Gisto is well-known to Canadian music lovers from his time as the lead singer, producer and musical director for cult following band Wassabi Collective. Now, he’s taken his magnetic stage presence and formidable music skills to Jamaica and is poised to break out as a solo artist. Gisto’s sound combines the best of reggae, dancehall, pop, dubstep, and hiphop with an authentic, distinctive vocal delivery to create a sound uniquely his own.
In 2011, Gisto arrived in Jamaica with no hotel, no contacts and no idea of what to expect on his journey. All he had was a passion to connect with reggae and dancehall music at the source. The first thing he did was to play his debut album for a taxi driver named Pretty, who immediately recognized his talents and introduced him to one of Jamaica’s top contemporary producers Dre Zee, whose credits includes reggae/dancehall legends such as Bounty Killer, Capleton and Diplomat. A half-hour of showcasing his beats and lyrics in the studio was all Gisto needed to earn Dre Zee’s respect and an invitation to stay on. Within a week, they had recorded numerous tracks and videos including ‘Invincible’ which debuted on HYPE TV, the world’s go-to source for breakthrough Caribbean music. Since then, he’s collaborated with other top artists such as Lutan Fyah and Marky Lyrical and is releasing his second album “This Is It”, following up on blazing 2009 debut “Just The Beginning”.
Originally from London, ON and now based in Vancouver, BC, Gisto earned his musical and road-warrior stripes with British Columbia-based reggae/funk/electro collective Wassabi Collective. Wassabi gained a large and loyal following across Canada and the U.S., for their explosive live show and incredibly busy touring schedule which landed them a feature on the PBS series RoadTrip Nation and named #1 Band in Relix Magazine’s ‘On the Verge’. Their second full-length record, “Get It”, received the 2010 Urban/Dance Recording of the year from the British Columbia Independent Music Associations, which followed up Stories Not Forgotten winning Album of the Year in 2008. A-list live bands and DJs with whom Wassabi has shared the stage include : Bedouin Soundclash, K’ Naan, Michael Franti & Spearhead, K-OS, Femi Kuti, Hot Hot Heat, Randy Bachman, Bassnectar and Adham Shaikh. Gisto as a solo artist has shared the stage with Easy Star All-Stars, Tanya Stephens, Xavier Rudd, Ghostface Killer, Mishka and played notable gigs at Victoria Ska Festival, Evolve Festival and Shambhala Music Festival.
Gisto is now poised to make waves with his new album featuring the singles “Back in the Day,” “Heaven Shine” “Lonely Empire” and his collaboration with Lutan Fyah “Nuh Fear.”