Gillespie is Professor of Music in Jazz Studies/Piano at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music where he also received his BM and MM degrees in Jazz Piano and DM degree in classical piano, with minors in music history and comparative literature/arts. He teaches private lessons, Jazz Styles and Musicianship, Jazz Pedagogy, coaches Combos and coordinates the Jazz Combo program.
Gillespie has been a guest artist/clinician in Asia (Japan, China, Indonesia), Europe (Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia), and the United States, including San Juan Conservatory in Puerto Rico, University of Graz, Austria, Universitas Pelita Harapan, Indonesia, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Wheaton College, Colorado Mesa University, Murray State University, Grand Valley State University, and the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) and the Jazz Education Network (JEN).
Gillespie also teaches summer jazz combo camps at Shell Lake Arts Center (Shell Lake, WI), and has taught at the Interlochen Jazz Camps (Interlochen, MI) and the Music for All Jazz Camps at Ball State University and Illinois State University. Visit Indiana University faculty page for more details.
Education Videos
Education Books
Stylistic II/V7/I Voicings For Keyboardists
Covers all styles of comping, from basic and fundamental approaches to modern! A complete collection of II/V7/I voicings for jazz keyboard, starting with simple diatonic voicings and progressing into more harmonically rich and diverse voicings with intricate passing tones and complex harmonies. No longer will you be stuck using the same kinds of voicings over and over, even in different styles. Now you can have a variety of II/V7 voicings available at your fingertips for every musical situation.
‘…. This is the stuff they don’t teach you in school.’ – Geoff Keezer.
Vol. 1 How to Play Jazz for Piano
By Jamey Aebersold, adapted by Luke Gillespie. Why should horn players have all of the fun? Now, the number one selling Jazz Improvisation book in the world has a whole new look! Introducing a new version of Jamey’s world famous Volume 1: How to Play Jazz and Improvise, completely revised and specifically tailored for you by jazz pianist Luke Gillespie of the prestigious IU School of Music. This edition is perfectly aligned with the original classic Sixth Edition that introduced tens of thousands of musicians to essential jazz fundamentals such as scale/chord relationships, note choices, etc. In this special edition, however, the text has been carefully edited and rewritten to speak specifically to pianists. The musical examples have been rewritten, as well, in grand staff format and include suggested left-hand and two had voicing examples to be played with the CD tracks. The first play-a-long/demonstration CD includes special stereo separations, allowing the piano to be eliminated so that the student can play along with bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Jonathan Higgins. The second CD includes the same play-a-long tracks as the first CD, but at slower practice tempos. A complete package for the beginning jazz pianist! 106 pages, spiral bound for easy opening.
Volume 76 – David Baker – How to Learn Tunes
Until now, the task of memorizing tunes has required a great amount of time and has been left to chance by the musician. With no rules, guidelines, or systematic methods of study, the task has left musicians with a great deal of confusion and frustration. This incredible work is a quick and easy method for learning and memorizing melodies and chord changes to any tune in any key! Listening/learning/play along tracks take you through the most commonly used harmonic formulae and teach you how to recognize and remember forms both visually and aurally. The book and supplement give composition that will have you memorizing and UNDERSTANDING how changes work. Leave the fakebooks at home!’
Articles/Publications
DOWNBEAT – Keyboard Woodshed Master Class
