Jason Gisser More Sugar May 2016

The Rise of Jason Gisser – Dutchess County’s Phoenix Star

Written by Jacque Roche

To best appreciate the remarkable achievements of Jason Gisser let’s go back to his humble, ingenious beginnings as a reclusive 9 year-old, who spent most of his free time overdubbing beats and harmonies on boom boxes.  Jason recalls recording himself on a couple of boom boxes, banging on Swedish cookie tins and shoeboxes while singing over that and recording onto another.  From that recording he would layer the harmonies and continue in this fashion until the imaginative youngster had 3-part harmonies with a good beat.  Not limited to a few cookie tins, Jay’s first “official” instrument was an Alto Sax, studied from 4^th grade through senior year.  Along the way he picked up keyboard and for many years bass was his main instrument.

Growing up in a household that enjoyed music, with an instinctive talent for composition, one might suspect Gisser of being surrounded by a family of musicians.  To hear him tell the tale, his Mom was an aerobics instructor who “used to play a little conga and finger cymbals while listening to Funk, Disco and Soul” such as; Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, Earth Wind and Fire, Kool and the Gang and Michael Jackson.  While his Dad listened to the Stones, Beatles, Cream and Bob Seger, started a band in 1955, went to one rehearsal and decided that was it.”  Additional influences came from his sisters who were listening to; Rush, The Dead, Doors, Bob Marley and Zeppelin.  His life was forever changed when introduced to Pink Floyd.  It was at that time he discovered his Dad’s discarded ‘55 Gretch Guitar.  By now Gisser had fully embraced self-discovery and taught himself to play the instrument from a book of sheet music to “The Wall.”

Gisser’s music evokes a true emotion.  On their soon-to-be released album, the band performs a song, entitled “All of You.”  Jason, who suffers from Depression, was going through a bad bout of the illness at age 13.  Rather than succumb to it he found himself putting thoughts to paper and writing the emotional melody that got him through another day.

Gisser does not shy away from the discussion of depression and would like those who suffer to realize they are not alone.  As a result of his struggles, Jason makes time to give back through charity work. “I do a ton of shows for abuse, MDA, Ulster/Orange Hospital Systems, Aids Walk, and … thanks to poor cell quality, did a benefit in CT for what I thought was Paratrooper Rescue.  However it turned out to be a Parrot Rescue”!

Jason is a member of Musicians on Call, where he performs for cancer patients at Mount Sinai Hospital. “I go from room to room in a gown and gloves singing to the patients. I will never forget the first patient I visited.  It was an older gentleman who told me one day he will see me on TV. He was clapping along when I sang and so smiley by the time I left.  I found myself hooked by the experience, and enjoy returning when I can work it into my schedule.”

These days Gisser finds he has so much to look forward to.  Last year he was married, is celebrating the birth of his daughter, has signed with Three Angels Management and the band has an album dropping this summer.

If you’d like to learn more about The Jason Gisser Band, their album release, listen to their music or find out where they will be performing next, visit them at their Website:  http://thejasongisserband.com/home

Jacque Roche is a “More Sugar” contributor, author of a weekly “Positive Insights” newsletter, booker, FB Jedi Master and host of, Jacque’s Giant Hudson Valley Music Show on 103.7 WPWL, streaming Thursday from 8-9 pm EST on www.pawlingpublicradio.org.  Can I tell your story?  Send an email to: jacquebutterflypresents@gmail.com.