Prog Rock & Classical Musicians Collaborate on New Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius Single “Storm Surge”

 Saga’s Michael Sadler,

Fernando Perdomo, Rachel Flowers, Ruti Celli, and Yulia Ziskel

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius’ new music video, “Storm Surge” is out on YouTube. On October 28 the song will be on all streaming media and as a music video on YouTube. The song features a combination of musical guests from different generations of prog rock and classical music. Legendary Saga frontman Michael Sadler sings lead on the song which deals with the anxiety many people feel these days. Fernando Perdomo (Jacob Dylan & The Echo in the Canyon Band, The Dave Kerzner Band) plays acoustic and electric guitar. Multi-instrumentalist prodigy Rachel Flowers plays both piano and flute on the song. Classical players include cellist Ruti Celli and the New York Philharmonic’s Yulia Ziskel (also Joe’s wife).

All the guest musicians, plus Joe’s bandmates—guitarist Michelangelo Quirinale, bassist Paul Ranieri, and drummer Jason Gianni—play in the music video, which has a “pandemic”music video vibe. Joe organized and edited the production.

“Storm Surge” is a writing collaboration between Joe Deninzon, Jason Gianni, and Michael Sadler. Inspired by “The Storm,” a short piano piece by 19th century German composer Friederich Burgmüller, that Joe kept hearing his 10-year old song Max practicing, Joe sketched out a slowed down version of a rock power ballad, and played around with structure and chords. Joe continued to woodshed the arrangement, recording a string arrangement, and his drummer sharing part of a song he’d been working on. Michael and each of the instrumentalists elevated the song.

Joe’s always wanted to use outside singers in his music. He and his bandmates have been longtime fans of the 1980s Canadian band “Saga,” known for their hits “Wind Him Up” and “On The Loose.” When Joe played the Progstock afterparty in 2018, Michael loved their set, and has continued to rave about the band. “He ended up contributing a jaw-dropping vocal performance, enhancing the melody, and adding Queen-esque harmonies.”

Electric violinist/vocalist Joe has been called The Jimi Hendrix of the electric violin. Stratospheerius has showcased their “frenzied melange of progressive rock, jazz fusion and funkabilly” throughout the world. The New York-based group has opened for Martin Barre, Alex Skolnick, John 5 & The Creatures, Gary Hoey, Mike Stern, Tim Reynolds, Mickey Hart, and John Scofield, among many others. The group’s influences include Yes, Spock’s Beard, Muse, Frank Zappa, Mahavishnu Orchestra, and King Crimson. 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 says that with all the problems the world is dealing with, “are creating a future of uncertainty. There’s a storm that’s raging inside of us right now.”

Watch the Storm Surge video 

Credits

Music and Lyrics by Friederich Burgmüller, Joe Deninzon, Michael Sadler, Jason Gianni

Engineered by Rave Tesar

Mixed and mastered by Rich Mouser

Produced by Joe Deninzon

Joe Deninzon-electric and acoustic violin, acoustic guitar, vocals

Michael Sadler-lead vocals

Jason Gianni-drums

Paul Ranieri-bass

Michelangelo Quirinale-guitars

Fernando Perdomo-guitars

Ruti Celli-cello

Yulia Ziskel-violin

Rachel Flowers-flute and piano

©2020 All Rights reserved.

Released by Melodic Revolution Records

 

lyrics

Storm Surge

By Joe Deninzon, Friederich Burgmüller, Michael Sadler, and Jason Gianni

 

Tangled emotions

waves pound the oceans

wild winds fill my slumber

darkness pulls me under

 

Caught in a storm surge

shackled and submerged 

restless dreams they haunt me

drowning in this mad sea

 

The storm raging inside me

I reach for you but I can’t breath

mouth wide open I can’t scream

my life flashing by me

 

The storm raging inside me

tidal waves that surround me

every night it’s the same dream

drowning in this mad sea 

 

C 2020 by Joe Deninzon (Fiddlefunk Music), Michael Sadler, Jason Gianni

  

 

The Greatest Lives January 31 on Social Media, New Album March 20

"Great Chorus"

-Terry Ellis, Founder The Chrysalis Orchestra, co-founder Chrysalis Records

The Greatest Lives is the new single from Joe Deninzon & Anne Leighton's "The Greatest Lives - Songwriters' EP."  Both veterans, the two knew they had a special song, and asked one of their favorite singers, South Africa’s Thembeka Mnguni to record it.

Though known for his prowess as a violinist, fronting Stratospheerius and playing in orchestras for acts including Game of Thrones, 50Cent, The Who, Bruce Springsteen, and Renaissance, Joe produces, plays guitar, and bass on it. Other musicians are Carmine Appice (Cactus, Vanilla Fudge, Rod Stewart) on drums and Jeremy Beck on keyboards (piano and Hammond B3); hence the hashtag #BeckDeninzonAppice. A working creative writer and publicist, Anne got the idea in 1984 after Muhammad Ali announced his diagnosis with Parkinson’s Disease. She wrote “What does he want us to know,” and put it in her song idea box that she started as a teenager.

THEMBEKA MNGUNI
(pronounced—Tem-Bekka mm-Guuu-ni )

Thembeka loved THE GREATEST LIVES’ message about having strong character. “It's important to always remember that I'm nothing without my supporters ‘cause they drive me by just looking up to me. Though it's a heavy load but it comes with the job. That's why I speak so openly about my son, life, past abuse and my current....    

Thembeka is signed to South Africa’s Universal Music, and on the verge of releasing her first album. A finalist on The Voice South Africa and a Mommy, Thembeka's greatest cause is as a spokesperson for Austism.  She is also a brand ambassador for MUD Designer Makeup SA and for Body Confidence International. 

