Devon Gillingham is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, writer, and actor originally from Winnipeg, Canada.

His study of music began with the piano. By the age of 16 he received his ARCT diploma in classical piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music. At the same time, he was becoming increasingly active as a bassist in Winnipeg’s music scene, and his focus began to shift more towards jazz and improvised music.

In his final year of high school, he was selected as the winner of the first annual Jazz at Lincoln Center Essentially Ellington student composition competition. His piece, Remember to Forget, was recorded by Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. That fall, he moved to New York City to attend the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music on a full tuition scholarship. He studied with Ron Carter, Harish Raghavan, Becca Stevens, and Kirk Nurock, among others, and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in jazz performance, with a minor in screenwriting.

Known for his energetic playing and versatility as a bassist, Gillingham is also active as a singer-songwriter. His first EP of original music, entitled “December”, was released in 2019.

He is also the co-writer, performer, producer, and composer of four original musicals, including the critically acclaimed Taxidermy: The Musical (selected as CBC’s Outstanding Musical during the 2013 Winnipeg Fringe Festival) and Magic: The Musical (given 4 1/2 stars by the Winnipeg Free Press during the 2019 Winnipeg Fringe Festival). In 2018, Gillingham’s original screenplay, Follow the Leader, was selected as a semifinalist as part of Script Pipeline’s screenwriting competition.

“Maplewood”, his debut full length album (made possible with support from the Canada Council for the Arts) was released independently in December of 2021. It is currently available everywhere.