The new Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius music video, “Voodoo Vortex (Part 1)” might remind fans of prog rock, fusion, and classic rock of the 1970s in sound and look. Musically Joe was channeling his favorite fusion violinists—Jean Luc Ponty, Mahavishnu Orchestra’s Jerry Goodman, Didier Lockwood, and Eddie Jobson.
First Joe organized some video imagery generated and edited by Robert Minsk. Next, Joe interspersed photos by (“Impostor!” album designer) Jody Gianni and performance footage shot by (Stratospheerius’ “Outrage Olympics” video director) David Levin from the band’s recent album release party in Rutherford, NJ.
The video premieres at Stratospheerius’ online watch party on YouTube on Friday, February 21, at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT/3 AM on Saturday the 22 in the Netherlands at
“Impostor!” has found fans all over the world. The initial music video “Outrage Olympics” was recently chosen to be featured at the LA-based “Independent Shorts” awards. In the past few months, over 120 stations have picked up the album for airplay, helping the band chart on Relix/Jamband radio, and finding favor on a number of Best of 2024 album lists, including the song “Chasing the Dragon” making its way to Epic Tracks of the Year charts. Now the album’s been picked up for International Distribution in the UK by Burning Shed, and Germany’s Just for Kicks.
The Progressive Aspect’s John Giordano compares “Voodoo Vortex (Part 1)” to King Crimson’s “Matte Kudasai.” “The effects Deninzon uses on the violin deepen the aural interest,” and raves about the “Impostor!” album, “While there is a definite Kansas vibe, no other band sounds quite like Stratospheerius.” The Prog Report’s Prog Nick loves the “glorious melody” of “Voodoo Vortex (Part I).” “Ethereal and hazy to begin with, it develops into an expansive arrangement in 11/8 timing that, despite its complexity, will have your head bobbing. The weaving interplay between Deninzon’s violin and Hubauer’s keyboards will enrapture you, and Gianni holds it all together perfectly, with an economical yet elaborate approach. He is a very fine drummer indeed.”
Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius released “Impostor!” on Trey Gunn’s 7d Media and features Joe (electric 7-string violin, acoustic violin, viola, chin cello, lead and background vocals, and producer), Michelangelo Quirinale-(Guitars), Paul Ranieri (bass), Jason Gianni (drums), and Bill Hubauer (keyboards). “Impostor!” is mixed and mastered by Rich Mouser (Tears for Fears, Dream Theater, Weezer). The group’s music’s been compared to Rush, Muse, Dream Theater, and Kansas, who welcomed Joe into the band in May 2023. “While Kansas became my main gig, it was my work with Stratospheerius that got their attention.”
The first single “Outrage Olympics” is now streaming on all digital platforms. Plus the album Impostor! is available for pre-order on Bandcamp and the 7D Media website.
Led by the remarkable Kansas violinist/guitarist Joe Deninzon, who also serves as the frontman and lead singer, Stratospheerius boasts a talented lineup including guitarist Michelangelo Quirinale (Thrilldriver), keyboardist Bill Hubauer (Neal Morse Band, Crack the Sky), bassist Paul Ranieri (Mark Wood, Riot Act), and drummer Jason Gianni (Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Rock of Ages, Neal Morse Band).
The band’s sixth album “Impostor!” will be released on October 11 by 7d Media. Their album features an impressive array of guest musicians from the prog rock world, such as Michael Sadler (Saga), Randy McStine (Porcupine Tree), Fernando Perdomo (Jacob Dylan), Chloe Lowery (Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Val Vigoda (Groovelilly), and multi instrumentalist Rachel Flowers.
Joe Deninzon has been hailed by critics as “The Jimi Hendrix of the Violin,” because of his innovative style on the “Viper” seven-string electric violin. Joe is the lead singer and violinist for the progressive rock band, Stratospheerius, which has just released their 6th album, “Behind the Curtain (Live at ProgStock).” He can be heard on over a hundred albums and jingles as a violinist and string arranger.
Deninzon has performed and/or recorded with the Who, Bruce Springsteen, 50 Cent, Sheryl Crow, Ritchie Blackmore, Alex Skolnick, Smokey Robinson, Les Paul, Peter Criss from KISS, Michael Sadler, Renaissance with Annie Haslam, Kurt Elling, and as a soloist with Jazz at Lincoln Center and the New York City Ballet. A BMI Composer’s Grant recipient and winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, he has written solo works for violinist Rachel Barton Pine, and in 2015, premiered his Electric Violin Concerto with the Muncie Symphony Orchestra.
Joe holds a Bachelors degree in Violin Performance from Indiana University and a Masters in Jazz Violin From Manhattan School of music.
KANSAS original member and drummer Phil Ehart comments, “We are extremely excited for Joe Deninzon to be the newest member of KANSAS. We believe KANSAS fans will enjoy what Joe will bring to the band. We are excited to kick off the KANSAS 50th Anniversary Tour. As the paragraph in the band’s first album said, ‘KANSAS IS A BAND’ and we remain so to this day.”
Deninzon adds, “As a lifelong fan of Kansas, I am overwhelmed and humbled to have been invited to join this legendary band! I have the deepest respect for Robby and David and will do my best to honor and build on their musical legacy.”
