“The Big Win” – Ready to Read Yacht Rock

 "Getting kids into reading and yacht rock is a noble quest!"

-Adam Bernard, Adam’s World Blog

The song, “The Big Win” is a gift for Yacht Rock lovers and their children. Appearing on both the digital release, “Leenie’s Library” and a new album, “Arise Together-Songs to Inspire,” now streaming on all major platforms,“The Big Win” might lay claim as the first Yacht Rock song written and recorded for children.  

Featuring a smooth melody, soft rock vibes, breezy lyrics, and the lucid tenor voice of Ricky Persaud Jr., the empowering song’s history dates back to the 1980s. Composer Gail Bluestone and her lyricist sister Eileen Bluestone-Sherman were hot off an Emmy-win of “The Odd Potato” for Chicago TV, and wrote "The Big Win" as the opening production number for a children's musical about robots and A.I.  Hence the song’s opening outer space vibe of zoning into the music!

Gail, who loves timeless R&B and Motown classics including her favorites Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder, as well as the Temptations, the Four Tops, Sly and The Family Stone, plus soulful women artists notably Laura Nyro, Carole King, and the 5th Dimension, used their sensibilities to compose the song’s melody.

Then came the future—the second decade of the 21^st Century when both A.I. became a reality and the Bluestone Sisters began work on “Leenie’s Library” with the mission of inspiring the Next Generation of New Readers. They wrote and chose songs from their catalogue with catchy tunes and literacy-building content. Eileen and Gail knew that singer/arranger/multi-instrumentalist Ricky Persaud Jr. was the man for the job. His rhythmic tribute “Selena” to the slain Latina pop star was played on regional and indie radio, and a favorite among Eileen, Gail, and their friends. Gail said, “Ricky is a gifted musician with a great thirst for learning, a great ear for listening, and great creativity with sound. He is a perfect collaborator and a true perfectionist.” Ricky is “The Big Win’s” sole instrumentalist, playing all the instruments and singing the song! Instrumentation on the piece includes keyboards, bass guitar, drums, glockenspiel/percussion. Ricky’s influences are like other musicians in the Yacht Rock community, including Prince, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Nirvana, Bob Marley and—of course-- Selena Quintanilla 2. 

“Leenie’s Library” is designed to promote literacy through repetition, rhyme, and engaging visuals. The recordings and videos are available for free on YouTube, making it accessible to families and educators everywhere.

“Arise Together-Songs to Inspire” benefits Pickleberry Pie, an organization that provides live entertainment in children’s hospital wards around the nation, comforting ailing children and their parents at the most difficult of times.    

A.I., the initial inspiration of “The Big Win” before the technology came to be, states these immortal words about the song, “If this is the beginning of a new genre—Yacht Rock for Kids—it might be ‘The Big Win’ is a simple part of musical history!”

Chick Corea’s “Spain,” Live by Joe Deninzon, Rachel Flowers, Alex Skolnick

 

 A live version of Chick Corea’s “Spain” featuring Joe Deninzon, Rachel Flowers, and Testament’s Alex Skolnick is now on all streaming media. “Spain” is one of 16 live songs that will be on the upcoming Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius “Behind the Curtain: Live at ProgStock” box set out November 18.  (There will be a streaming digital release of just the live music on October 28.)

 

The performance will be on video on Friday, October 14 at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT/ 3 AM Amsterdam time on YouTube at https://youtu.be/t6JPN4FELKc.

 

The performances on the live release took place in 2019 and 2021. “Spain” was taken from the ’21 performance. Joe says it was a spontaneous decision to play “Spain” with his friends, “One of the perks of being a jazz musician is that you can walk into a room anywhere in the world, jump on stage with people you’ve never met who may or may not speak your language, and weave together a spontaneous concert based on a shared musical language.”

 

On October 2nd, 2021, when the late great John Goodsall from Brand X fell ill, Stratospheerius was asked last minute to headline ProgStock, the biggest prog rock festival in the Northeastern U.S. Preceding Stratospheerius’ set was the amazing multi-instrumentalist Rachel Flowers, who recently contributed her talents to the band’s single, “Storm Surge.” Later that night bassist Percy Jones had a set, which included guitarist Alex Skolnick, a former member of Stratospheerius. Joe says, “We decided to play Chick Corea’s ‘Spain,’ a song we all knew well.”  Without any rehearsal, and Alex and Rachel meeting each other for the first time on stage, they created magic.

