Photo – Joel Barrios
We are extremely thrilled to announce that our very good friend and and MRR recording artist Joe Deninzon has become the new Violinist/Guitarist for KANSAS, Joe is succeeding the departing David Ragsdale.
From all of us at Melodic Revolution Records, congratulations Joe Deninzon, we are all very proud of you and we know that KANSAS have made the right choice in you!
See you on the road.
Here is the post from https://kansasband.com/
The band KANSAS is excited to announce the addition of violinist/guitarist Joe Deninzon to the band. He is succeeding the departing David Ragsdale.
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.
Joe adds, “As a lifelong fan of KANSA, 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”
KANSAS 50th Anniversary Tour – Another Fork in the Road tickets and VIP Package information can be found at KansasBand.com
Kansas online
www.kansasband.com
www.facebook.com/kansasband
www.twitter.com/kansasband
www.instagram.com/kansasband
www.youtube.com/kansas
In related news!
Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius have just released their new 4 Disc (2-CD / 1-DVD / 1 Blu-ray) boxset Behind the Curtain -Live at ProgStockFilmed & Recorded Live on location at ProgStock Festival Union County Performing Arts Center, Rahway, NJ on October 13th, 2019 and October 2nd, 2021
“Behind the Curtain (Live at ProgStock)” was three years in the making; the collection is made up of his 2019 and 2021 live performances at the ultimate Northeast progressive rock festival, ProgStock. Writes festival attendee John Giordano in the new issue of UK’s “The Progressive Aspect, “The performance is so alive, I can almost feel the discomfort of the old theatre seat on my bum. Wow!”
Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius will celebrate the release at the Iridium, NYC, May 31, 2023 This is the only USA show for the group this spring and summer. Special guests for this performance and party are Randy McStine (Porcupine Tree), and Bill Hubauer (Neal Morse). Randy and Bill and Joe have shared bills and recording projects through the years.
Disc 1 (2019) Track-list
01-Behind the Curtain-Live at ProgStock
02-Release-Live at ProgStock
03-Impostor!-Live at ProgStock
04-Frame by Frame-Live at ProgStock
05-Climbing-Live at ProgStock
06-The Missing Link-Live at ProgStock
07-Gods-Live at ProgStock
08-Game of Chicken-Live at ProgStock
09-The Prism-Live at ProgStock
Disc 2 (2021) Track-list
01-Take Your Medicine-Live at ProgStock
02-Cognitive Dissonance-Live at ProgStock
03-Storm Surge-Live at ProgStock (feat. Rachel Flowers)
04-Spain-Live at ProgStock (feat. Rachel Flowers and Alex Skolnick)
05-Hysteria-Live at ProgStock
06-Heavy Shtettle-Live at ProgStock (feat. Alex Skolnick)
07-One Foot in the Next World-Live at ProgStock
Digital Only Bonus Track: Heavy Shtettle (Live at ProgStock) 2019
Watch These Live at ProgStock Videos
1. One Foot in the Next World (Live at ProgStock)
2. Spain (Live at ProgStock) feat. Joe Deninzon, Rachel Flowers, & Alex Skolnick
3. The Prism (Live at Progstock)
4. Game of Chicken (Live at Progstock) Official Video
“(Live at ProgStock)” features eclectic covers. King Crimson’s “Frame by Frame” a Queen-esque approach to muse’s “Hysteria,” and an unrehearsed cover of Chick Corea’s “Spain” with blind piano and flute virtuoso Rachel Flowers and Alex Skolnick.
Singles include; “Game of Chicken” is about the race to self-destruction. The country-inspired “Climbing,” and Joe’s co-write with Alex Skolnick “Heavy Shtettle,” are just part of Stratospheerius’ sound. There’s are topical songs for speaking up against corrupt and hypocritical leaders, “Behind The Curtain,” “The Prism,” “Take Your Medicine,” “One Foot in the Next World.”
Band Members
Stratospheerius is:
Joe Deninzon: Lead Vocals, Electric 7-String ”Viper” violin
Michelangelo Quirinale : Guitar, & Vocals
Paul Ranieri: Bass, & Vocals
Jason Gianni: Drums, & Vocals
Friends who performed on Behind The Curtain – Live at ProgStock:
Rachel Flowers : Piano & Flute
Alex Skolnick: Guitar
Production Notes
All song’s music & lyrics by Joe Deninzon © 2022 Fiddlefunk Music. All rights reserved.
Storm Surge by Joe Deninzon, Jason Gianni, and Michael Sadler. Based on themes from “L’orage (The Storm) by Frederic
Climbing by Joe Deninzon and Mack Price @2008 Fiddlefunk Music. All rights reserved.
Heavy Shtettle by Joe Deninzon & Alex Skolnick @2004 Fiddlefunk Music. All rights reserved.
