Lucy Kalantari is a GRAMMY® Nominated songwriter, composer and producer based in Brooklyn, New York, making jazz age inspired music for families. She's the frontwoman and bandleader for Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats. Her band and music have been featured on Snug's House (formerly Sprout House), the musically-infused programming block on Universal Kids. Her songs are on steady rotation on SiriusXM Kids Place Live and other family radio programs around the country. Kalantari’s latest album, All the Sounds has been nominated for Best Children’s Album in the 61st GRAMMY® Awards. 

Born in the United States to Latino parents (Dominican mother and a Puerto Rican father), she grew up in a spanish-speaking household. She writes primarily in english, with a few bilingual surprises. She went to the Purchase Conservatory of Music for composition. Her debut into the kids independent music scene came with her album Pockets Full of Joy in 2014. ‘Pockets’ landed a Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Award and earned a place in The Best Kids Music of 2014, by Cooper & Kid. Her hit song "Fantastic" off her album Big Things won the Independent Music Award for Best Children's Song and reached #3 on Kids Place Live 13 Under 13 charts. She also won the International Songwriting Competition in Children's category for her song “Balloon" also from Big Things. "My Mommy Is a Mummy" peaked at #2 on 13 Under 13 Charts for Halloween weekend. Her album, It's the Holidays! received 3 stars from LA Times in their 2017 Christmas album roundup. All the Sounds is the latest album release in 2018 celebrated at Lollapalooza in Chicago. Lucy Kalantari has performed in festivals and libraries around the country.

The longer version...

Kalantari went to the Purchase Conservatory of Music for composition and production. She has published many works in various genres spanning from singer-songwriter to industrial rock. After being introduced to the ukulele by a colleague, her writing took a shift as she created sounds inspired from the bygone jazz era. Listeners likened her laid back voice to that of Billie Holiday, and Kalantari herself noticed how natural it felt to sing and write in this style.

Two months after giving birth to her son, she participated in a song-a-week project in 2013 while staying home with her newborn. She found herself with a handful of upbeat ukulele ditties pleasing to babies and adults alike. This collection became her debut into the kids independent music scene, as she released Pockets Full of Joy, in 2014. Pockets landed a Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Award and earned a place in The Best Kids Music of 2014, by Cooper & Kid.

“The best jazz album of the year brings forth the roaring 20′s with no prohibition on juice boxes.” –Jeff Bogle, Cooper & Kid

In September of 2016, Kalantari released her second jazz age rendezvous for families, Big Things, and it was awarded a Parents' Choice Silver Honor Award. The opening track, "Fantastic" received the Independent Music Award for Children's Music Song, after also receiving an album nomination for Children's Album and a Holiday Song nomination for "It's Halloween". "Balloon" won The International Songwriting Competition, in the children's category. Inspired by her Spanish speaking fans, she translated and released the single, "Fantástica". "Fantastic" reached #3 on 13 Under 13 charts on Kids Place Live on SiriusXM.

Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats are on rotation on Sprout House, a musically-infused programming block for their youngest viewers on the newly branded Universal Kids channel, formerly known as Sprout Network. 

On October 20th, 2017 Lucy Kalantari releases her third album, It's the Holidays!–an EP commemorating the holidays between Halloween and New Year's. Kalantari reached greater heights with this collection with more elaborate musical arrangements, and a masterful team. Her Jazz Cats include Linus Wyrsch on clarinet, Larry Cook on upright bass and Rich Kulsar on drums. With guests Erich Schoen-Rene on cello, Michael Irwin on trumpet, and children's music YouTube sensation, Miss Nina on taps.

“Think Squirrel Nut Zippers for the younger set.” –Red Tricycle