 

Led by electric violinist/vocalist Joe Deninzon, who has been called “The Jimi Hendrix of the electric violin,”Stratospheerius have showcased their “frenzied mélange of progressive rock, jazz fusion and funkabilly” throughout the world. Band members are: Joe Deninzon-electric violin/vocals (Bruce Springsteen, Renaissance, The Who, Ritchie Blackmore, Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Jason Gianni-drums (The Ultimate Queen Celebration, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Rock of Ages, Neal Morse Band), Michaelangelo Quirinale-guitar (Thrilldriver), and Paul Ranieri-bass (Mark Wood, Circuline, Rock This Town).

 

Their last album, Guilty of Innocence hit number 4 on the Relix/Jamband radio charts, 72 on the European Indy charts. Their music has received over 3 million plays online, and the band has opened for John5, Martin Barre, Gary Hoey, The Levin Brothers (Tony and Pete), Tim Reynolds, Mickey Hart, Mark Wood, and John Scofield. Stratospheerius was a winner of the John Lennon International Songwriting Competition, and the Musician’s Atlas Independent Music Awards.

 

 

  

Carmine Appice Remembers His Friend Ginger Baker

Carmine Appice and Ginger Baker, along with the Who’s Keith Moon and Jimi Hendrix’s Mitch Mitchell, pioneered hard rock drumming.  Carmine feels that Ginger's influence is everywhere.

"I admired Ginger's drumming because he combined technical skills, with a jazz feel and innovating double bass drum patterns. He could pretty much play anything in the jazz, rock or afro arenas. His influence is tremendous and it is everywhere. We became friends in 1967 when Cream and Vanilla Fudge toured together, we toured again in later years and Ginger and I also did drum clinics together. Ginger was always the wildest guy on the tour and although he could be quite prickly, we had some mighty good times.

It saddens me that so many of my early contemporaries are gone -Keith, Mitch, and now Ginger. I believe we were four that pioneered the underground rock music movement. Everything was new, including the drumming which combined elements of old and new, and gave birth to the hard rock, progressive and psychedelic genres. God bless you, Ginger. RIP."

-Carmine Appice

PHOTO from Guitar Center's Rockwalk Hall of Fame induction. Carmine, Ginger and Alex Van Halen. 1991. Also inducted that day: Buddy Rich, Keith Moon, John Bonham.

Joe Deninzon and Stratospheerius' ProgRock Album 'Guilty Of Innocence' will be released on Vinyl format on 4th October via Melodic Revolution Records.

Meet Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius

'Guilty Of Innocence', the electric-violin-driven progressive rock album for Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius, found some surprise support from the European Indie Charts this past Summer and was a breakthrough album in North America, hitting # 4 on the Relix/Jamband radio charts. Released on leading U.S.-based progressive label, Melodic Revolution Records, 'Guilty Of Innocence' is now being released on vinyl on 4th October.

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius' single and video for 'Behind The Curtain' is out now on Melodic Revolution Records.

Here's the video!

Progression Magazine writes “Joe Deninzon has made a career...wielding his violin like a guitar. In that way he has pioneered a new standard for rock violin, much the same way Ian Anderson did for Flute.”

Joe befriended legendary Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick in New York City, 1999, when Joe was a teacher at the New School where Alex was studying jazz.  Alex was a guitarist for Stratospheerius for 3 years and 2 albums. Alex says Joe “is amazing on violin and a great musician!” and guests on the 'Guilty Of Innocence’s epic track 'Soul Food'. Along with Alex, Renaissance’s keyboardist Rave Tesar, and Randy McStine (Vinnie Moore, Stu Hamm) contribute their chops to 'Soul Food'. Joe is concertmaster on the new Renaissance Live 'Symphonic Journey' CD/DVD, Annie Haslam spotlighted him as “a talented violin player” in press for their first tour together.

