Joe Bellanti

“Bellanti is the kind of piano man you would dream of finding in a New Orleans piano bar and probably would not be able to.”
—Mary Kunz Goldman, The Buffalo News

Professional Piano & Keyboard Player | Singer/Songwriter

JOE BELLANTI is a Buffalo-based piano player and singer/songwriter. He has been part of the Buffalo music scene since his college days in the early 1980s, playing with several local and touring bands, and he. continues exploring new territory today, playing solo shows and jamming with established groups as opportunities arise. From the sound of the music to a proven ability to connect with an audience, Joe has been equally comfortable as a headliner or in support of other musicians, always with an ear toward making the overall experience a positive one for the audience.

After taking some time off from regular playing when there were young children at home, Joe returned to playing following an entry into the 2012 “I wanna be in moe.” contest. Fortunate to be one of the winners of that contest, Joe traveled to Worcester, MA on December 28th, 2012 to sit in with moe. Video of that event was placed on YouTube by the band and has led to numerous opportunities since.

Playing primarily solo shows, Joe mixes storytelling in with his shows both from his personal experience and also relating the history of the songs he plays. Material drawn from the New Orleans tradition as well as from the music of the Allman Brothers Band, The Grateful Dead, Neal Young, Bruce Hornsby, Dr, John, George Winston and the Pat Metheny Group all contribute to the overall sound. A love of old time music lends a flavor to his original music that is reminiscent of the saloon days of the late 1800s and the glory days of boogie-woogie piano in the 1920s and 30s. Piano is the primary instrument, but Joe has been known to work in some other instruments—guitar, accordion or ukulele. Joe has also been a regular on the Buffalo area music festival circuit performing at the Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts (2013 and 2014), The Hamburg Music Festival (2014) and the Music is Art Festival (2013 and 2014).

Organ Fairchild, his most recent group with guitarist Dave Ruch and drummer Corey Kertzie, proves to be a musical party that won’t quit. Take your old-school organ trio format (organ/guitar/drums), add dance-heavy grooves and adventurous jamming, shake vigorously, and enjoy all night long.