Joe Deninzon’s first performance with the band will be in Pittsburgh, PA on June 2 at the Benedum Center during the premier date of the KANSAS 50th Anniversary Tour – Another Fork in the Road.
A complete list of KANSAS 50th Anniversary Tour – Another Fork in the Road is below. Ticket and VIP Package information can be found at KansasBand.com.
Join Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius on YouTube Saturday, February 27th at 3 PM EST for a chance to win free music downloads. There can only be 20, will you be one of them?
The new video features claymation with live footage from each band member from their own studio. “Cognitive Dissonance” is a collaboration with Patrick Carmichael, who has subbed on drums for the band through the years.
“Cognitive Dissonance”’s first verse deals with the confusion we go through, when elders and leaders influence us to change our minds with their negative feelings on those we care about. “We are all born innocent, free of prejudice and hatred, but our elders make us carry a heavy burden, which can last our whole lives. Hatred is taught, we are not born with it,” explains Joe. “We all see children that are terrified by friends that are their same ages, because their parents have taught them negative things about other religions, ethnicities, genders, skin colors, political ideologies….” He says prejudicial teachings “can create “cognitive dissonance” in anyone’s mind when they’re told their friends are ‘evil’ because they have different roots.”
The second verse deals with political and ideological intolerance. “There’s rising extremism, and it’s been this way for decades. People are prisoners of fake news, social media echo chamber bubbles, and politicians who reinforce conspiracy theories and retweet them to their followers. The line ‘No one can touch us now’ refers to people hiding behind their screens, spewing the deep-rooted hatred without fear of physical retaliation. Even though I wrote the song a year ago, I think it eerily speaks to recent events.”
“It’s easy to write about our high ideals and our wishes for world peace, but when you have a gun pointed to your head or your business is burning down, it’s a rude awakening about how nasty the world really is. The big collective guitar/electric violin solo at the end represents two sides screaming at each other, full of hatred, fading out screaming, never reaching an understanding or resolving anything.”
Multi-instrumentalist Randy McStine, who has subbed in Stratospheerius on guitar, bass, and drums, has played on a few of the band’s songs: “Soul Food” and “Impostor.” His voice blends with Joe’s, that “we thought it’d be cool to have him sing lead on the second version of ‘Cognitive Dissonance.’”
Joe has been called The Jimi Hendrix of the electric violin. Stratospheerius has showcased their “frenzied mélange of progressive rock, jazz fusion and funkabilly” throughout the world. Stratospheerius 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, among other publications. Their last album on Melodic Revolution Records, “Guilty of Innocence,” has been widely acclaimed by critics and fans. Joe has played violin in orchestras for Bruce Springsteen, the Who, Sheryl Crow, 50 Cent, and Renaissance.
Stratospheerius is: Joe Deninzon – lead vocals/electric violin Jason Gianni – drums Michelangelo Quirinale – guitar Paul Ranieri – bass
Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius has released their first new song “Cognitive Dissonance,” with a claymation video to follow in late February. The video is a collaboration with Patrick Carmichael, who has subbed on drums for the band through the years.
“Cognitive Dissonance”’s first verse deals with the confusion we go through, when elders and leaders influence us to change our minds with their negative feelings on those we care about. “We are all born innocent, free of prejudice and hatred, but our elders make us carry a heavy burden, which can last our whole lives. Hatred is taught, we are not born with it,” explains Joe. “We all see children that are terrified by friends that are their same ages, because their parents have taught them negative things about other religions, ethnicities, genders, skin colors, political ideologies….” He says prejudicial teachings “can create “cognitive dissonance” in anyone’s mind when they’re told their friends are ‘evil’ because they have different roots.”
The second verse deals with political and ideological intolerance. “There’s rising extremism, and it’s been this way for decades. People are prisoners of fake news, social media echo chamber bubbles, and politicians who reinforce conspiracy theories and retweet them to their followers. The line ‘No one can touch us now’ refers to people hiding behind their screens, spewing the deep-rooted hatred without fear of physical retaliation. Even though I wrote the song a year ago, I think it eerily speaks to recent events.”
“It’s easy to write about our high ideals and our wishes for world peace, but when you have a gun pointed to your head or your business is burning down, it’s a rude awakening about how nasty the world really is. The big collective guitar/electric violin solo at the end represents two sides screaming at each other, full of hatred, fading out screaming, never reaching an understanding or resolving anything.”
Multi-instrumentalist Randy McStine, who has subbed in Stratospheerius on guitar, bass, and drums, has played on a few of the band’s songs: “Soul Food” and “Impostor.” His voice blends with Joe’s, that “we thought it’d be cool to have him sing lead on the second version of ‘Cognitive Dissonance.’”
Joe has been called The Jimi Hendrix of the electric violin. Stratospheerius has showcased their “frenzied mélange of progressive rock, jazz fusion and funkabilly” throughout the world. Stratospheerius 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, among other publications. Their last album on Melodic Revolution Records, “Guilty of Innocence,” has been widely acclaimed by critics and fans. Joe has played violin in orchestras for Bruce Springsteen, the Who, Sheryl Crow, 50 Cent, and Renaissance.
Stratospheerius is: Joe Deninzon – lead vocals/electric violin Jason Gianni – drums Michelangelo Quirinale – guitar Paul Ranieri – bass
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