Spain by Chick Corea and Joaquin Rodrigo Copyright © 1973, 1982 Universal Music Corp. Copyright Renewed.
Hysteria by Matthew Belamy, Chris Woldtenholme, Dominic Howard Published by WC Music Corp OBO Warner/Chappell Music Ltd.
Frame by Frame by Adrian Belew, Robert Fripp, Tony Levin, and William Scott Bruford. Published by Universal Music-Careers Obo E.G. Music Ltd. Burgmüller
Chasing the Dragon (end credits) by Joe Deninzon & Jason Gianni ©2022 Fiddlefunk Music boards JSGDrum Music. All rights reserved.
Live audio mixed by Matt Vanacoro
Mastered by Dave Kerzner
DVD and Blu-ray authored by Joel Barrios
Backdrop videos edited by Joe Deninzon & David P. Levin
www.brainstorm-inc.com
Live video edited by Joe Deninzon with assistance from David P. Levin Filmed by Matt Urban
Backdrop video projection (2019): David P. Levin Backdrop video projection (2021): Brando Jenkins
Sound engineer: Joel Simches
Stage monitor engineer: Robert Frazza Livestream filmed by Erik Nielsen
Photographers: Joel Barrios (2019), Eric Pseja (2019), Brian Tirpak (2019), Erik Nielsen (2021)
Joe (plays in orchestras for the Who, Bruce Springsteen, 50Cent, and as the concertmaster for Renaissance) and his band mates: (Jason Gianni-drums (The Ultimate Queen Celebration, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Rock of Ages, Neal Morse Band), Michelangelo Quirinale-guitar (Thrilldriver), and Paul Ranieri-bass (Mark Wood, Riot Act), have streamed over 3 million times on Spotify, YouTube, and other digital services.
Stratospheerius has showcased their “frenzied mélange of progressive rock, jazz fusion and funkabilly” throughout the world at colleges, festivals, and clubs. They have opened for artists including Alex Skolnick, Martin Barre, Tim Reynolds, Mickey Hart, Mike Stern, and John Scofield. 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, among other publications.
What the critics have said.
Confession time. How often do you find yourself reviewing a band that had remained unknown to you previously, yet you find their material to be so compellingly good, you want to discover everything about them. Such is the issue with a band from America called Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius.
– Greg Cummings – DPRP
“Deninzon has been called the Jimi Hendrix of electric violin… his violin swoops, howls, and dive bombs, while charting an eccentric course that conjoins whiplash funk, spacey electronic, and progressive rock!!”
-Strings Magazine
“Stratospheerius does not play what you want; it plays things you didn’t know you wanted.”
– Dan Roth, Progression
“a whirling dervish of vibrant creativity. He is one of those folks who seem to have a limitless supply of intriguing ideas. Deninzon is the embodiment of a true progressive artist…”
– Eric Harabadian, Downbeat
“combines solid songwriting and tradition with extraordinary electric violin work and the sounds of the future.”
– Angel Romero, Progressive Rock Central
“Joe Deninzon brings the process of bringing the violin into the 21st century by making the music and technology of the contemporary electric guitarist available to the curious and willing violinist.
– Mimi Rabson, Strings Magazine
“Think a bit of Zappa, the Dixie Dregs or Blues Traveler, with the violin being the focal point. Violinist & singer Joe Deninzon’s talents are flat out phenomenal, and the progressive rock tapestry he weaves around himself is carried out to perfection by his amazing band.”
– Mark Waterbury, Music Morsels
“Deninzon shows how he has earned the nickname the Jimi Hendrix of violin as he tears threw a distortion heavy solo that points more in the direction of Guns N Roses Slash than Yo Yo Ma.”
– Justin Scro , Cashbox Magazine
“Memorable hooks, gravity-defying instrumental prowess and a kitchen sink move toward rock If Bela Fleck and Frank Zappa had a love child in outer space, they might grow up to sound like these guys do.”
– David Budin, CoolCleveland.com
Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius previous studio album, “Guilty of Innocence” reached #4 on the Jamband/Relix charts in North America, and broke the European Top 200 Indy releases at 72. The group, which has 5 albums out, is signed to Melodic Revolution Records.
Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius Online
Website: https://stratospheerius.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stratospheerius/
Bandcamp: https://joedeninzonstratospheerius.bandcamp.com/
Patron: https://www.patreon.com/joedeninzon
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3VKVc5OQCFWXFyhRI01zOD?si=Ivsu7NvlRr-E43ZEorEIvQ
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joedeninzon
Melodic Revolution Records Online
Website: https://mrrmusic.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelodicRevolutionRecords/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MelodicRevolutionRecordsMusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melodicrevolutionrecords/
Bandcamp: https://myrevolution.bandcamp.com/