About

Modern jazz and experimental vocalist Meghan Gilhespy is an innovative voice from the diverse Vancouver jazz scene. Currently based in Halifax, Meghan is a lecturer at Dalhousie University. As the first woman in Canada to obtain a DMA in Jazz, her research examines the cultural politics of experimental jazz vocalization. Her forthcoming publication “June Tyson: On Erasure and Relevance” will appear in the Journal of Jazz Studies Special Edition on Jazz & Gender in Fall 2025.

In addition to a long history of conventional jazz performance, including her own published album Vive Le Tour (2016), Meghan has done studio work for Netflix, which has expanded her skills as an experimental vocal improviser. Her performance and pedagogical work continue to push boundaries and raise marginalized voices, contributing to an inclusive and equitable Canadian artistic sphere.

Writing + Research

Accepted “June Tyson: On Erasure and Relevance,” Journal of Jazz Studies Special Issue: State of the Field: Jazz and Gender (Expected Fall 2025).

Gilhespy, Meghan. 2021. “RIPM Jazz (Database)”. CAML Review / Revue De l’ACBM 49 (1). https://doi.org/10.25071/1708-6701.40399.

Gilhespy, Meghan. 2021. “Understory: Exploring the Roots of Artistic Interdependence”. WholeNote Magazine. https://www.thewholenote.com/index.php/newsroom/blog/general-music/31172-understory-exploring-the-roots-of-artistic-interdependence

Gilhespy, Meghan. 2021. “From Move To Checkmate”. WholeNote Magazine. https://www.thewholenote.com/index.php/newsroom/beatcolumns-sp-2121861476/choral-jazznotes/31152-from-move-one-to-checkmate

Gilhespy, Meghan. 2021. “Music and the Movies: Fire Music”. WholeNote Magazine. https://www.thewholenote.com/index.php/newsroom/blog/music-and-the-movies/31319-music-and-the-movies-fire-music

Gilhespy, Meghan. 2020. “The Oud & The Fuzz: Community Building in Challenging Times”. WholeNote Magazine. thewholenote.com/index.php/newsroom/blog/general-music/30561-the-oud-the-fuzz-community-building-in-challenging-times