In his book 'Discovering Rock Violin', UK’s leading cinematic electric violinist Chris Haigh lists one of Joe’s recorded solo on Stevie Wonder’s 'Contusion' on his 'Live Wires' album among the Top 20 greatest rock violin solos of all time.

'Behind The Curtain' is the band’s radio track and video. Joe says "it’s about the rise and downfall of celebrity and the dark soul of our society. We have a primal fascination with chastising someone while we ourselves often lead double lives, hiding all kinds of skeletons in our closets while pretending we are faultless. We cathartically project our own demons onto public figures and relish watching someone go down in flames".

Its video features actor Max McGuire ('Star Crossed Lovers') playing various tormented and wretched people going through their own personal hell, and Stratospheerius members (Joe (electric violin/vocals), Jamie Bishop (bass), Aurelien Budynek (guitar) and drummer Lucianna Padmore wearing neon-colored masks. The band represents the demons who continue to hover around and haunt this man, with a nod to the Droogs from Clockwork Orange. It was co-produced by renowned MTV producer David P. Levin, Filner at Alpha Wave Studios in East Hanover, NJ, and edited by David Milone and David P. Levin.

Stratospheerius have showcased their "frenzied melange of progressive rock, jazz fusion and funkabilly” throughout the world recently playing such festivals as Progtoberfest, Progstock, Great South Bay, Chattanooga RiverFest, Harvest Celebration. The group co-founded the traveling SonicVoyageFest with Circuline and Shadow Eden. They have opened for artists including John5, Alex Skolnick, Tony Levin, Gary Hoey, Martin Barre, Tim Reynolds Mickey Hart, Mike Stern, and John Scofield. Critics have called Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius "Pure Magic."(Act/One Magazine).

Joe is called the “Jimi Hendrix of the electric violin.”  

Fans can pre-order the vinyl (and order the digital & CD) of 'Guilty of Innocence' c/o Melodic Revolution Records: https://joedeninzonstratospheerius.bandcamp.com

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Mark Stein Launches New Solo Band, The Mark Stein Project

His legacy spans over five decades, and he has influenced some of the most

well-known rock bands and musicians. Mark Stein is known as the voice, keyboardist and music arranger of the classic rock band Vanilla Fudge. 

His new group, The Mark Stein Project continues to share his music, passion and stories.

The Mark Stein Project is a true classic rock experience! Performing the hit songs of all the great artists he’s worked with, backed by a hand picked, exciting array of young talent that kicks ass!!!

The Mark Stein Project features:

*Mark Stein: Vocals/Keyboards 

(Vanilla Fudge, Dave Mason, Alice Cooper, Carl Palmer, Tommy Bolin)

*Mark Hitt: Guitar/Vocals 

(Robin Zander (Cheap Trick), John Entwistle, Brian Johnson of AC/DC, The Tubes)

*Jordan Steinberg: Bass/Vocals

*Charlie Zeleny: Drums  

(Joe Lynn Turner from Rainbow/Deep Purple, Derek St. Holmes, Jordan Rudess from Dream Theater)

Touted by critics as one of the great voices in Rock—alongside of Glenn Hughes and Joe Lynn Turner—The Mark Stein Project is a night of great music & storytelling. Discover a place where a song leads to a story, and a story leads to a song. More than just a singer/musician, Stein is a skilled entertainer, with the talent and charisma to take the crowd along for a wonderful ride of the classic rock experience.

Stein has shared whiskey with Janis Joplin, sung with Michael Jackson, toured with Jimi Hendrix, and witnessed the dawn of Led Zeppelin. His firsthand storytelling that reflects on the history of rock gives the audience a “You are There” feeling that can only be told by someone who has lived it.

The debut album:Vanilla Fudge was the first of its kind to reach the top 10 on Billboard charts without a hit single. “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” was released one year later and went to #1 on most radio playlists, both in America and all over the World! The psychedelic symphonic rock sound of the band was spearheaded by the Hammond organ & vocal style of Mark Stein. “The Fudge” have been heralded by critics as the doorway between pop music and Progressive Rock. Bands including Deep Purple, Yes, Uriah Heep and even Led Zeppelin have said that Vanilla Fudge had a profound influence on them.

