For Your Consideration
Electric Violinist/Vocalist Joe Deninzon (new member of Kansas) and his band Stratospheerius.
Best Rock Performance: “One Foot in the Next World (Live at ProgStock)”
Best Jazz Performance: “Spain (Live at ProgStock)
featuring Alex Skolnick and Rachel Flowers
Best Rock Album: “Behind the Curtain (Live at ProgStock)
“Deninzon attacks his electric violin and vocal cords with enviable fierceness. “One Foot in the Next World” finishes this flaming set by finding Joe in a Hendrix mode-.. with his nose operating the fingerboard—and there’s a symbolic bridging of the past and future which mere mortals can rarely achieve.”
Dmitry Epstein
-DMME.net
“Every song has enough hooks to crochet a blanket big enough to cover a football stadium. Interesting chord sequences and mood changes pile one atop the other in waves of pleasant surprise. These guys rock hard enough to rip your face off! The performance is so alive, I can almost feel the discomfort of the old theatre seat on my bum. Wow!”
-John Giordano
www.theprogressiveaspect.net
“The band, is outstanding — drummer Jason Gianni, guitarist Michelangelo Quirinale, and bassist Paul Ranieri are all strong players, and are collectively a very tight and well-rehearsed unit. And with the way Deninzon swoops, chops, and coaxes all manner of noises out of his violin, he certainly lives up to the ‘Jimi Hendrix of violin’ label he’s gotten from the press.”
-Howard Whitman,
Goldmine Magazine
“This is an absolutely glorious set from a group who consistently deliver. It is perhaps no surprise at all that Kansas chose Joe as violinist on their 50th Anniversary Tour. That is amazing news for him, but let us hope it is not too long until we get more music from these guys, as this collection is just stunning.”
-Kev Rowland
Progarchives.com
“Behind the Curtain (Live at ProgStock)” is Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius’ long-awaited (and incredible) live box set of 2 CDs and 2 DVD/Blu-rays. Three years in the making, the album is made up of live performances at the ultimate Northeast progressive rock festival, ProgStock in 2019 and 2021.
The album includes Joe’s live collaboration with blind multi-instrumental prodigy Rachel Flowers (flute and piano) and guitarist Alex Skolnick (Testament, Trans Siberian Orchestra) on Chick Corea’s “Spain.”
A treasure in the prog rock community, Joe’s been dubbed “the Jimi Hendrix of Electric Violin.” Joe is the leader in alternative violin techniques, multi-talent and teacher and side guy for bands including Renaissance, the Who, Ritchie Blackmore, Bruce Springsteen. He’s the author of the Mel Bay’s “Plugging In.”
Joe is the new violinist and rhythm guitarist for Kansas, and the songwriter/vocalist/electric violinist/leader of Stratospheerius. Their most previous 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, are signed to Melodic Revolution Records.
Joe and his bandmembers (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 and other streaming services.
Media Contact: Anne Leighton, 718-881-8183, LeightonMedia@aol.com, Anne@AnneLeighton.com
