Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius will be live-streaming their first full band performance since March 2020 from a friend’s (Matt Vanacoro) studio! The performance will culminate with the WORLD PREMIERE of a new Song & Video STORM SURGE!
STORM SURGE will NOT be available to the public until late September early October. The band are making this early access to the song an EXCLUSIVE for Virtual Progstock attendees.
A little over a year ago, my son Max was playing a short piano piece by 19th-century composer Friedrich Burgmüller, called “The Storm.” The piece was stuck in my head because I would hear him practicing it every day. I started to imagine it as a rock power ballad and began to sketch out a slowed-down version with the basic chord changes and structure.
I was imagining a cello replacing the ostinato part played by the left hand on the piano, so I asked my friend Ruti Celli, who I met on Cruise to the Edge last year when we played with Dave Kerzner and In Continuum, to contribute her beautiful part.
Our drummer, Jason Gianni, had a sketch he never finished that he thought would be a perfect fit in the middle of the song. I layered a huge string orchestra on top of that section and recruited the great guitarist/producer Fernando Perdomoto laid down a soaring guitar solo.
Next, I was hearing a flute during the breakdown section that followed. We have never had a flute, or any woodwinds for that matter, on one of our recordings! I asked the genius multi-instrumentalist Rachel Flowers to play the flute and lay down a piano track for the song. Rachel has been blind since age 3 and plays piano, flute, bass, guitar, drums, stick, sings, and records and mixes her own albums! I’ve met and worked with a lot of gifted people in my career, but don’t think I have ever met a person with this level of talent! Check out the documentary about her, Hearing is Believing, on Amazon Prime.
Finally, I’ve been into the idea of using outside singers inStratospheerius. Up until his time, I have always been the lead vocalist. The new album we are slowly putting together will feature many special guests.
We’ve been longtime fans of the 80’s Canadian band SAGA best known for hits like “Wind Him Up” and “On The Loose.” When we played the afterparty at ProgStock Festival afterparty back in 2018, Saga’s lead singer Michael Sadler caught our set after his performance at the festival, and was raving about the band! We were incredibly humbled to receive such words of encouragement from such an iconic artist.
We felt Michael’s voice would be perfect for this song! He ended up contributing a jaw-dropping vocal performance, enhancing the melody, and adding Queenesque harmonies. As a side note, he and his wife Gwen turned out to be some of the nicest and most gracious people I have ever worked with.
Storm Surge is about the anxiety we all feel in these uncertain times. With the global pandemic, the fight against racism and the continuing struggle for social justice, climate change, political upheaval, economic turmoil, and a future of uncertainty, there is a storm that’s raging inside of us right now.
Stratospheerius is: Joe Deninzon – lead vocals/electric violin Jason Gianni- drums Michelangelo Quirinale – guitar Paul Ranieri – bass
Storm Surge Video and Single Special Guests Michael Sadler: Vocals Rachel Flowers: Keys and Flute RutiCelli – Cello Fernando Perdomo Guitar Tracked by Rave Tesar (Renaissance) Mixed and mastered by Rich Mouser (Spocks Beard, Dream Theater) Label: Melodic Revolution Records
Tuesday, July 2, 2019 @ 12:00pm (noon) US Eastern time
Due to popular demand single-day passes will be available two full months earlier than planned!
Starting Tuesday, July 2, 2019, you will be able to purchase a ProgStock 2019 Regular 3-Day Pass at the ProgStock Box Office by selecting any available seat within the areas set-aside for three-day pass holders. This three-day pass to the festival also provides you with these additional perks:
Access to all artist meet-and-greet sessions on each day
Access to all late-night events on each day (as capacity allows)
The price of a ProgStock 2019 Regular 3-Day Pass is $195 USD. These passes will only be available at this special low price until Tuesday, September 10, 2019.
Also starting Tuesday, July 2, 2019, you will be able to purchase a ProgStock 2019 Single-Day Pass for any day of the festival at the ProgStock Box Office by selecting any available seat within the areas set-aside for single-day pass holders. This single-day pass to the festival provides you with access to the artist meet-and-greet sessions on that day only, and access to the late-night events that occur after the mainstage performances on that day only(with priority given to three-day pass-holders when capacity is limited).
The prices of ProgStock 2019 Single-Day Passes are as follows: $75 USD for Friday, $105 USD for Saturday, and $115 USD for Sunday.
Now for the moment many of you have been waiting for… Here is the daily schedule for ProgStock 2019!
Friday, October 11th 2019 3.2 featuring Robert Berry Salem Hill Phideaux Special set by Rachel Flowers and Chris Clark of Brand X Late-night: Progressive Coffeehouse at The Waiting Room Restaurant featuring Melanie Mau and Martin Schnella
Saturday, October12th, 2019 Brand X IO Earth Discipline Rocket Scientists Jane Getter Premonition Special set by Rachel Flowers and Robert Berry Late-night: Randy McStine and Last Call Live on the Mainstage at UCPAC
Sunday, October13th, 2019 SAGA Nektar Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius The Cyberiam Special set by Rachel Flowers and Michael Sadler of SAGA Late-Night: Kinetic Element at The Waiting Room Restaurant
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
“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/
Tickets at the “Prog-Moter” level are on sale now, as of May 8th at 12:00 PM EDT, via the Union County Performing Arts Center (UC PAC) box office. The price of these tickets is $295.00 for the entire 3-day festival, October 5-7 at UCPAC in Rahway, NJ. This package lets you choose your favorite seat within our amazing theater, and entitles you to receive a merchandise gift from the producers of ProgStock as a token of our appreciation. Act fast…this package will only be available until June 12, 2018!
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.”
Band Members
Joe Deninzon : Electric Violin, Lead Vocals & Mandolin
Aurelien Budynek : Guitar & Backup Vocals
Jamie Bishop : Bass & Backup Vocals
Lucianna Padmore : Drums
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
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
