@jessie-galante
Hailed as Buffalo’s First Lady of Rock, Jessie Galante has been captivating audiences with her powerhouse vocals and stunning stage presence. A voice that has been compared with the raw power of Anastasia mixed with the soulfulness of Aretha Franklin, Jessie sings from the depths of her soul, with vocals ranging from tender, sultry and sensual; to fierce, spine-tingling, electric with unbridled emotion.
As a young woman, she broke away from her strict Sicilian upbringing to unleash a voice that could move mountains. She was propelled to early success with the Buffalo band Actor, as the region’s #1 female vocalist, receiving prolific radio play on the top stations. A move to LA propelled her to stardom with the band Fire, gaining international appeal and regional acclaim. Galante was described by Music Connection magazine as, “Arguably one of the hottest front women LA has to offer.”
In the late ‘90s, Jessie returned to Buffalo to concentrate on her solo career, collaborating with multi-platinum award-winning Engineer/Producer Larry Swist (Tina Turner, Spyro Grya, Lou Gramm). The two fell deeply in love, married, and moved to Europe to expand their dynamic careers. Jessie has captivated international audiences as the headliner of festivals and concert venues, sharing the stage with many renowned national acts.
Building on the success of her CD 'Spitfire,’ Jessie and Larry fueled their creative passion into the CD ‘The Show Must Go On,’ backed by a high-profile production team, including Jack Daley (Lenny Kravitz, Beyonce), Rob Bailey (Anastasia, Jive Jones), and Alessandro Del Vecchio (Glen Hughes, Jack Blades).
Returning to the US in the summer of 2013, the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame and Hard Rock Café (Niagara Falls USA) honored Jessie’s earlier induction into the Hall of Fame, with an elaborate public display of her memorabilia.
That year, life took a devastating swerve, with the passing of her beloved Larry. The loss of her husband, friend, mentor, and soulmate impelled her to pause her creative pursuits, and sow her seeds of artistry deep within. As many artists discover—out of her period of darkness a more dazzling creative expression was born. With Larry as her inspiration, Jessie rose from her grief to complete their joint collaboration: ‘The Show Must Go On’ signing with Tanzan Music, Italy; and Anderstein Music, Japan - now released as a moving tribute to her beloved.
Rob Evans of Powerplay Rock Magazine (UK), praised it as “...a hard-hitting, punchy affair that sees Galante sounding uncannily similar to Anastasia. This is one of the finest vocal performances I’ve heard on an album this year; this girl simply oozes soul and power.”
Her inspiration continued with a stunning orchestral version of ‘Nights In White Satin,’ which evolved into a video masterpiece. Visually stunning, the scenes move like a hauntingly beautiful dream, through the historic landmarks of Buffalo, with Jessie’s voice telling a riveting story: an emotional serenade to her beloved, an ode to her grief, and a reconciliation of the power of enduring love.
Jessie lights up stages around the world while continuing to be a fiery force in Buffalo’s music scene, spearheading several initiatives. She is the co-host and featured performer of the annual Christmas concert of MOB (Musicians of Buffalo), co-founded by long-time friends Billy Sheehan and Bobby Lebel. The MOB is in partnership with the Music Is Art Festival, founded by Goo Goo Dolls Robby Takac, to merge their support of Buffalo’s musical charities.
Jessie’s big voice is her trademark: a consortium of pure strength, gorgeous fragility, inspirational vocal gymnastics, and total control that shows why stands in a class all by herself. If you ask Jessie about her voice she simply states, “I just love to sing. My publishing company name says it all, “Mamma I Just Wanna Sing!”
Jessie is currently recording new material and planning European dates.
Jessie shares: “My passionate musical journey continues, just like Larry always encouraged. ‘The Show Must Go On,’ and his love for life and music lives strong with every beat of my heart.”