Glenn Zaleski

Glenn Zaleski
Born1987 or 1988[1]
Boylston, Massachusetts, U.S.
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer, arranger
Instrument(s)Piano, keyboards
LabelsSunnyside
Websiteglennzaleski.com

Glenn Zaleski is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, composer, and arranger.

Early life

Zaleski was born and raised in Boylston, Massachusetts.[2] His parents were Bob and Barbara Zaleski.[1] He has an older brother, Mark, who plays the saxophone.[2] Glenn took piano lessons from the age of seven.[2] He played in an elementary school jazz band.[2] While at high school, he had gigs in the Worcester, Massachusetts area.[1] In 2004 he attended the Brubeck Institute's Summer Jazz Colony.[1] He graduated from Tahanto Regional High School in 2005.[3][4]

Zaleski received a two-year fellowship to study at the Brubeck Institute at the University of the Pacific (2005–07), then completed his degree at The New School.[5] In 2006 he played with Dave Brubeck at the Monterey Jazz Festival.[5]

Later life and career

Zaleski appeared on two trio albums with bassist Rick Rosato and drummer Colin Stranahan.[5]

Zaleski's My Ideal, released by Sunnyside Records, contained both standards and Zaleski originals.[6] Nate Chinen, reviewing My Ideal for The New York Times, wrote that some of the playing was "a little too close to the aesthetic territory of Brad Mehldau. [...] But if there is any unfinished business on this accomplished first outing, it involves a stronger claim to originality."[7]

He played piano and keyboards on violinist Tomoko Omura's Roots.[8] As of 2015, Zaleski is based in New York City.[9]

Playing style

Zaleski acknowledges Bill Evans as an influence on his playing style.[6] Chinen noted Zaleski's "subtleties of touch [...] along with his fluent but unhurried sense of phrase".[7]

Discography

An asterisk (*) indicates that the year is that of release.

As leader/co-leader

Year recorded Title Label Personnel/Notes
2010* Duet Suite Duo, with Mark Zaleski (sax)
2011* Anticipation Capri Trio, co-led with Rick Rosato (bass), Colin Stranahan (drums)
2013* Limitless Capri Trio, co-led with Rick Rosato (bass), Colin Stranahan (drums)
2014 My Ideal Sunnyside Most tracks trio, with Dezron Douglas (bass), Craig Weinrib (drums); one track quartet, with Ravi Coltrane (tenor sax) added
2017 Fellowship Sunnyside Trio, with Dezron Douglas (bass), Craig Weinrib (drums)
2020* The Question Sunnyside Most tracks quintet, with Adam O'Farrill (trumpet), Lucas Pino (tenor sax), Desmond White (bass), Allan Mednard (drums); one track sextet, with Yotam Silberstein (guitar) added; one track nonet, with Nick Finzer (trombone), Andrew Gutauskas (baritone sax), Alex LoRe (alto sax), Andrew Renfroe (guitar) added[10]
2023 Star Dreams Sunnyside Trio, with Dezron Douglas (bass), Willie Jones III (drums)[11][12]

As sideman

Year recorded Leader Title Label
2015* Isaac Darche Team & Variations Challenge
2015* Tomoko Omura Roots Inner Circle
2015* Lucas Pino No Net Nonet Origin
2016* Scott Tixier Cosmic Adventure Sunnyside Records
2017* Lucas Pino The Answer Is No Outside In Music
2021* Gabriel Vicéns The Way We Are Created Inner Circle Music

References

  1. ^ a b c d Simas, Art (May 25, 2005) "The Kid's Got the Goods". Telegram & Gazette. p. 133.
  2. ^ a b c d Bhatia, Rafiq "Glenn Zaleski: 'A Sound'" Archived 2018-02-17 at the Wayback Machine. The Jazz Gallery.
  3. ^ Duckett, Richard (November 24, 2008) "Brothers in Concert". Telegram & Gazette. p. E1.
  4. ^ Keenan, Kevin (June 6, 2005) "Tahanto Graduates Urged to Take Risks While They Can". Telegram & Gazette. p. B1.
  5. ^ a b c Dryden, Ken (April 2015) "No Net Nonet Lucas Pino (Origin) My Ideal Glenn Zaleski (Sunnyside)". The New York City Jazz Record. p. 17.
  6. ^ a b Garelick, Jon (May 2015) "Glenn Zaleski – My Ideal". Down Beat. p. 59.
  7. ^ a b Chinen, Nate (March 16, 2015) "New Albums From Sirens, Zaleski and Miller" Archived 2017-12-19 at the Wayback Machine. The New York Times.
  8. ^ Tangari, Joe (April 2015) "Tomoko Omura – Roots". Down Beat. p. 62.
  9. ^ Booth, Philip (May 6, 2015) "Glenn Zaleski – My Ideal". JazzTimes.
  10. ^ "The Question CD". glennzaleski.com. Archived from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  11. ^ Contreras, Ayana (October 2024). "Glenn Zaleski: Star Dreams". DownBeat. Vol. 91, no. 10. p. 55.
  12. ^ "'Star Dreams' Liner Notes". glennzaleski.com. Retrieved December 8, 2024.