Glenn Zaleski is an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

pianist, keyboardist, composer, and arranger.

Early life

Zaleski was born and raised in

Boylston, Massachusetts Boylston is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,849 at the 2020 census. History Boylston was first settled by Europeans around 1706 in the northern part of the present-day town, most notably by the Sa ...

.Bhatia, Rafi
"Glenn Zaleski: 'A Sound'"
The Jazz Gallery. His parents were Bob and Barbara Zaleski. He has an older brother, Mark, who plays the saxophone. Glenn took piano lessons from the age of seven. He played in an elementary school jazz band. While at high school, he had gigs in the

Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is a city and county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city's population was 206,518 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the second-List of cities i ...

area. In 2004 he attended the Brubeck Institute's Summer Jazz Colony.Simas, Art (May 25, 2005) "The Kid's Got the Goods". ''Telegram & Gazette''. p. 133. He graduated from Tahanto Regional High School in 2005. 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 The New School is a private research university in New York City. It was founded in 1919 as The New School for Social Research with an original mission dedicated to academic freedom and intellectual inquiry and a home for progressive thinkers. ...

. In 2006 he played with Dave Brubeck at the Monterey Jazz Festival.

Later life and career

Zaleski appeared on two trio albums with bassist Rick Rosato and drummer Colin Stranahan.Dryden, Ken (April 2015) "No Net Nonet Lucas Pino (Origin) My Ideal Glenn Zaleski (Sunnyside)". The New York City Jazz Record. p. 17. Zaleski's ''My Ideal'', released by

Sunnyside Records Sunnyside Records is an American jazz record company and label established by François Zalacain in 1982 initially to release an album by pianist Harold Danko. Albums by Kirk Lightsey and Lee Konitz soon followed beginning a sequence of release ...

, contained both standards and Zaleski originals. Nate Chinen, reviewing ''My Ideal'' for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'', wrote that some of the playing was "a little too close to the aesthetic territory of

Brad Mehldau Bradford Alexander Mehldau (; born August 23, 1970) is an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Mehldau studied music at The New School, and toured and recorded while still a student. He was a member of saxophonist Joshua Redman's Qua ...

. ..But if there is any unfinished business on this accomplished first outing, it involves a stronger claim to originality." He played piano and keyboards on violinist Tomoko Omura's ''Roots''. As of 2015, Zaleski is based in New York City.Booth, Philip (May 6, 2015) "Glenn Zaleski – My Ideal". ''JazzTimes''.

Playing style

Zaleski acknowledges Bill Evans as an influence on his playing style.Garelick, Jon (May 2015) "Glenn Zaleski – My Ideal". ''Down Beat''. p. 59. Chinen noted Zaleski's "subtleties of touch ..along with his fluent but unhurried sense of phrase".Chinen, Nate (March 16, 2015
"New Albums From Sirens, Zaleski and Miller"
''The New York Times''.

Discography

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

As leader/co-leader

As sideman

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zaleski, Glenn American jazz pianists American male jazz pianists Living people University of the Pacific (United States) alumni 21st-century American pianists 21st-century American male musicians Year of birth missing (living people) The New School alumni Musicians from Massachusetts People from Boylston, Massachusetts Jazz musicians from New York (state)