Katie Thiroux is an American bassist and vocalist. She was an active member of the Larry Fuller Trio and has been heard with, among others, Justin Kauflin, Geri Allen, Helen Sung, Terrell Stafford, Terri Lyne Carrington, Lewis Nash and Patti Austin. Having performed at jazz festivals in the United States, Mexico, Germany, Finland, Serbia, Singapore and Switzerland as both a leader and a sideman, Katie often incorporates workshops for students and audiences. She lives in Los Angeles and has an 18 month-old daughter.
UK Jazz News: What is the best advice you received about balancing/juggling parenthood and career?
Katie Thiroux: Even though you may have less time on your instrument, it doesn’t take away your musical abilities. All that time spent practicing and performing is cumulative.
UKJN: 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)?
KT: Trust your gut and not the doctors. I spent months observing my daughter and telling the pediatrician and physio that something wasn’t right and they said “she’s just growing, wait.” I finally listened to my gut and went for second options. It turns out my daughter has low muscle tone and global delays.
UKJN: Your top tip(s) for other parents in jazz:
KT: You can get A LOT done in 20 min. In the beginning, I had maybe 2 hours of the day to myself on my instrument spread out and I would divide that into technique practice and just playing for me.
UKJN: Travel/gigging/tour-with-child advice. This can be gear or gadget-related, or pertain to approach/what to do/what not to do:
KT: I keep a basket of toys and books in the front seat of my car and hand them to my daughter on a long car ride. You will find the books, songs and toys that your child aligns with. In the beginning the only that would calm my daughter down was loud reggae music!
UKJN: What is one way that figures or structures in the jazz industry could better support parents who are working jazz musicians?
KT: For one thing, don’t discriminate. I lost out on a full time teaching position because I was unable to fly to the final interview due to my pregnancy. Also, some people/venues/promoters assume you won’t play anymore so they won’t even ask you. Consider paying an extra fee for travel days as those are typically unpaid days that I still have to pay a nanny for at home to take care of my child.
UKJN: What has surprised you about becoming a parent and remaining engaged with your professional activities and ambitions?
KT: What has surprised me is when I’m working on the road I am so busy that I don’t even have time to think about my family at home. Especially when I’m in a different time zone and it is a weird feeling to almost feel like you don’t have a family.
UKJN: 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.)?
KT: For me, I travel once a month and that fills me up right now. Too much and I would feel disconnected from home. Too little, and I would feel disconnected from The Music. My daughter is not able to travel with me yet and it would be an extra cost to bring my nanny. Most people don’t understand that if I bring my daughter on tour I would also need to hire a nanny.
Katie’s latest recording is a duo record (with Katie on bass and voice. It’s 11 short songs punctuated by 3 John Lennon vignettes of “Look at Me.” Katie says, “It’s my reflection on before pregnancy, during and after. It’s called “Always, but never, Alone.” I had a collection of songs I was working on and the idea solidified one day when everyone needed me and I was in the bathroom. My daughter was screaming, my husband was asking for help and then…the cat started scratching on the door!”
(*) 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.