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

  

 

ProgStock and Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius-Love at First Site

Buzz Act from ProgStock Confirmed for 2019

Paul Whitehead painted this as
 Joe Deninzon
& Stratospheerius played ProgFest.

Right after ProgStock 2018, Melodic Revolution Records Recording Artist Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius have been confirmed to play at ProgStock 2019.

Joe and his band are still pinching themselves over the outstanding time they had at ProgStock. Posting on Facebook, Joe wrote, “I am over the moon,” and proceeded to exclaim about trading riffs with Fernando Perdomo and In Continuum with David Kerzner at the New Jersey, USA-based, and Northeast’s only, Progressive Rock Festival.

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius played a special late night party that was attended by fans and performers including Saga’s Michael Sadler and Enchant’s Ted Leonard, who also sings on Spock’s Beard’s new album, NOISE FLOOR, which Joe listened to as he drove to ProgStock! 

Proglodytes’ Thomas Hatton writes about Joe, “you really need to check this guy out. First of all, the guy has a custom 7 string, fretted violin. He plays spirited, fun music at breakneck speeds. Seeing him play was like eating candy- every time he played a solo, I couldn’t help but smile and cheer. He played a cover of muse’s ‘Hysteria’ that almost bordered on ska. He had an intimidatingly talented backup band as well. In a room full of a lot of musicians, it’s hard to impress, and I can confirm that everyone was blown away. His concert was a blast- one of the most impressive and fun events all weekend.” https://proglodytes.com/2018/10/07/progstock-2018-day-2/ 

Legendary album cover artist Paul Whitehead created what might (or might not) be Joe’s next album cover, the painting of the Stratospheerius.  Paul is best known for his cover artwork for early Genesis albums, including NURSERY CRYME, FOXTROT, and TRESPASS, plus covers for Renaissance and Van Der Graff Generator…  

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius are: Joe Deninzon, Michelangelo Quirinale, Jason Gianni, and Paul Ranieri.   

http://www.Stratospheerius.com | http://www.progstock.com

      Pictured (L to R) are: Paul Whitehead (artist), Ann Rinaldi and Thomas Palmieri of ProgStock, and Joe Deninzon