Stratospheerius Frontman and Violinist Joe Deninzon Reflects on Bohemian Rhapsody and Meeting Brian May during the “Back to the Light” Tour

Just saw Bohemian Rhapsody, and even though they screwed up a lot of things chronologically and factually, it still captured the essence of Freddie Mercury and brought back a cool memory from when I was 18. Queen was an obsession for me in high school. Their music was a constant soundtrack of my life and I had all their albums. My band at the time wrote many songs inspired by Queen and even learned all the harmonies to “Love of my Life”, including Brian May’s guitar solo, which I transcribed and taught myself to play.

In February of 1993, about a year and a half after Freddie’s death, Brian May put out a great solo album called “Back to the Light.” I heard through the grapevine that he was giving a secret, free concert at the old Agora in Cleveland. I went with my bandmates, Matthew James Murphy and Matthew Parrotta. The show was killer and afterward, we wanted to try to get backstage. It was frigid cold and snowing outside and there was a huge line of people waiting to meet Brian. We were in the back of the line freezing our asses off, so we just started singing as loud as we could, hoping the guy guarding the door would hear us.

All of a sudden, the door opens, someone from the crew along with the drummer Cozy Powell walks up to us and leads us past the crowd straight to the backstage area. There, standing in front of us, was Brain May! We sang him one of our songs and gave him our demo tape. He was very gracious, complimentary, and we chatted for a while. He signed our CD’s and we thanked him.

For what it’s worth, the memory of that night is forever etched in my mind.

Thank you, Brian, Freddie, and Queen for the incredible music and inspiration!
– Joe Deninzon

Check out the latest album Guilty of Innocence by Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius available Worldwide on CD, LP & All Quality Digital Formates
Bandcamp: https://joedeninzonstratospheerius.bandcamp.com/
CD Baby: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/joedeninzonstratospheeri5
Amazon: USA: http://amzn.to/2wNvjpo

 

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius to release Limited Edition “Guilty of Innocence” LP. Pre-orders Start this Friday

Melodic Revolution Records is pleased to announce that Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius will release their LP of their highly acclaimed fifth album “Guilty of Innocence” a year after the official CD release via Melodic Revolution Records. The 10-track LP will be available worldwide in both Physical and Digital formats. As with the previous CD & Digital version “Guilty of Innocence” features special appearances by Alex Skolnick(Testament), Rave Tesar(Renaissance) and Randy McStine (Lo-Fi Resistance, The Fringe).

Guilty of Innocence” highlights include the hit singles “Behind the Curtain” a reimagined cover of Muse’s “Hysteria,” and the 12-minute prog mini-epic titled “Soul Food” which features many of the guests mentioned above, plus “Dream Diary Cadenza,” a solo electric violin extravaganza lifted from Joe’s electric violin concerto.

Stratospheerius is led by founding member, electric violinist & vocalist Joe Deninzonwho has been called the “Jimi Hendrix of the electric violin.” “Guilty of Innocence” features French guitarist Aurelien Budynek(Cindy Blackman, Vernon Reid), bassist Jamie Bishop(The Syn, Francis Dunnery), and drummer Lucianna Padmore, praised by Modern Drummer Magazine for her “Deep grooves and serious fusion chops.”

Joe talks about the Vinyl/LP version of “Guilty of Innocence
Guilty of Innocence was a watershed moment for Stratospheeriusthis past year. After years of touring and putting out CD’s, I felt that this record was embraced by the progressive rock community on a bigger scale than any of our previous releases. In our touring and festival appearances alongside other artists in the prog world, I noticed more and more artists are manufacturing vinyl, and in many cases, it is outselling their CD’s at live shows. I believe the resurgent interest in vinyl has to do with the fact that in the digital age, we consume music on the go in a condensed mp3/streaming format. There is a hunger to hold something tangible in our hands, admire the artwork on a record, and have the home listening experience be something special. We are excited to join the growing community of artists putting out vinyl and hope our fans will buy the record and rediscover it (or DISCOVERit)!

