Glenn Zaleski is a New York-based pianist originally from Boylston, MA. He has made a name for himself playing with the likes of Ravi Coltrane, Cécile McLorin Salvant, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Yotam Silberstein, Lage Lund, Ari Hoenig, and many more. Glenn lives in Brooklyn with his wife, jazz violinist Tomoko Omura, and their four year old son.
LondonJazz News: What is the best advice you received about balancing/juggling parenthood and career?
Glenn Zaleski: I’m fortunate to be surrounded by many supportive and loving people in my life, and I don’t mean to throw anyone under the bus here, but I hadn’t/haven’t received any good advice about balancing parenthood and career. (Reading through many of the “Mothers in Jazz” interviews”, I was relieved to see that many other parents said the same thing.)
I think part of it is that everyone’s path is so unique that it is really hard to give advice other than platitudes like “It will all work out somehow,” or “You’ll be a great parent,” or, “This will be the best decision you ever made”. But honestly advice like that did more harm than good for me because I had an unrealistically rosy picture of parenting. Not many of my peers had children before me, and I had not spent much time around children before we had a son, so I really had no idea what parenting entailed beyond, “It’s really hard but it’s beautiful.”
LJN: What information or advice do you wish you’d received but didn’t (and had to learn through trial and error or on the go)?
GZ: I wish I had received more realistic information about how your time vanishes when you have a young child. Before my son was born, I envisioned practicing for an hour or so while he napped in the day, settling up emails at night after we read him a story and put him soundly to sleep… These are fantasies, and for us these things literally never happened once. With a young child, you only have time to work (or take a shower, or think, or -gasp- have “fun”) if someone else is granting you that time – whether it’s your partner, a family member, or perhaps someone that you are paying for the luxury of having an hour of time to yourself. I somehow had no idea that the early years of parenthood would be that way.
LJN: Your top tip(s) for other parents in jazz:
GZ: Make a realistic financial plan before you begin having children. You have to be brutally honest about how much money you have and how much money you need, and couple this with the above mentioned fact that all of your time will vanish – not an easy equation to balance, especially with the astronomical cost of childcare (in the US at least.) This won’t just “work itself out”, and “just hoping the phone will ring” will not cut it anymore.
LJN: Best general travel/gigging/tour-with-child advice:
GZ: I’ve not yet toured with my son. He’s come to a few gigs of mine, but only when my wife (violinist Tomoko Omura) was there shouldering all of the responsibility of handling him – which is not an easy job at all. It’s only possible with a caregiver, and you have to deeply trust them, whether it’s your partner, a grandparent, a family member, or a caregiver.
LJN: What is one way that figures or structures in the jazz industry could better support parents who are working jazz musicians?
GZ: I’m not sure it’s the jazz industry’s responsibility to support parents specifically. It’s not realistic for small jazz clubs to provide childcare (not that those are great places for babies anyways.) Occasionally there might be an exception – I read Jo Lawry’s Mothers in Jazz interview where she mentioned a festival in Australia that went out of the way to provide childcare for her – and that’s amazing! I suppose if large venues or festivals have the capacity for that, they could consider offering childcare as a way to sweeten the deal for musicians who need help. But then parents might not even be comfortable leaving their young children with a stranger – I’m not sure I would, especially in the vulnerable early years. The best way the jazz industry can support parents is basically the same way they could support any musician, parent or non-parent, which is just by paying fairly and being respectful.
Actually – hats off to you Nicky – parents really need emotional support more than anything else, and the gesture of offering this “simple” interview series is really one of the most supportive things for parents that the jazz industry could provide, so thank you!
LJN: What has surprised you about becoming a parent and remaining engaged with your professional activities and ambitions?
GZ: I’m genuinely surprised that with significantly fewer hours available to work since my son has been born, by most measurable quantities my career is “better” than it’s ever been: Although I practice about 10% of the time I used to (a number I hope will increase as the years go on), I’m actually a better pianist than I’ve ever been. My “profile” is increasing, and I’m earning more than before my son was born, although I’m working much fewer hours. I’ve put out two albums since my son was born (plus one in the can slated for later this year), and maintain an active studio of private students. Of course I’m a dad, and in most cases it’s easier for dads to find time to work than mom. But I am surprised at how significantly less hours available to work can in fact yield more productivity, because those limited hours of working are more focused and determined.
LJN: What boundaries have you set for yourself as a parent in jazz (could be related to travel/touring, riders, personal parameters, child care decisions, etc.)?
GZ: Unfortunately I need to turn down certain opportunities these days.
Just very practically, there is an important question of how much time spent away will yield how much income, and if that equation doesn’t balance then I have to decline.
Glenn’s new album “Star Dreams” was released on Sunnyside Records on August 23rd 2024. Fittingly, the title track of the album is a tune that was inspired by something his son said when he was putting him to bed one night.
(*) Parents in Jazz was started (first as ‘Mothers In Jazz’) by vocalist Nicky Schrire in August 2022. The initiative aims to create an online resource for jazz industry professionals with children, those contemplating parenthood, and jazz industry figures who work with and hire musicians who are parents. The insight of the musicians and administrators interviewed for this series provides valuable emotional, philosophical and logistical information and support that is easily accessible to all. “Parents In Jazz” shines a light on the very specific role of being both a parent and a performing jazz musician or jazz arts professional.
