All the news that’s fit to print about violinist/composer/singer Joe Deninzon
Greetings, beautiful people of the Earth!
Happy Spring!
Joe D here coming atcha. It’s that time of year when the weather up here in NJ is teasing us. One week,it’s in the 80s, next week it’s in the 40’s. You blink, and summer has turned back to spring again. It’s easy to fuck up and not dress for the weather. Oh well, it’ll get blazing hot and stay blazing hot before we know it, so I’m trying to enjoy the chilly weather while I can.
Anyway, lot’s cooking in my world, as always. Here’s where I’ve been and where I’m going.
On March 1st, Stratospheerius returned to the legendary Iridium Club in NYC for the third time!
This time, we co-billed with the great guitarist/songwriter Jane Getter. Joining our band was Neil “Nail” Alexander on keys and Jeff Koch on bass. The place was packed, and the audience also included our friend Derek Schulman, the legendary singer of Gentle Giant and label executive who discovered Bon Jovi, Dream Theater, Nickelback, and Pantera, to name a few. Here are some photos from that gig. Because of my busy summer with Kansas, Stratospheerius will hit the stage again in the fall.
Those of you who know me well know that I love to teach. Fiddle Hell is a twice-a-year event where a bunch of fiddleheads spend three days in a hotel in Western Massachusetts gaming and taking classes on e very style imaginable from over 30 faculty members! I have always been one of the rock guys, and have taught at the camp twice in person. This year the regular hotel was undergoing renovations, so Fiddle Hell was virtual, which allowed me to teach from my hotel room on the road. I had a blast teaching “Rock 101” and “How to Play the Solo from Stairway to Heaven.” The first class focused on the building blocks of rock & roll for people new to the style, namely power chords and blues scales. The second focused on internalizing great solos in order to build your own vocabulary of riffs. Thanks to founder Dave Reiner for having me back!
In late March, Kansas finally got to headline the 70’s Rock and Romance Cruise, after our singer Ronnie Platt’s thyroid cancer diagnosis last year forced us to cancel. It was a blast playing alongside artists like Jeff Skunk Baxter, Alan Parsons, Leonid and Friends, and America, to name a few. Here is an interview the whole band did on the cruise.
Kansas on SNL!
It never ceases to amaze me how much Kansas music has become a part of our culture’s tapestry and how timeless the music is!
On April 4th, Jack Black hosted SNL. A segment aired titled “Husbands.” In the segment, a bunch of married girlfriends get together to socialize. Their husbands, who seemingly have nothing in common, are stuck in the basement trying to awkwardly start a conversation. All of a sudden, Jack Black’s character starts singing “Carry on Wayward Son,” ripping off his clothes to reveal a skintight jump suit. One by one, each guy knows the song and joins in, also ripping off their clothes to reveal the jump suit underneath. It’s a hilarious segment and ALWAYS great advertising for the band, introducing our music to new generations! You can watch the segment below. A fan made this hilarious photo where they inserted our faces over the SNL cast from the segment.
Deep Purple is one of mine and Yulia’s favorite bands of all time! Yulia grew up listening to Deep Purple in Soviet Russia, which was technically illegal. I also had the pleasure to record with Ritchie Blackmore (original DP guitarist and the man who wrote “Smoke on the Water”) back in 2006 for his Blackmore’s Knight album “Ghost of a Rose.”
It will be an unforgettable experience touring with Deep Purple and our friends Jefferson Stasrship this summer from August-mid September. We are also kicking off the summer once again co-headlining with 38 Special!
You can see all of Kansas’ upcoming shows and ticket links at KANSASBAND.COM
Phil Ehart, drummer and manager of Kansas, releases his memoirs
Just got my copy of “I Am Phil,” the new memoir by my boss, Phil Ehart. Phil has played drums on every song Kansas has ever recorded and has managed the band for 40 years! He has navigated numerous personnel changes and weathered all kinds of storms. If it wasn’t for this man, Kansas would not be touring today. I had the honor of sharing the stage with Phil every night from May of 2023 when I joined the band to early February of ‘24 when a near fatal heat attack forced him to step back from touring and run the band from his home. It’s still always a blast when Phil comes back and sits in with us.
My gratitude and respect for this man knows no bounds. I’m excited to dig into this book and read about his journey. You can get the book HERE!
Phil also gave a nice shoutout to me and Stratospheerius on page 309!
Joe Deninzon Interview for Lazie Indy Magazine
This was a fun interview where I literally got to think about my answers and write the out, so the possibility of inserting my foot in my mouth was entirely eliminated. I talked about all the things.
It’s been a blast teaching adjunct at the NJCU Multi-Styles Strings program. Thank you to Martha Mooke for her passion and foresight and for helping develop some ground-breaking young musicians.