LP Details
Artist: Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius
Album Title: “Guilty of Innocence”
Status: Limited Edition of 250 copies
Format: 33 rpm black vinyl – LP
Extras: Custom LP sleeve, all LPs come with a FREE download card
Release Date: Monday, October 8th, 2018
Pre-Orders begin Friday, September 14, 2018
Pre-Orders Price $25
Catalog No. MRRLP-12-006
Label: Melodic Revolution Records

Track Listing

Side One
1. Behind The Curtain 03:43
2. Take Your Medicine 04:10
3. Guilty Of Innocence 03:16
4. Face 05:46
5. Hysteria 04:13
6. Affluenza 03:08

Side Two
1. Parallel Reality 03:10
2. Game Of Chicken 05:03
3. Dream Diary Cadenza 04:12
4.Soul Food 12:46

Vinyl Pre-Orders begin Friday, September 14, 2018
https://joedeninzonstratospheerius.bandcamp.com
https://stratospheerius.bandcamp.com

What the critics are saying:

“Joe Deninzon has made a career…wielding his violin like a guitar. In that way, he has pioneered a new standard for rock violin, much the same way Ian Anderson did for flute.”
– PROGRESSION MAGAZINE

This is infectious, with no cure in sight. The arrangements are tight, everyone bounces off each other, and is one of the most poptastic progressive album one is likely to come across
5/5 Kev Rowland // Prog Archives

One of the perks of being a reviewer is that on some days you get the pleasure of getting introduced to some music or bands you never heard of but are actually quite good. Or in the case of Joe Deninzon And Stratospheerius, really good!
9/10 Arno Agterberg // DPRP

Joe Deninzon’s music is always both entertaining and creative. I have to say that this might very well be the best Stratospheerius album.
Gary Hill // Music Street Journal

The album comes with plenty of Progressive Rock tracks, it’s the other songs containing other styles that help to make the release even more entertaining. If you happen to be a fan of Progressive Rock, the new album of Guilty of Innocence album from Joe Deninzon and the band Stratospheerius is one album you need to check out.
Matheson Kamin // The Rock and Roll Report

Upcoming Shows

Sonic Voyage Festival and “Vinyl Release Party” with special guests
Oct 4th, 2018  doors at 7 pm
Shrine World Music Venue
2274 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. NY, NY
https://www.shrinenyc.com

ProgStock Festival
October 6th2018 at Midnight

Union County Performing Arts Center
1601 Irving Street, Rahway, New Jersey 07065
https://www.progstock.com/

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius Online.
Official Website: http://www.stratospheerius.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stratospheerius/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/@stratospheerius
Spotify: spoti.fi/2Qp5CmI
MRR Artist Profile: http://mrrmusic.com/joe-deninzon-stratospheerius/

Media Contact: Anne Leighton
Leighton Media [email protected]

Label: Melodic Revolution Records
Nick Katona: [email protected]

Melodic Revolution Records Online:
http://mrrmusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MelodicRevolutionRecords/ 
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https://www.youtube.com/c/MelodicRevolutionRecordsMusic 
https://twitter.com/MusicIsOurVoice 

Melodic Revolution Records Spotify Playlists:
https://open.spotify.com/user/melodicrevolutionrecords

Joe Deninzon A Weekend of Clinics, Workshops, Jam Sessions & More

I’m looking forward to a weekend of clinics, workshops, jam sessions, and incredible hangs with my fellow string nerds in Atlanta at the ASTA – American String Teachers Association National Conference. Here’s my schedule:

Friday, March 9th. 11 AM: “Finding the Hook-What’s in a Riff?” workshop/panel with David Wallace & Sean Grissom.

Friday, March 9th, 1 P.M: Meet & Greet at Ludwig Masters Publications booth/signing copies of my sheet music for “What’s That Thang?” and “Shock Therapy.”

Saturday, March 10th, 1:30 P.M: “3D Rock!” My solo workshop for string players about sonic architecture and incorporating electronic effects into a song.
(Hanover F Grand Hyatt. Atlanta, GA).
Sponsored by D’Addario Orchestral

Official Links
|
Website | Facebook | Twitter | MRR Profile Page |

Joe and his band Stratospheerious release the highly acclaimed album Guilty of Innocence via Melodic Revolution Records on September 29, 2017


New Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius Video ‘BEHIND THE CURTAIN’ (Exclusive World Premiere)

We are thrilled to announce the World Premiere of “Behind the Curtin” by Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius, the video will be available exclusively on Power of Prog between Jan 2nd and Jan 4th after which it will be available worldwide via YouTube Staring Monday, February 5th.

Joe says, “The song is about the rise and downfall of celebrity and the primal fascination we have in building someone up and tearing them down, watching someone suffer. We love to chastise someone while we ourselves often lead double lives, hiding all kinds of skeletons in our closets while pretending we are faultless.”

“Behind the Curtain” features actor Max McGuire “Star-Crossed Lovers” playing different characters and Stratospheerius members Joe Deninzon (electric violin & vocals), Jamie Bishop (bass), Aurelien Budynek (guitar), and drummer Lucianna Padmore wearing neon-colored masks.

