Natty in 1951
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Today
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I've put in several decades performing, recording, & touring in this jazz game. After college, I studied polyrhythmic concepts in Manhattan with Barry Altschul, the drummer in Chick Corea's Circle. Lived in Hollywood, Oklahoma City, Montana, Miami, Minneapolis, and played in house bands for 5 years on several cruise ship lines. Been on 7 European tours with pianists Bill Carrothers & Giacomo Aula. Shared a few choruses with Rocky Robbins, Barney Kessel, Roseanna Vitro, Manfredo Fest, Sheila Jordan, Terry Gibbs, Greg Abate, Claudio Roditi, Gary Foster, Eric Alexander, Richie Cole, JoAnne Brackeen, Ernie Watts, Wayne Johnson, Karrin Allyson, Kenny Werner, Howard Levy, Bruce Henry, Toots Thielemans, Avashai Cohen, Bob Dorough, Marc Ribot, and Sarah Vaughan. My CDs, 'Long Ago' & 'Easy Company', featuring bassist Anthony Cox and pianist Bill Carrothers, have garnered luminous reviews in the international press. Current bands include Red Planet, Framework, Firebell, Tall Tales, Andrew Walesch, Sam Miltich, & Tim Sparks. I've endorsed Bosphorus Cymbals since 1997.
A very in-depth interview/article of my life (by Bill Stieger) here:
THE SECRETS OF THE TWIN CITIES WORKINGEST JAZZ DRUMMER
History of Epstein Gigs -
I spent my childhood in Winona MN & Bridger MT, & I'm one of the most fortunate people on the planet to have played music most nights of my life:
1961-69: Fred & Dave Heyer Combos, Jim Casey Orchestra, Merle Knutson.
1965-67: Tarantulas
1967-69: New World Congregation
1969-71: Underbeats / Gypsy - (Houseband @ Whiskey a Go Go, Hollywood, CA)
1971-72: Winona State Big Band & Les Fields' Turkey River All Stars!
1971-72: Reality w/ Rocky Robbins, Jimmy Lawrence. Jade w/ Connie Olson
1973-76: Art Resnick Qt. w/ Bob Rockwell, Lapis w/ Dean Granros
1973-79: Dean Granros Trio w/ Jeff Johnson
1975-77: Manfredo Fest w/ Jimmy Johnson
1977-78: Wayne Johnsron Trio w/ Jimmy Johnson
1978: Dean Granros/Jeff Johnson/Jay Epstein at Rainbow Gallery, CD here: ArtBunker
1980-81: Bianca's House Band in Oklahoma City w/ Jeff Johnson
1980: Barney Kessel Trio w/ Jeff Johnson
1981-86: Cruise ships on Carnival & Royal Caribbean Cruise Line
1985: Played a week with Sarah Vaughan in the Caribbean
1987-Today: Bill Carrothers
1988-1990: Mandala w/ Tim Sparks, MaryAnn O'Dougherty
1989-93: Bruce Henry Band
1992: Billy Shiell Qt. w/ Bobby Peterson, Keith Boyles
1992-Today: Chris Lomheim Trio w/ Gordy Johnson
1992-2005: Phil Aaron Trio w/ Tom Lewis @ Sofitel Hotel
1994-1996: Laura Caviani Trio w/ Terry Burns - http://cdbaby.com/cd/caviani95
1995: Dean Granros, Jeff Johnson, Jay Epstein CD: 'ONE'
1996: Jay Epstein Trio w/ Bill Carrothers, Anthony Cox
1996: Chemistry Lab w/ Craig Taborn, Anton Denner, Chris Bates (unreleased CD)
1996-Today: Framework w/ Chris Olson, Chris Bates http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/frameworkmusic
1999-Today: 1st TC Jazz Fest, Klezmerica - http://www.frozenchozen.com/musicians.html
2000-Today: Maintime - http://cdbaby.com/cd/maintime
2003: Nate Brown Trio w/ Cody McKinney. CD w/ Anthony Cox: http://cdbaby.com/cd/nbrownmusic
2003-Today: Red Planet w/ Dean Magraw, Chris Bates http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/deanmagraw
2002-2011: Christine Rosholt: http://www.christinerosholt.net
2003-06:Tours of France w/ Bill Carrothers "Armistice Band" http://www.bridgeboymusic.com/ad1918/index.htm
2006: Tours of Italy w/ Giacomo Aula, Gordy Johnson
2007: Tours w/ Reuben Ristrom, Mary Louise Knutson
2007-Today: CounterClockWise w/ Zacc Harris, Tanner Taylor http://www.myspace.com/counterclockwisejazz
2008-2011: Impulso w/ Dean Magraw, Brandon Wozniak http://www.myspace.com/impulsojazz
2009-2011: BroncowVision w/ Anthony Cox, Brandon Wozniak, Stefan Kac
2009-Today: Firebell w/ Park Evans, Graydon Peterson: http://www.firebelljazz.com/
2009-2012: Nancy Harms: http://www.nancyharms.com/
2010: Inducted into Mid-America Music Hall of Fame with Dean Magraw, Anthony Cox.
Release of 'Easy Company' CD with Bill Carrothers, Anthony Cox
2011: Concerts, Clinics w/ Eric Alexander, Todd Coolman at U of MN Morris.
Release of 'Space Dust' CD by Red Planet with Dean Magraw, Chris Bates
Release of 'Duke's Mixture' CD by Irv Williams
2013: Tours with Five By Design & Richie Cole
2014: European Tours with Bill Carrothers. Canadian & U.S. Tours w/ Five By Design. Release of Firebell's 'Impossible Vacation'. Release of Chris Lomheim's 'Timeline'.
2014-Today: Tall Tales (Dean Granros, Zacc Harris, Chris Bates, Jay Epstein).
2014-Today: Andrew Walesch
2015: Tall Tales CD released: Visit Tall Tales. Andrew Walesch Plus 9 CD released.
2016: Tours with 5 by Design. Tours with Sam Miltich, MN State Fair
2017: Release of Gypsy: Rock & Roll Nomads Documentary, Tours with 5 by Design in TX,MS,IL, Tours with Sam Miltich, release of Red Planet with Bill Carrothers CD (4 Star DownBeat Review). Bosphorus Cymbal Clinic, Winter Jazz Fest, TC Jazz Fest, New York Metropolitan Room. Gigs with Bob Dorough.
2018: Firebell CD 'Incendios' Release, Sam Miltich Tours, Joyce Lyons Tours: St. Louis,Manhattan,CT. Barbary Coast Dixieland Band Tours
2019: TC Jazz Fest, Joyce Lyons Tour, Lomheim/O'Brien/Epstein CD 'Triage' Release
2020: Covid - Immersed in the woodshed.
2021: TC Jazz Fest, Tall Tales CD 'Taller Tales' Release, Framework CD 'Cognitive Dissonance' Release
2022: TC Jazz Fest, Workshop with Marc Ribot
2023: BluLuna formed with Dean Magraw, Rick Carlson, Steve Pikal
