DENINZONEWS FALL2016.
The latest on violinist/vocalist/mandolinist/composer Joe Deninzon
www.joedeninzon.com
www.twitter.com/@joedeninzon
Greetings!
Hope you had a great summer! It’s been a truly stellar one for me filled with incredible experiences I will never forget! Highlights include my 6th return to teaching at the Mark Wood Rock Orchestra Camp in Olathe, KS, truly one of the weeks I look forward to every year. I also got a chance to meet and perform with some amazing local musicians in Vail, CO in July, courtesy of Howard Stone and the Vail Jazz Society. Just this past week, I had a chance once again to perform with #TheBoss, Bruce Springsteen at Metlife Stadium, as part of an all-star string section which featured Todd Reynolds, Sam Bardfeld, Mazz Swift, Sarah Caswell, Rachel Golub, Janey Choi, and Joyce Hammann. Hearing the roar of 50,000 people when we hit the stage was an out-of-body experience, plus performing with an artist who I can cite among my top 5 biggest musical influences of all time! I am grateful for all these great moments, and looking forward to the cool stuff happening this fall.
I am writing this from my hotel room in Tusayan Village near the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, where I just finished teaching the 10th year of the Grand Canyon School of Rock program I co-founded in 2006, followed by another performance with renowned harmonica virtuoso Robert Bonfiglio and the guitar god Steve Benson.
The next few weeks are filled with more highlights, including Sweet Plantain’s return to the NACAP (Native American Composers Apprentice Project) and the Grand Canyon Music Festival, a residency in Reading, PA followed by performances in Baltimore and Kentucky, Stratospheerius opening for Alex Skolnick in Asbury Park and touring the Midwest with Circuline and Cell15 as part of the Sonic Voyages Prog Rock Festival, studio project, and much much more..
Upcoming shows in NYC, NJ, Ohio, PA,Maryland, Kentucky,, Arizona, and more…!
Grand Canyon Music Festival/School of Rock/NACAP with Sweet Plantain and Robert Bonfiglio Group
Friday, September 2nd, 7:30 P.M.
Saturday, September 3rd, 7:30 P.M.
Sunday, September 4th, 5 P.M.
Upcoming STRATOSPHEERIUS shows. Sonic Voyages tour, and more!
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/STRATOSPHEERIUS
This fall, I am honored to have one of the best-ever lineups of Stratospheerius.
These guys are incredible! DO NOT miss these shows!
Aurelien Budynek-guitar (Cindy Blackman Santanna, Rock of Ages, Daredevil Squadron, the Dan Band)
Randy McStine-bass (LoFi Resistance, The Fringe, Stu Hamm)
Jason Gianni-drums (Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Rock of Ages, Daredevil Squadron, Mark Wood band)
Wednesday, September 14th, 7:30 P.M.
Opening for Alex Skolnick Trio at The Saint (Asbury Park, NJ)
Alex Skolnick is a guitar legend, best known for his work with Testament in the early 90’s through today, plus his time with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and numerous other projects. I was fortunate to befriend Alex in the early 2000’s when I was teaching at the New School and he was there studying Jazz guitar. He played in Stratospheerius for 3 years and recorded on two of our albums: “The Adventures of Stratospheerius“ and “Live Wires“. It will be a thrill to share the stage with him again and open for his incredible band!
https://www.facebook.com/events/169742536790677/
STRATOSPHEERIUS, CIRCULINE, AND CELL 15 EMBARK ON SONIC VOYAGE FEST!
What started out as a three-band gig has turned a traveling music festival!
Circuline, Stratospheerius, and Cell15 are on tap for fall Sonic Voyage Fests. Look for the Festival to hit Gullifty’s in Camp Hill, PA on September 28, Wilberts in Cleveland, OH on September 29, Sodbuster in Sylvania, OH on September 30, and Cyber Cafe West in Binghamton, NY on October 1.
Sonic Voyage Fest’s purpose is to create a night of music that dazzles with virtuosity, ignites the senses, and pushes boundaries. Writes ProgSheet’s editor John A. Wilcox, “Sonic Voyage Fest was like General Tso’s chicken: spicy, filling, and I already want more!”

Wednesday, September 28th
Gullifty’s in Camp Hill, PA
https://www.facebook.com/events/636021929897751/
Thursday, September 29th
Wilberts in Cleveland, OH
https://www.facebook.com/events/1748494098736924/
Friday, September 30th
Sodbuster in Sylvania, OH
https://www.facebook.com/events/1810324092524155/
Oct 1, Cyber Cafe West in Binghamton, NY
https://www.facebook.com/events/102347393542664/
Sweet Plantain Residency in Reading, PA and performances in Maryland and Kentucky
Wednesday, October 21st
WXAC’s Concert Series @ The Pond, 6-7:30 P.M.
Reading, PA
https://www.facebook.com/events/1221717494539503/
Friday, October 14th, 8 P.M.
Weinberger Center for the Arts
Frederick, MD
https://www.facebook.com/events/191287581289918/
Tuesday, October 25th, 7:30-9:30 P.M.
Glema Mahr Center for the Arts
Madisonville, KY
https://www.facebook.com/events/946020202174681/
Sweet Plantain is:
Joe Deninzon-violin/mandolin/vocals
Eddie Venegas-violin/trombone
Leo Grinhauz-cello
Orlando Wells-viola
www.sweetplantain.com
www.facebook.com/sweetplantain
Joe Deninzon other performances
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4TH
Performing with clarinetist David Krakauer and Ancestral String Band with Sarah Caswell
The Stone
200 E. 10th St. #126
New York, NY
JOE DENINZON GUEST APPEARANCES/RECORDING PROJECTS
In the past year, I had the pleasure of guesting on numerous cool and exciting recording projects, many of which have seen their release in the past few months. Here are some highlights:
Bella D-The Crystal Ceiling
Here’s a project I worked on last year! I did most of the string arranging and playing, plus my dear friend the late great David Gotay plays a beautiful cello solo on “Dio Solitaire de la Notte.” The singer is Bella D and the music is intense, honest hard rock that tells an incredible story of what she overcame in recent years. Produced by drummer Charlie Zeleny. Check it out!
Order here:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-crystal-ceiling/id1106980542
Tiles-Pretending 2 Run
TILES is a renowned, Detroit-based progressive rock group, now in its second decade, which has toured with the likes of Dream Theater, and has done some shows with Stratospheerius. I am honored to be included on their new album, alongside such luminaries as Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull, as well as Mike Portnoy! Look for some upcoming shows with both of our bands.
Order here:
https://www.discogs.com/Tiles-Pretending-2-Run/release/8320478
Pitts/Minneman Project
Jimmy Pitts is a composer/keyboard virtuoso out of Detroit. This is my second time as a guest on one of his albums, alongside legendary drummer Marco Minneman (Eddie Jobson, Joe Satriani, Buddy Rich, Paul Gilbert, Terry Bozzio). I play on the song “A Faint Beautiful Glow,” which closes out the album.
Order here:
https://jimmypitts.bandcamp.com/album/the-psychic-planetarium
Circuline: Return
Circuline is a new prog band that I have had the pleasure to record and perform with. This is their debut album, released last year.. Check out the song “Silence Revealed,’ masterfully written by my friend Randy McStine.
Check out the video for the song here:
Check out 3 of the latest songs from Stratospheerius! Our last single, “Take Your Medicine,” is getting rave responses and trending on Reverbnation.com

Give the string player in your life new abilities to rock out and blow people’s minds!
ORDER “JOE DENINZON’S BOOK/DVD/CD “PLUGGING IN” FROM MEL BAY PUBLICATIONS