from Princeton Eye Group link
Dr. Epstein, a rock and roll guitarist? Well, yes. Visit your local club or concert venue and you might catch him performing as part of the rock band, Project One. Dr. Epstein offers some insight into his musical second career: “It is such an honor to be a part of this band. There is so much talent that I have to really focus to bring my ‘A’ game. I love rising to the challenge”.
Since the 7th grade, Dr. Epstein has played guitar. It was an early passion and was a major part of his childhood.
“I have always loved music. It is as much a part of who I am as my family or my career”, Dr. Epstein posited. “I used to play for 3 hours or more every day. I would even take a guitar on family vacations so as not to miss a day.”
He started his first band at 13 years old. By the end of high school, Dr. Epstein had written and recorded music, performed for a crowd of over a thousand people, been a member of countless bands, and gave private guitar lessons to his peers. By the end of college, however, a career in medicine called. While his love of music never died, his time to play diminished and guitar was put on the back burner.
“I put the guitar away for almost 15 years. It was my two daughters and a close friend who rekindled my interest. Dr. Epstein was invited to perform as a guest guitarist at Sing for Sight (now Sing for Sound), a benefit concert for local charities. In addition to bringing his musical chops back up to speed for the concert stage, Dr. Epstein’s daughter, Madeline, got to play bass alongside him in front of the benefit’s sellout crowd at The Canal Room in NYC.
There was no stopping him now that he had been unleashed. A family band with his daughters Isabella (keyboard and vocals) and Madeline (bass and vocals), led him to be ‘discovered’ by Art Stephano, a professional bass player. Art’s band, Project One based in Hightstown, NJ, had just completed writing and recording their first CD, “Break of Dawn” which is now for sale online at iTunes and in store at the Princeton Record Exchange. Dr. Epstein was asked to fill in for one of their guitarists during Project One’s local tour to support and promote their stellar album and get the message of the music out to the general public. He was quickly asked to be a permanent member of the band.
“They felt having a second guitarist would give greater flexibility to the band during live shows, and we clicked immediately as a group. After the first show, they asked if I wanted to join the band long term. I didn’t have to think for even a second. My affirmative reply was immediate.”
Like the rest of life, nothing stands still for long. Dr. Epstein and Project One, in addition to building a growing following on the club scene, are already writing the next album and hope to get back to the studio soon. In the meantime, check them out online at their website, where you can find information about the band, concert schedules, links to their music and Facebook page, videos from prior performances, and other band news.
“I just love that I am still able to do this,” quips Epstein, “and I love that my patients have taken such an interest as well. They get very excited when I tell them about it. Everyone loves music. It brings so much joy into the world. Now I can do that through my profession and my hobbies. What could be better?”