The Greatest Lives

I won’t look down on those
that look up to me
we all wanna shine bright
but sometimes there’s reason to fight

It’s always the season
to fight for equality
Some may hate what we achieve
but we got reason to believe

CHORUS: The Greatest lives for the greatest lives
there’s light and there’s fight in your inner child
The Greatest lives for the greatest lives
To face all our fears and to Never Say Die

Character matters
and strong action make us masters
Ali says Protect them
so they won’t be suffering.

Sometimes we feel alone
Because others just don’t know
Raise up your fist
and find our courage to resist

CHORUS: The Greatest lives for the greatest lives
There’s light and there is fight in our inner child!
The Greatest lives for the greatest lives
To face all our fears and to never say die

BRIDGE: And even though you feel like screaming
at all the hatred in this world
It’s so surreal you must be dreaming
It’s time to let your love unfurl

© 2019 Joe Deninzon (FiddleFunk Music) and Anne Leighton (Sheer Publishing)
All Rights Reserved.

Published by Sheer Music Publishing (Leighton) and Fiddlefunk Music (Deninzon)
Contact: Sheer Publishing: info@sheer.co.za, + 27 11 438-7000
JDeninzo@gmail.com and Anne@AnneLeighton.com

THE GREATEST LIVES
Lead Vocals, background harmonies: Thembeka Mnguni
Jeremy Beck: piano and Hammond B3
Drums: Carmine Appice
Producer, background vocals, additional percussion, guitars, bass, keyboards, co-writer: Joe Deninzon
Assistant Producer, co-writer: Anne Leighton
Durban Producer/Engineer Dale Wardell
Durban assistant: Sequoia Duncan
Drum engineer: Jz Barrell Mix: Alex Salzman, Mastering: Fred Kevorkian, Art Work: Arie Monroe               

Studios: the Deninzoo-Dumont, NJ ; Randyland-Manhasset, NY; AudioSuite-Durban, SA

Join Anne’s Crowdfunding Campaign for “The Greatest Lives”

Inspired by the Life of Muhammad Ali, A Lyric for Our Time

Anne Leighton is crowdfunding again.  This is to help press up an EP and promote a song she co-wrote and co-produced with electric violinist/client Joe Deninzon. “The Greatest Lives” is about one of Modern History’s most famous real-life super-heroes, Muhammad Ali. The EP features two versions of the song by South African Voice finalist Thembeka Mnguni. (Listen also for “The Greatest Lives” on Thembeka’s upcoming album for Universal South Africa.)

Currently finding radio airplay with her “life-after-abuse” song “Khalazome, Thembeka relates to “The Greatest Lives”’ lyrics. She loves the first line, “I won't look down on those who look up to me.”  Feeling music belongs to the masses, she says, “It's my job to give people hope by being honest, by being true, by being relevant and sensitive all at the same time. It's important to always remember that I'm nothing without my supporters ‘cause they drive me by just looking up to me. Though it's a heavy load but it comes with the job.”

A poet/pacifist/teacher/and champion boxer, Muhammad Ali called himself “The Greatest” as one of the ways to promote his spectacular boxing career of 56 wins and only 5 losses.  In 1967, Ali had his championship title taken away from him, because he refused to fight in the Vietnam War.   For more info, visit: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay_v._United_States.

As a school age student, Anne was inspired by the Midwestern-born personality’s creativity and conviction. I wanted to write an anthemic chorus about his and our mission: “The Greatest Lives for the Greatest Lives. There’s light and there’s fight in our inner child.” In addition to a successful crowdfunding campaign for her poetry book, “The Leighton Explosion,” Anne’s personal projects including contributing a voice over for the movie, “One Little Finger” and singing backup and doing an interview for Lisa Sniderman’s “A Light in the Darkness,” book and music video, “Lisa was impactful in having me do write for myself; when you’re 60 years old, a songwriting deal is a gift.” 

Co-writer Joe Deninzon’s been a client of Anne’s for 20 years. Joe leads the progressive rock band, Stratospheerius (Melodic Revolution Records). Joe is an in-demand session player, recently with the Who, Renaissance, 50Cent, Game of Thorns. He has syncs in over 100 film and TV scenes.  Inspired by “The Greatest”’s unshakeable confidence, Joe says, “in the music world, you gotta fight to prove yourself. Never give up.” 

The campaign features the music on digital and CD, plus historical swag from Joe and Anne, their books, recordings, and low-cost PDF files and MP3s from their archives.  Conversations, custom-made poems, and a new work in progress (due December 2020) from Anne are available as perks.

Visit the crowdfunding and support the pressing and promotion of THE GREATEST LIVES at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/supporting-the-greatest-lives/x/30442#/

Anne talks about #crowdfunding for Promotion for "The Greatest Lives"

Listen to both versions of THE GREATEST LIVES at

Quotes about the Greatest Lives:

“She’s very good.” (re: Thembeka’s performance on the song)
-Harris Allen, WFAN Sports Radio -New York

“Outstanding. Yes, it has all the elements to go R&B, Urban AC and Gospel. Strong message, well produced, and the vocals are great. I can hear this song on all Urban and R&B stations.”

--Spider Harrison, WLAC-Nashville  (Hippie Radio)

“I remember when most music had lyrics of hope and brotherhood. Nice to bring some of that back!

Carter Alan, WZLX-Classic Rock- Boston

“Great chorus.”

-Terry Ellis, founder: Chrysalis Orchestra, co-founder: Chrysalis Records