It was a freezing blizzard that blew this vocalist from upstate NY
to her current home in South Florida. Growing up loving music,
Frani wore out the grooves of treasured records by her heroes:
Sarah Vaughn, Billy Holiday, Bonnie Raitt, Phoebe Snow, and
Aretha Franklin. All of these influences can clearly be heard in
Frani's singing, whether she's crooning jazz and pop standards
with her band, or belting out a blues number. Frani's professional
demeanor comes from years of experience as well as her musical
heritage. Her uncle Tommy Calandra, a well-respected figure on
the local music scene and owner of BCMK studios, taught her about
being a musician. At the age of 15, Frani began singing ad jingles
at her uncle's studio, helping her to train her ear and develop a
style of her own.
With all of these influences and experiences at her command,
it wasn't long before Frani joined up with the band Deja Vu,
a successful club band that toured the East Coast from Canada
to Florida. Entertaining was as important as holding a crowd's attention as musicianship, Frani learned,
and she honed her skills mimicking stars such as Cher, as well as displaying a natural sense of humor
that's evident whenever she performs.
Shortly after moving to Florida, Frani worked with Fantasia a thirteen-piece show band that was part of
the Kenny Martel Concept. The band, who played 3 dinner shows nightly, performed music from the
Thirties through the Eighties, expanding Frani's already vast repertoire. Not long after, Frani shared
a stage with folk-blues artist David Bromberg, at Miami's fabled Tobacco Road. She also sang along side
the legendary Spencer Davis, best known for the Sixties rock classics, "Gimme Some Lovin' " and "I'm A Man
which featured the great Stevie Winwood. He heard Frani sing at a local club when he visited south Florida.
He was so impressed that he immediately invited her to perform with his band.
Local audiences, musicians, and club owners are equally impressed with Frani's vocal talent, personality,
and professionalism. In fact, there are few local clubs or venues that she has not been invited to play.
Although her South Florida career has been richly rewarding, one of Frani's most cherished experiences
was when she went to Japan for the first time in 1992 to perform on a cruise ship. In time, she learned
to speak and sing in Japanese. She started writing songs about her experiences in the Far East, and
eventually wrote "I Love Japan", a song that was so touching to the Japanese, it won an award.
It beat out several other contestants because of it's originality, sincerity, and uniqueness. She sang it in
Japanese and English. Japanese audiences loved her mixture of jazz standards, rock & roll favorites,
and pop hits, as well as her fun and outgoing personality. She was so well received, that she worked for
the same company for several years.
Returning to Florida, Frani's home for over 25 years, she continues to thrill audiences, whether in her duo,
trio, or a larger band.