On May 5th, the program will celebrate its grand finale with an all-star concert, tying in with my friend Noah Gruenberg’s Master’s project; “Currents: In Search of Electric Violin Concertos.”
Arianna’s debut single & video is now live! This was a father-daughter project during one of her school breaks last year. She wrote this song herself at age 12. Music and lyrics! I gave her some guidance, but it’s entirely her creation. This is the first song she ever wrote!
We laid down some tracks and she sang all the vocals and played acoustic guitar. I played everything else.
Jason Gianni laid down a drum track. Zak Rizvi (guitarist/producer from Kansas) mixed and mastered it.
Video filmed and directed by David P. Levin.
Hair & Makeup by Cheryl Esposito.
Photography by Yolanda Perez.
Thank you to everyone who worked on this project! Here’s more about the song:
“I Can’t Take it Anymore,” is the debut single from 13-year-old singer-songwriter Arianna D. The track is an emotionally-driven pop breakup anthem that tells the story of a relationship unraveling in real time. The song balances raw vulnerability with self-worth; the space where heartbreak and empowerment collide .The first chapter of what promises to be a long and remarkable musical journey.
Here is a link where you can stream the song on your favorite platform!
No matter what you celebrate, be it Christmas, Channukah, Kwanza, Festivus, or just another day above ground, there is always a good excuse to buy Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius music & merch!
Whether it’s a gift for a friend or relative, or for yourself. Our items are perfect for stuffing your stocking… or stuffing anything else for that matter!
(We don’t judge).
….And now until 11:59 P.M. EST on December 31st, you can get 20 pct off of ANYTHING on the Joe Deninzon or Stratospheerius BANDCAMP stores if you type in the code “holidaze” at checkout! So what are you waiting for?!
We got CD’s, DVD’s, vinyls, T-shirts, books, mugs for your egg nog, and downloads!
2025 has been another jam-packed year! Busy touring with Kansas, playing a few shows with Stratospheerius, session work and writing, and taking care of my family as much as I can. Here are some highlights…
Kansas had an incredibly busy year, but it got off to a rough start.
Back in February, our singer, Ronnie Platt, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, leading to two months of cancelled shows, including us pulling out of the 70’s Rock and Romance Cruise, which we were supposed to do in March and will make up for this coming March.
Fortunately, Ronnie was able to get thyroid removal surgery in March, and returned to the stage in St. George, UT on April 4th.
The speed of his recovery was truly a miracle!
For the remaining part of the year, we made up for lost time, touring for 20 weeks straight without a break and playing a total of 71 shows in 2025!
After our epic 50th anniversary tour won down in December of last year, we changed up our setlist and joined forces with some other great classic bands.
It was such an honor to share bills and hang with 38 Special, Outlaws, Night Ranger, Jefferson Starship, Starship (feat. Mickey Thomas), and Blue Oyster Cult.
I grew up listening to these bands and it was such a blast getting to know them personally and watching them kick ass onstage every night. The comraderie and mutual respect was a beautiful thing and the musicians inspired each other!
On November 2nd, my worlds collided when Kansas played a show with members of the New Jersey Symphony at my backyard venue, Bergen Performing Arts Center! NJSO was my wife Yulia Ziskel’s first job while she was still in Juilliard before she joined the NY Philharmonic, and I have subbed with that orchestra as well.
It’s amazing when things come full circle. In attendance that night were keyboard legend Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater) and Derek Shulman, former singer of Gentle Giant and legendary record executive who signed Bon Jovi, Pantera, and Dream Theater among others!
2026 is shaping up to be another busy year for us. You can see all the upcoming Kansas shows at www.kansasband.com
These days, you can count on one hand how many shows Stratospheerius does each year., but we keep on going because we love playing with each other and … well… its just so damn fun!
In 2025, our show highlights included a show at one of our favorite venues in the Philly/Wilmington area, Kennett Flash, with Kansas’ bassist Dan McGowan’s incredible band, The Tea Club! Check out their great new album, “Chasm.”
Other highlights included opening for Asia (Feat. John Payne) at the Sellersville Theater, and making our debut at Daryl’s House Club (beautiful venue owned by Daryl Hall) in Pawling, NY.
We are currently writing and tracking some new music, and we have a big show announcement pending, so please stay tuned…
Here again is our latest video for the song “Voodoo Vortex (Part I, which we released back in February
Education Station
Before joining Kansas, I was busy as a clinician and teacher, doing workshops and residencies at high schools and colleges throughout the country, teaching at Mark Wood Rock Orchestra Camp and other music camps. It’s one of most rewarding things that I love to do! That’s why I’m grateful to my friend Jocelyn Rowland Khalaf for organizing a 1-hr performance/workshop for me when Kansas was in Tulsa this past November. It was a blast performing for and working with 600 orchestra kids from the Union County Public Schools!
Album Appearances
When I’m not on tour with Kansas, I love doing session work for people and making guest appearances on other people’s projects. Here are some of my favorite ones from the past year.