In the video, Max plays a tormented wretched old man stuck in an endless maze of corridors in his mind, his own personal hell. Through the video, he opens different doors and enters new worlds where he assumes a different identity in each, putting on a face and playing a role, always returning back into his hallway of hell and searching for a new doorway to open, doomed to do this for eternity. The band represents the demons who continue to hover around and haunt this man, with a nod to the Droogs from Clockwork Orange.

The video was co-produced by renowned MTV producer David P. Levin, Filner at Alpha Wave Studios in East Hanover, NJ, and edited by David Milone and David P. Levin.

The album GUILTY OF INNOCENCE is finding praise for its songwriting, musicianship, vocals, inventiveness, and sounds:

“Joe Deninzon has made a career…wielding his violin like a guitar. In that way, he has pioneered a new standard for rock violin, much the same way Ian Anderson did for flute.”
PROGRESSION MAGAZINE

”When you put distorted guitars up against a violin you get magic. When you put a violin solo in a metal song, you get Fucking amazing shit! …pure magic!”
– Act One Magazine

GUILTY OF INNOCENCE is a howl for justice delivered by virtuosos completely in synch with one another!“ writes
– Strings Magazine, the “Bible” for the String music world. 

“GUILTY OF INNOCENCE is not only great but one of the most hectic and heart-stopping albums I’ve listened to,” states
– Music From the Other Side of the Room Zachary Nathanson.

Stratospheerius has showcased their “frenzied melange of progressive rock, jazz fusion and funkabilly” throughout the world at colleges, festivals, and clubs. They have opened for artists including Alex Skolnick, Gary Hoey, Martin Barre, Tim Reynolds, Mickey Hart, Mike Stern, and John Scofield. The group has played festivals including The Detroit International Jazz Festival, Great South Bay, Chattanooga RiverFest, Harmony Fest a number of times through the years. The band was a winner of the John Lennon International Songwriting Competition the Musicians Atlas Independent Music Awards. They have been featured in Progression, Relix, Downbeat, and Jazziz… Known as the “Jimi Hendrix of violin,” Joe is the author of Mel Bay’s electric violin technique book, “Plugging In: A Guide to Gear and Technique for the 21st Century String Player,” and has recently worked with Bruce Springsteen, Phoebe Snow, Everclear, Peter Criss from KISS, Renaissance, and as a soloist with Jazz at Lincoln Center, the New York City Ballet, and The Muncie Symphony Orchestra on his concerto!

Joe is a keynote speaker at the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) Annual Conference.

Clinic: Joe Deninzon 3D ROCK! on March 9 and 10, and performing with Sycamore High School’s Rock Youth Choir on February 16 in Montgomery, Ohio.

April 19, 2018, Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius and the band Edensong join forces with legendary radio stations WNYU and WUSB for a live progressive rock summit in New York City.

###

TOUR DATES
February 10th, at Sellersville, opening for John 5 (White Zombie)
April, 19th, at Drom, NYC with 2Birds and Edensong
April, 20th, at Olive’s, Nyack with Thrilldriver and Edensong
April, 27th, Mojo’s, Jamestown with Eric Brewer Band.
April, 8yh, TBA with Eric Brewer.

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Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius’ new album, GUILTY OF INNOCENCE Out Now on Melodic Revolution Records

Released on Melodic Revolution Records, a leading progressive rock label based in the U.S., GUILTY OF INNOCENCE features 10 tracks. Most of the album’s songs fuse lyrical and sonic elements heard in Tool, Tom Morello, Jack Bruce, and Jean-Luc Ponty. “Dream Diary Cadenza” is an instrumental solo piece from Joe’s “DREAM DIARY” Concerto for Orchestra and Electric Violin, which he debuted with the Muncie Symphony Orchestra in 2015. The album’s closing song is an epic 12 -minute piece which has Joe singing, “If music be the food of love, play on.” The song features Testament/TSO/Metal Allegiance guitarist Alex Skolnick, Renaissance’s keyboardist Rave Tesar, and the Fringe’s Randy McStine.

STRATOSPHEERIUS members include French guitarist Aurelien Budynek (Cindy Blackman, Vernon Reid), bassist Jamie Bishop (The Syn, Francis Dunnery), and drummer Lucianna Padmore, praised by Modern Drummer Magazine for her “Deep grooves and serious fusion chops.” Lucianna wrote “Affluenza,” on the album, and Joe wrote everything else except for “Hysteria,” a reimagined, Queen-esque version of the hit by the UK band Muse.

