Project One is a dynamic band from Hightstown, New Jersey. Project One started with four talented and prolific song writers. Scott Belgard: Guitars, Michelle Noone : Vocals, John Ferrigno: Percussion and Art Stephano: Bass.
The band came together as Scott and Art communicated thru social media for more than one year before realizing that they lived in the same 1.1 square mile town, Hightstown, NJ. John Ferrigno soon joined the band and added precision and his unique vision of time as he was nicknamed the “The Clock” by the others. Later Michelle Noone came on board from neighboring East Windsor, NJ. Michelle brought her sparkling voice and storytelling to top off this quartet.
These sensational songsters set out on a journey that would last almost 2 years. Writing, performing and yes at times battling for the sake of the music and the sound that is Project One, Dark Blues, Reggae, Pop, Country and of course crushing ROCK!
In the spring of 2015 project One began to lay down tracks at Retro Media Sound Studios in Red bank, NJ. With the help of engineer/producer Adam Vaccarelli, Project One enlisted some of the industries best and most talented musicians. Chris Caratello, Patrick Smith, George A. Burton, Dan Povio, Chandler Scales, Mike Juros and L.A. session great Paul Hilton who all contributed to what is "Break of Dawn" the band's debut album. Break of Dawn was released in March of 2016.
With the booking of live shows and the studio talent off to to work on other projects the band knew they needed help. Long time friend of the band Dr. John Epstein, was tapped by Project One with task of filling some VERY big shoes. Not surprisingly John aka John (John-E) Epstein, not only filled those shoes, he busted them out! At live shows John's enthusiasm and shear joy of playing guitar are infectious. In the studio his ideas and and creativity explode like a bucking bronco that's been tied up too long.
After “Break of Dawn” was released on the Rose Water Entertainment label, the band toured extensively on the local club circuit. Michelle Noone eventually departed for other projects and guest singers helped to complete the tour including Emily Longo, Jocelyn Colao and Madeline Epstein. As the tour wound down, the band regrouped to Wilson and Main studios to grab a cold one and contemplate the future.
It wasn't long before the creative juices were flowing again and song after song began pouring forth like water from Niagra Falls. It became clear that the singer situation needed to be urgently addressed, and after several false leads, the band struck solid gold with singer/songwriter John Kelly. Fresh off his own recording project, "Greetings From Philadelphia", he was eager to join a group project and brought his encyclopedic musical knowledge, well honed vocal chops, inexorable energy, and lyrical sensibilities to Project One's already deep bench. For five long years, the band wrote and gigged and wrote and then gigged some more, playing shows in front of thousands of people during Princeton Reunions, and a sold out show opening for Jill Sobule at the Hopewell Theater during "A Concert For Hope" where they raised $25,000 to help cure blindness in Burundi, one of the poorest nations in the world.
With their new sound and direction firmly established, in January of 2020, they returned to the palatial studio that is Retro Media Sound Studios to reunite with their long time pal and recording engineer extraordinaire, Adam Vaccarelli. The band entered the studio with the energy of a raging bull, ready to conquer the world, but significant setbacks occurred as the global pandemic brought the world to a halt. By the summer, they were back at it, masked, socially distanced, but spirit intact. Over the next year, they would hammer out the massive sound that you hear on their Sophmore release, "Finding Your Way".
Recording wrapped up in the late spring. Spectacular additional musical guests on the album included Steve Campitelli, Madeline Epstein, Justin Epstein, and Diane Lutz , (a.k.a. Freyah). A quick trip to the master of all masterers, Alan Douches of West West Side Music put the exclamation point on the album which is set to be released on July 4, 2021 and is already making waves before it hits the streets.