My new friend and 7D Media labelmate, Jason Everett, is an incredible bass player and composer. His project, “Deep Energy Orchestra,” is a combination of some of my favorite musical influences, namely Mahavishnu Orchestra and Shakti. I was honored to appear on two tracks on the excellent new album, “The Science of Sound”
The album also features stick player Trey Gunn (King Crimson), drummer Gary Husband (Chick Corea, Jeff Beck), and Adam Holzman (Miles Davis, Steven Wilson) among others.
Nad Sylvan is best known as the singer for original genesis guitarist, Steve Hacket. He’s also released a bunch of excellent solo albums. His awesome new album is called “Monumentata” and you can here me on the track, “I’m Stepping out.”
Door Dash Commercial
Back in February, one of the commercials I recorded strings for was aired during the Super Bowl. Check out this DoorDash commercial featuring Nate Bargatze, music composed by Aaron Paul Low.
Press
Joe Deninzon Violin Tour
I thought it would be fun to showcase and talk about my collection of acoustic and electric violins, violas, chin cellos, and other bowed stringy things, as well as some of the studio work I have done. Check it out!
Interview & Reaction Video with NicknLex
NicknLex are a super cool couple who are passionate about music. Stratospheerius was honored to get our first reaction video from our song, “Impostor!” NicknLex also interviewed me and my drummer Jason Gianni.
More international rave reviews of Stratospheerius’ album, “Impostor!”
“. Chasing The Dragon is diverse, dynamic, bombastic and 100% harmonious; indeed, a classic prog rock epic for sure, and a powerful end to a magnificent album.”
Impostor! is a MUST have album for fans of Kansas, Spock’s Beard, and The Neal Morse Band, so check it out indeed!”
All the news that’s fit to print about violinist/vocalist/guitarist Joe Deninzon
Hey, everyone!
Happy Labor Day! Hope you all had a great summer.
As the summer winds down, I’m looking back on the past 3 months and wondering… how the hell did I do that!?
Shuffling between Kansas shows in places ranging fro North Carolina to Oregon to the Ozarks to Texas and Ohio and Nebraska and North Dakota, and leaving the kids with family in Asheville and Cleveland and Colorado, commuting to my family vacation in St. Martin between Kansas shows. Every other day was a travel day. I’m lucky I still remember where I am when I wake up in the morning!
Anyway, I’m grateful for every moment. Trying to sleep, exercise, and take my vitamins, you dig?
Kansas had a great string of shows with 38 Special, The Outlaws, Night Ranger, Starship with Mickey Thomas, and Jefferson Starship (That’s right, there are two touring Starships! More on that later..) Here we are with David Frehberg, Cathy Richardson, and other members of Jefferson Starship!
Daryl’s House is owned by Daryl Hall from Hall & Oats and is a super cool venue. We are excited to be making our debut there!
Stratospheerius is: Joe Deninzon-electric violin/lead vocals
Jason Gianni-drums
Michelangelo Quirinale-bass
Bill Hubauer-keyboards on select shows
Dan Asher/Jeff Kotch-bass
Almost a year ago, Stratospheerius released our album, “Impostor!” On 7D Media. This was our most acclaimed album to date, peaking at #4 on the Relix National charts, making numerous critic’s “Best of 2024” list, and receiving much love from fans worldwide. This year, it is eligible for Grammy consideration, and we have submitted it in the following categories:
Best Instrumental Composition: Voodoo Vortex (Part I)
Best Rock Album: “Impostor!”
Best Rock Performance/Best Rock Song: “Outrage Olympics.”
You can listen/watch the music here on our FYC PAGE
Joe Deninzon Violin Tour
I thought it would be fun to showcase and talk about my collection of acoustic and electric violins, violas, chin cellos, and other bowed stringy things, as well as some of the studio work I have done. Check it out!
Here’s a recent interview I did with Jim Masters on his show. We talked about my journey fro a shy immigrant kid who didn’t speak any English, to falling in love with rock violin, my adventures in freelancing and hustling for years in NY, teaching, Stratospheerius, and joining Kansas, among other things. Check it out!
Kansas Keeps Rolling
As I write this, Kansas is about to embark on a 2-week West Coast run, followed by shows in Minnesota, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Missouri, South Carolina, Canada, andmy favorite neighborhood venue, The Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, NJ on Nov 2nd with members of the New Jersey Symphony!
For this who don’t know, I have a PATREON page. For the base price of $5 per month, I’ll share behind the scenes crazy stories in my “Gig Diaries.” For $10 you get a free unreleased track every month. Higher tiers include lessons, personalized, zoom concerts, free tickets, and free swag. I haven’t heavily promoted this page, but it does exist, and all this helps fund future JD/Stratospheerius albums, tours, and other such endeavors.