Joe produced the album. Engineers on the album are Rave Tesar, Alex Salzman, Tom Tedesco, and Joe. Mixed by Alex Salzman. Nic Hard, and Joe Deninzon. Mastered by Rave Tesar.

Reviews of GUILTY OF INNOCENCE have been exciting.
Zachary Nathanson’s MUSIC FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROOM blog states, “While Joe’s vocal arrangements are brilliant, alongside his electric violin comparing to Curved Air’s Darryl Way, Mahavishnu Orchestra’s Jerry Goodman, and Frank Zappa alumni Jean-Luc Ponty, they take inspirations between Zappa, King Crimson, Yes, and Muse…Guilty of Innocence is not only great but one of the most hectic and heart-stopping albums I’ve listened to.”

Writes Haydn Seek at SkeletonPete.com: “Deninzon and company’s virtuosity is undeniable, but their arrangements smartly favor the integrity of the song. Like the best heavy rock tunes of the past, soloing is integral to structure rather than presented for the sake of blowing. It’s progressive music that’s not afraid of a catchy chorus. Even the 12-minute closing track “Soul Food” is a well-crafted multi-tempo road trip. It ventures into magnum opus territory where ’70s rockers Kansas were at home, and features guest artist guitarist Alex Skolnick.”

Warlock Asylum International News loves Joe’s cover of Muse’s “Hysteria.” “Deninzon’s perfect vocal delivery and skills as a violinist. Stratospheerius is as tight as ever and really create a strong organic melody comparable to the original. Bravo! This is music!”

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius has showcased their “frenzied melange of progressive rock, jazz fusion, and funkabilly” at colleges, festivals, and clubs throughout the US and has opened for Tim Reynolds, Mickey Hart (Grateful Dead), Martin Barre (Jethro Tull), Mike Stern, Project Object, and John Scofield. The group was a winner of the John Lennon International Songwriting Competition and the Musicians Atlas Independent Music Awards, and Joe is a repeat recipient of a BMI Jazz composers award. A favorite among violinists everywhere and an active clinician, Joe is the author of the Mel Bay-published book, ”Plugging In: A Guide to Gear and New Techniques for the 21st Century.”

Tracklisting
1. Behind The Curtain
2. Take Your Medicine
3. Guilty of Innocence
4. Face
5. Hysteria
6. Affluenza
7. Parallel Reality
8. Game of Chicken
9.  Dream Diary Cadenza
10. Soul Food
Buy Now Links For Guilty of Innocence
Amazon USA | Amazon UK | Amazon Japan | CD Baby | Melodic Revolution RecordsiTunes | Google Play | Spotify |
Band Members
Joe Deninzon : Electric Violin, Lead Vocals & Mandolin
Aurelien Budynek : Guitar & Backup Vocals
Jamie Bishop : Bass & Backup Vocals
Lucianna Padmore : Drums
Follow Links
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Along with the album’s release, Deninzon is touring actively this fall with Stratospheerius, as well as his Latin jazz String Quartet Sweet Plantain (who also will be part of classic rock group Renaissance’s concerts for the recording of their upcoming Symphonic Album. Joe is soloing on electric violin for the performances, as well).
 Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius Tour Dates
Oct 19th Noon, 12 PM with Stratospheerius at Sweetwater. Ft. Wayne, IN
Oct 19th eve with Stratospheerius & King Llama at New Paradigm. Elkhart, IN
Oct 20th with Stratospheerius, King Llama, White Bush Unicorn @ The Frequency. Madison, Wi.
Oct 21st with Stratospheerius at Progtoberfest III. Reggie’s. Chicago, IL
Oct 31st Stratospheerius Halloween CD Release Party with Ad Astra and Van Davis
Nov 10th Stratospheerius CD Release Party at Cyber Cafe West. Binghamton, NY
Nov 11th, Stratospheerius Cleveland CD Release Party with EGO at Wilberts. Cleveland, OH
Dec 15th with Stratospheerius at Olives. Nyack, NY
Dec 16th Stratospheerius, Randy McStine, and Piktors Metamorphosis. 2 PM. Nj Proghouse. Roxy & Dukes. Dunellen, NJ.
Shows with Sweet Plantain & Renaissance can be viewed at  
https://joedeninzon.com/shows/
Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius – Guilty of Innocence on Spotify: 

“Hysteria” Official Musi Video

Media:
Anne Leighton:  [email protected]
Label and Media:
Melodic Revolution Records
Nick Katona: [email protected]
Radio:
Unleashed Music
Geordie Gillespie: [email protected]