All Of It (WNYC): Lucy Kalantari Performs Live From Family Album, 'Creciendo'

Date: June 26, 2024
Host: Tiffany Hansen (in for Alison Stewart)
Guest: Lucy Kalantari (Grammy-winning musician), joined by her son Darius on cello
Episode Focus: Music, family, and the new all-Spanish album "Creciendo" (Crescendo)

Overview

This celebratory episode centers on acclaimed children’s musician Lucy Kalantari and her new album, Creciendo. The show weaves in live musical performances and heartfelt conversation about family, cultural identity, musical heritage, and the significance of expressing emotions and growth through music, especially for children and families.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction and Theme (02:01–03:12)

• Celebration of School’s End: The episode marks the end of the NYC school year with family-centric music and books.
• Guest Spotlight: Lucy Kalantari introduces her new album, her background (Puerto Rican and Dominican roots), and brings her son, Darius (cellist) into the conversation.

2. Live Song: “Tu Luz” (“Your Light”) (03:12–05:30)

• Performance: Lucy and Darius perform "Tu Luz" live in-studio.
• Song Meaning:
  • Lucy (05:42): “It means your light... We have this inner light, and sometimes we need to be reminded that it's there... Take care of it, share it, let it keep shining.”
• Music and Emotion:
  • Lucy (06:05): “The power of music... transcends all language.”
  • The host and Lucy reflect on how children can connect to songs' spirit even when they don’t understand the words.

3. Emotions in Music & Interactive Songwriting (07:24–08:36)

• “Adivina” Game:
  • Lucy discusses a song from the album meant to get kids guessing the emotion behind the music, underscoring subjective interpretations.
  • Noteworthy moment:
    • Lucy (08:13): Shares a story about a 7-year-old who labeled a serene piece as “disappointment”, emphasizing “There is no right or wrong... it was the thing that was stirred in her in that particular moment.”

4. Family, Musical Influence, and Upbringing (08:57–16:40)

Darius’ Musical Journey

• Roots of Cello Playing:
  • Darius (09:34): Recalls being inspired by the classical crossover duo Two Cellos and persistently asking for a real cello until receiving one at age three.
  • Notable Quote (10:38):
    • Darius: “Everywhere I went, I was telling everybody, when I'm three, I'm gonna get a real cello. And so I did, and I started taking lessons.”

Lucy on Childhood and Musical Exposure

• Musical Home:
  • Grew up between Dominican Republic and the US, exposed to salsa, bachata, merengue, pop, classical, and jazz via TV, cartoons, and family.
  • Lucy (12:19): “I feel really blessed...I got to listen to everything. The Beatles, Louis Armstrong...cartoons—that was probably a big influence. That’s where I got a lot of the jazz inspiration.”
• Influence of Older Siblings/Family:
  • Lucy (14:01): “I am the sixth of six kids...all the big brothers and sisters, everything that they were listening to. You know, I got Prince, I got Menudo...”
• Family Gatherings:
  • Her father’s side often turned family events into musical jams with guitars and church music.

Musical Tastes Across Generations

• Darius’ Taste:
  • Lucy introduced Darius to Spanish and modern music, including Bombastadio and Camilo.
  • Darius (15:30): “Sometimes my mom gives me this peculiar, really cool kind of music...I feel like I have a connection with it.”
• Musical Bonding in the Family:
  • The family enjoys “blasting” Spanish music together, connecting through shared listening experiences.

5. Title Track: “Crescendo” – Song & Message (16:40–19:37)

Live Performance

• Lucy (17:11): “When I wrote this song, I wanted to do an anthem for kids growing up.”
  • Darius chimes in: “This is definitely an anthem.”

Intent and Process Behind "Crescendo"

• Growth as Theme:
  • Lucy (20:03): “I spend a lot of time thinking about what our children need as they grow up...also what parents need as they grow up.”
  • Kids are “so hungry to learn...our job...is to feed them...let the kid have that voice, say, ‘I am growing up, feed me.’”
• Chorus Meaning:
  • Songs like “escribir, dibujar” (write, draw) focus on developing skills and creativity; the underlying message: neither kids nor adults ever stop growing or learning.

