
Early life and musical career
Mock was born in Port Angeles, Washington, and raised in the Seattle area.[2] He attended West Seattle High School and was active in local blues and rock groups before turning toward jazz in the early 1970s.[2] During that period he performed with bassist Gary Peacock and the Third Stream ensemble Matrix, developing a style rooted in modern jazz harmony and improvisation.[2]
In 1978, Mock released the jazz-rock fusion album Mock One. He later recorded Speed of Light (1995), further establishing his presence within fusion circles.[2]
Guitar Institute of Technology
Inspired by a 1973 workshop led by guitarist Howard Roberts, Mock became involved in the development of what would become the Guitar Institute of Technology. In 1977, he co-founded GIT in Los Angeles with Roberts, helping to establish one of the first structured programs dedicated to contemporary guitar performance and improvisation.[2]
For approximately ten years, Mock co-directed the Seattle branch of GIT while maintaining an active career as a performer and educator.[2] His work contributed to the institutionalization of modern jazz and fusion guitar pedagogy in the United States.[1]
Educational work and publications
Mock authored numerous instructional books focusing on modal harmony, symmetrical scales, arpeggio superimposition, and practical applications of advanced harmonic concepts for guitar. Many of his works were published by Alfred Music and became widely used instructional materials among jazz and fusion guitarists.[3]
Selected publications include:
- Guitar Secrets: Symmetrical Scales Revealed
- Guitar Secrets: Melodic Minor Revealed
- Guitar Secrets: Harmonic Minor Revealed
- Don Mock’s Modal Mojo
- Don Mock’s Jazz Guitar Masterclass
In addition to print publications, Mock produced and directed instructional video materials during the VHS era, contributing to the growth of commercially distributed guitar education media.[4]
Later life and legacy
After the death of Howard Roberts in 1992, Mock remained active in music and education while also pursuing interests outside music, including hydroplane racing.[2]
Mock died of prostate cancer on April 14, 2025, in Seattle at age 74.[2][1]
In his 2025 memoir Confessions of a Rock Guitarist, guitarist Steve Lynch described Mock as “instrumental” in his development and credited him as one of the leading jazz and fusion players of the period.[5]
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