Jazz Singer Armi Grano of Encore Restaurant in Bucerias Performing in Vancouver Comox Valley Echo
go to original August 8, 2014

Georgia Straight Jazz Society and The Anderton Therapeutic Garden Society will be presenting their second of three summer afternoon concerts on August 10, 2014, at Anderton Gardens in Comox, when Vancouver songstress Armi Grano will be backed by three of our region's finest jazz musicians: Mike Eddy on piano; John Hyde on bass, and Bill Street on drums. Showtime is at 2:00 pm.

Armi is one of Vancouver's premier jazz song stylists and is considered one of the finest jazz vocalists on the contemporary jazz music scene today. Her distinct style, smooth clear voice and genuine engaging personality has attracted fans from all over the world with the release of her six albums.

Her influences include Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, Astrud Gilberto and Anita O'Day, which have allowed her to develop her own blend of music featuring an exciting mix of Latin, pop, swing and jazz influences.

This is a rare Vancouver Island appearance for Ms. Grano, who is recently returned from a seven month stint in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico where she owns the restaurant and jazz lounge "Encore." Armi is performing only a limited number of shows in Vancouver before heading back to Mexico in October.

Armi began visiting Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in 1995. Like many others, her visits from Vancouver progressively increased in length until she eventually "discovered" the town of Bucerías, 20 minutes north, where she settled six years ago with her husband.

One of the most significant challenges for any working musician in a destination such as Puerto Vallarta is finding a performance venue, and beyond that, finding one that will hire for enough nights per week to make it worthwhile. Armi's solution was risky, yet simple. In her own words: "I bought my own gig! In December, 2009 I noticed that one of the many beachfront restaurants in Bucerías was available, and based on her own intuition, I opened 'Encore' only days after signing a lease."

Nowadays, she sways the sizable expat community from Canada and the USA in Bucerías several nights a week with an extensive collection of carefully selected jazz standards.

For more info about Armi Grano, please visit Encore on the Beach.

So mark your calendar; this is your opportunity to meet friends, sit back with a picnic and enjoy great live music in a wonderful garden setting, and to tour the gardens before or after the show.

Refreshments will be on sale at the venue. Ample parking will be available. Look for the "Music Today" sign on the roadside, and people offering parking assistance when you pull into the parking area at Anderton Nursery at 2012 Anderton Road. Gates open at 1:00 pm and will remain open until 5:00 pm. Admission is $10. Children under 14 are free.