Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats – Creciendo (2024)
Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats have released their first full-length Spanish children’s album, Creciendo. The album’s title translates to “growing up” in Spanish. The charming collection features 10 songs exploring the transformation of childhood, from inner joy to the continuous desire to learn.
Drawing on her experiences as a child of Dominican and Puerto Rican immigrants and raising her bilingual child, Kalantari combines jazz with Hispanic American influences. The album addresses universal themes such as resilience, emotions, friendship, community, and pursuing dreams. The music is lively, cheerful, and positive, featuring various guest singers and musicians who enhance the experience with vibrant vocals and expert instrumentation.
Creciendo opens with “Bienvenidos” (Welcome), a Latin pop track that invites listeners to join the musical celebration. Collaborating with Nathalia and Flor Bromley, the song sets an energetic tone. “Me Caí, Pero Me Levanté” (I Fell, But I Got Up Again) promotes resilience through a Dominican merengue beat, while “Tu Luz” (Your Light) celebrates inner radiance.
“Patinando with a Swing” (Rollerskating with a Swing) is a bilingual ode to rollerskating and jazz swing, featuring Miss Jessica from YouTube. Meanhile, “Adivina” (Guess) challenges listeners to identify emotions through music, fostering self-awareness.
The title track, “Creciendo” (Growing Up), serves as an anthem for growth and learning. Kalantari re-recorded her classic hit “Balloon” in Spanish and included “El Sonido de los Vientos” (The Sound of the Horns), an interactive swing tune.
“Cuenta Conmigo” (Count on Me) celebrates friendship, while “La Luciérnaga” (The Firefly), arranged for Dolby Atmos, tells a lullaby story of chasing dreams. This track features string players including Kalantari’s son, Darius, Latin Grammy winner Mireya Ramos, and Alexandra Cutler-Fetkewicz from Philly Music Lab.
Kalantari’s creative vision is supported by a highy talented team of musicians and engineers. The Jazz Cats include Darius Kalantari on cello, Alicia Rau on trumpet, Linus Wyrsch on clarinet, Jen Hodge on bass, and Evan Hyde on drums.
The album was produced by Kalantari, mixed by Maria Elisa Ayerbe, and mastered by Jeanne Montalvo. “La Luciérnaga” was co-produced with Roger Montejano and mastered at Abbey Road Studios. An English version, The Firefly, will be released later this summer.
About Lucy Kalantari
Lucy Kalantari is a GRAMMY Award-winning artist, composer, producer, and engineer with accolades for her songwriting. She contributes to the new “Dora” series on Paramount+ and Nick Jr. Kalantari creates children’s media that fosters joy, community, and resilience. Her bilingual background allows her to write in both English and Spanish, reaching a broader audience. Her songs appear on PBS Kids Jam, Universal Kids, and SiriusXM Kids Place Live.
As a mother to an 11-year-old musician, Kalantari mentors emerging music creators. She is a soundBoard mentor for We Are Moving the Needle, GRAMMY U, and an active Recording Academy member. Kalantari is a multifaceted and influential figure in the music industry, committed to positive change and inclusivity.
Buy Creciendo.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.