Tag Archives: lucy kalantari

Connecting through stories: Sharing Holiday Traditions

Posted in Interviews, Music by

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For the past couple of years, our family has been taking little weekend trips during Thanksgiving. Our extended family is scattered throughout the United States so we typically focus the rest of our holidays and travel efforts on visits with them. This Thanksgiving, we spent some time at Legoland in San Diego. While we were waiting on line for the 4D Legends of Chima movie, we met a family who has been coming to Legoland every Thanksgiving for the past 12 years. Chuckling, as he was talking about family holiday plans, the dad said “I know we’re crazy but we love it. It’s just what we do.” What he said didn’t strike me as crazy, though.

Family traditions are special and memorable, and quickly become beloved habits. They form bonds, are reliable, and give children a sense of ownership and something to look forward to. It made me happy to think that traveling with just my husband and my daughter could turn into a special holiday tradition for us.

Our family celebrates both Chanukah and Christmas. Chanukah brings songs of peace and celebration as we light the menorah. With regard to Christmas, we prep in our own home by playing the CD A Charlie Brown Christmas as soon as our tree is up. No decorating takes place until the music is playing. It’s simply something that sets the tone, and gets us in the mood for the holidays. We also visit with our extended family for Christmas, and watch as Em wakes up to find filled stockings and gifts under the tree. In the evening, we launch into a post-dinner dance party battle. It’s a rager and it’s so fun! No surprise that music is the centerpiece of our holiday celebrations.

Sharing stories of tradition and hearing from the family during our Legoland trip, added a feeling of connection and another element of joy for me this holiday season. It was a nice reminder that amidst the hustle and bustle of it all, there are sweet, sentimental moments to be grateful for. Besides, it’s always fun to hear other people’s stories.

As an addition to holiday music posts, today’s post features friends and artists sharing their holiday traditions from their own childhood, things they do with their families now, and of course some music. Continue reading →

Love + Joy: A Family Valentine with Lucy Kalantari & Jon Samson! Plus, a ukulele giveaway!

Posted in Concerts, Video by

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Award winning children’s artist and music therapist, Jon Samson, has teamed up with the dazzling Lucy Kalantari to deliver a rare and enchanting musical performance for families at ShapeShifter Lab in Brooklyn, NY, this Sunday, February 15th at 11:00 am. Lucy will be performing with her full lineup of drums, upright bass and clarinet.

While you are being charmed by the music, you can enjoy hot cocoa, valentine’s treats and a chance to win an autographed ukulele!

Want to hear how they sound? Listen through the Bandcamp widgets below.

Make sure to read on for ticket info and show information.

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For tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1128853

Show information:
Love & Joy: A Family Valentine
Sunday, February 15th ShapeShifter Lab
18 Whitwell Place, Brooklyn, NY 11215
$10 advanced tickets $15 at the door (Free for children under 2)
Doors: 11am Show Time: 11:30am

Artist’s official sites
Lucy Kalantari ­ http://www.LucyKalantari.com
Jon Samson ­ http://www.CoCreativeMusic.com

Playlist: A fine blend of kids’ music that rocks!

Posted in Playlists by
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Photo Steve

 

It’s always fun to gather up some great songs, and tuck them neatly into a playlist. Today I’m sharing a bunch of songs (new and previously released) that we’ve been jammin’ to. It’s been fun to revisit some “classics.”

As always, I recommend listening to the playlist in the following order and then mixing things up with a little “shuffle.” If you like what you hear, click on the links below the playlist and consider supporting these wonderful, independent artists.

Daylight – Dream Jam Band from the world of Nickhoo
Easy as 1,2,3 (Feat. Ellen Brackin Sevits) – Jamison Sevits from Get On Down!
Vroom – Todd McHatton from Super Audio Sunshine
Nose in a Book – The Not-Its! from Raise Your Hand
Monkeys Driving Cars – Billy Jonas and the Billy Jonas Band from Build It Back Again
Someday Some Morning Sometime – Little Miss Ann from Follow Me
Outside Sounds – Papa Crow from Full Moon, Full Moon
Jazzy – Kira Willey from How to be a Cloud
We Got The Bite – Gustafer Yellowgold from Gustafer Yellowgold’s Wisdom Tooth of Wisdom
Block House – The Pop Ups from Appetite for Construction
Food Songs – Alphabet Rockers from Go!
Everybody Dance – Josh and the Jamtones from Bear Hunt!
Food Calculator – Alphabet Rockers from Go!
Lines and Dots – Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band from A Potluck
Rad – Play Date from Imagination
Nicky Nicky Knock Knock – The Dream Jam Band from Kidzapalooza Volume One
Don’t Ask Me Why – The Whirlygigs from Greetings from Cloud 9
A Fresh Start – Lucy Kalantari from Pockets Full of Joy
The Snow is  Falling Down – Josh and the Jamtones from Bear Hunt
Rattlesnakes – Walter Martin from We’re All Young Together
Not Too Young For A  Song – Randy Kaplan from Jam on Rye

Check this out: “Pockets Full of Joy” – Lucy Kalantari

Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews by

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Artist: Lucy Kalantari
Album: Pockets Full of Joy
Released: May 2014

Imagine you were sitting in a dimly lit cafe at a small round table with a single frosted votive flickering. The stage is but a shadow awaiting its wake up call.

Suddenly, a spotlight’s wide owl eye shines in the center of the curtain, the music strikes up, and out comes the brightest smile you’ve ever seen. Your heart is warmed and you feel your own smile widen as the lovely lady in front of you begins to sing.

Meet Lucy Kalantari, a New York-based singer-songwriter who has a dazzling voice reminiscent of notables like Bessie Smith, Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald.

Kalantari’s debut children’s EP, Pockets full of Joy, captures the spirit of the Roaring Twenties with 6 ukulele ditties that express the elation and humor found in parenting. Each song reflects an observation or emotion, both from the point of view of a parent and of a child, though the songs could easily stand on their own and be enjoyed with a loved one of any age.

Pockets Full of Joy opens with the title track, which expresses the enchantment you feel when you are around that special someone who melts (or swells) your heart with a smile or warm embrace.

“The Only Thing” enlivens the ecstatic effects of true love with heartfelt lyrics:

Celebrating life with you 
Grateful for the things you do 
Falling in your loving arms 
Greeted by your graceful charm 
I can’t imagine this life without your magic 
And I’m the one you chose to woo

In “Wait and See” Kalantari balances out her feelings of adoration with a more contemplative song that daydreams into the future, pondering what the little person in her life will grow up to be. I find myself often wondering the same thing about my daughter, while wanting to stop time and just stay suspended in our special moments together.

Once you become a parent, you are given a fresh sense of the world. So much of what you see is viewed through new lenses. Suddenly the canvas in front of you changes, a new painting appears, vivid and complex. The unexplainable love that one feels is not easily communicated, but Kalantari so beautifully channels what this new identity, new role, feels like. This expression is what I enjoy so much about the album.

Pockets Full of Joy is a wonderful keepsake for new parents, one that can be passed to child(ren) later on, and also be a treasure for you as you revisit those special moments every step of the way.

Check out Lucy Kalantari’s official site where you can download the album, sample songs and sing along with the lyrics. Or, visit her Joy Store where you can purchase a physical signed copy of the album.