6. The Importance of Language & Cultural Connection (22:24–24:31)

• Why an All-Spanish Album:

  • Lucy wanted to embrace and honor her Dominican and Puerto Rican heritage more fully and create music her parents could connect to in their native language.
  • Lucy (22:50): “I wanted to see my mom and dad finally hear music that their daughter's making in Spanish...my mom has dementia...she can learn a brand new song and sing it with me.”

• Power of Music and Memory:

  • Darius highlights a song, “Me Cai” (“I fell, but then I got back up”), as their grandmother’s favorite, which she sings even without cues.

7. Dominican Influence and Community Response (24:04–24:31)

• Musical Heritage Reflected:
  • The album integrates musical styles from the Dominican Republic, and Lucy has been connecting with Dominican media, feeling a sense of pride and community.

8. “Firefly”: Inspiration & Performance (24:31–30:12)

• Creation Story:
  • Co-written with Roger Montejano in Spain, “Firefly” is conceptualized as a bedtime song about chasing dreams as the sun sets.
    • Lucy (24:54): “Chasing your dreams as the sun is setting...you’re chasing this firefly and you’re going past all these beautiful things outside...until the firefly guides you home to bed.”
• English Version Premiere:
  • Lucy performs the English version live, to be officially released a month later.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the universality of music:
  • "That's the power of music, right? That it transcends all language."
    — Lucy Kalantari (06:05)
• On emotional honesty in children:
  • "[A child guessed that serene music conveyed] disappointment. And it was funny. We played it again. She said disappointment... There is no right or wrong. That's the thing that was stirred in her in that particular moment."
    — Lucy Kalantari (08:13)
• On growing up through music (theme of the album):
  • "I spend a lot of time thinking about what our children need as they grow up... our kids are so hungry to learn... our job... is to feed them. Feed that part."
    — Lucy Kalantari (20:03)
• On family musical bonds:
  • "We both have been doing this for, like, a long time, and... we've connected over the music a little bit, and it just feels like... normal life."
    — Darius Kalantari (09:03)
• On connecting with heritage:
  • "I wanted to see my mom and dad finally hear music that their daughter's making in Spanish as well."
    — Lucy Kalantari (22:50)
• On music and memory:
  • "Because music is just so powerful and transcendental... my mom has dementia... but she can learn a brand new song and sing it with me."
    — Lucy Kalantari (22:50)
• On dreaming big (“Firefly”):
  • "You're chasing this firefly... your dreams as the sun is setting... the firefly guides you home to bed."
    — Lucy Kalantari (24:54)

Key Timestamps

| Segment/Topic | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Show introduction & purpose | 02:01–03:12 | | “Tu Luz” live performance and meaning | 03:12–06:05 | | On music’s power beyond language | 06:05–07:24 | | Interactive songwriting and “Adivina” story | 07:24–08:36 | | Darius' cello journey and musical family life | 08:57–11:55 | | Lucy’s musical upbringing & influences | 11:55–14:50 | | Generational exchange in musical tastes | 14:50–16:40 | | "Crescendo" (live) and songwriting intent | 16:40–21:10 | | Children’s and adults’ growth through music | 20:03–22:24 | | Why an all-Spanish album & music’s impact on memory | 22:24–24:12 | | Dominican Republic musical influences | 24:12–24:31 | | “Firefly” story and live performance (in English) | 24:31–30:12 |

Episode Tone

Warm, joyful, and deeply familial, with a strong emphasis on cultural pride, intergenerational connection, and the role of music in social and emotional development. Conversation is peppered with laughter, personal anecdotes, and heartwarming exchanges between Lucy and her son Darius.

For Listeners

Lucy Kalantari’s Creciendo is more than an album—it’s a celebration of growth, language, family, and the endless curiosity of childhood. Through stories and live performances, listeners of all ages are invited to reflect on their own “inner light,” cultural roots, and the unifying power of music.