Rolling Stone magazine wrote: “There was nothing, even in 1967, like the 10-ton shock of this Long Island quartet's cover of the Supremes You Keep Me Hanging On, with the lava-flow sustain of Mark Stein's Hammond organ…”  

Stein has toured and/or recorded, and appeared throughout his career with Dave Mason, Tommy Bolin, Alice Cooper, The Doors, Deep Purple, Rod Stewart, Carl Palmer (in a tribute to Keith Emerson), and Michael Jackson.

The Mark Stein Project will be releasing a new EP & Video to be released in 2018; stay tuned for more details.

####

Mark Stein Project On Tour in 2018

January 30, 2018        New York City, NY               BB King Blues Club

February 1, 2018        Pawling, New York               Daryl’s House 

February 2, 2018        Shirley, MA                           Bull Run

More dates to be added

  

View the video for “You Keep Me Hangin On” The Jimmy Fallon Show

 https://youtu.be/RuisGkFcDXI

 http://www.mark-stein.com

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius Sign To Melodic Revolution Records

Album cover designed by Joe's son Max
and sister Claire.

Melodic Revolution Records is proud to announce that they have signed New York-based Prog outfit Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius for the group’s upcoming release, “GUILTY OF INNOCENCE.” 

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius will release their fifth CD “Guilty of Innocence” through Melodic Revolution Records early Fall 2017. The new 10-track album will be available worldwide in both Physical and Digital formats. “Guilty of Innocence” features special appearances by Alex Skolnick (Testament), Rave Tesar (Renaissance) and Randy McStine (The Fringe). 

“Guilty of Innocence” highlights include a reimagined cover of Muse’s “Hysteria,” a 12-minute prog epic titled “Soul Food” which features many of the guests mentioned above, plus “Dream Diary Cadenza,” a solo electric violin extravaganza lifted from Joe’s electric violin concerto.  

The band is led by founding member, electric violinist & vocalist Joe Deninzon. Joe has been called the “Jimi Hendrix of the electric violin.”

GUILTY OF INNOCENCE features members: French guitarist Aurelien Budynek (Cindy Blackman, Vernon Reid), bassist Jamie Bishop (Francis Dunnery), and drummer Lucianna Padmore, praised by Modern Drummer Magazine for her “Deep grooves and serious fusion chops.”   

Statement from Joe Deninzon
We are honored to be part of Melodic Revolution Records, and feel it will be a strong partnership. We would love to expand our audience worldwide, especially in the prog community. We love Nick's commitment to and enthusiasm about the artists on his label.”

Statement from Nick Katona President MRR
“I’m a long time fan of the band and look forward to this journey of making music and magic through our collaboration.”

Melodic Revolution Records is more than just another independent record label: we are a family of individuals and musicians that work hard together like a well oiled machine, bringing the music listener, music that inspires, and makes us think, while cultivating memories - music that will stand the test of time. It is through this family atmosphere that new collaborations have evolved to create a rich blend of dynamic new music. 

“Music Is Our Voice” says Nick Katona.

About Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius 
A renowned violinist, Joe has recorded/performed with Ritchie Blackmore, Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Peter Criss, Jazz at Lincoln Center, NYC Ballet (electric violin soloist), Phoebe Snow, Les Paul, Renaissance, and Mark Wood to name a few. He is an active teacher/clinician and published his book, “Plugging In: A Guide to Gear and Technique for the 21^st Century String Player” through Mel Bay in 2012. He also recently world-premiered his “Dream Diary: Concerto for Seven-String Electric Violin and Orchestra” with the Muncie Symphony in 2015. 

Stratospheerius has showcased their “frenzied melange of progressive rock, jazz fusion and funkabilly” throughout the world at colleges, festivals, and clubs. They have opened for artists including Alex Skolnick, Martin Barre, Tim Reynolds, Mickey Hart, Mike Stern, and John Scofield. The band 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.  

Band Members 
Joe Deninzon : Electric Violin, Lead Vocals & Mandolin
Aurelien Budynek : Guitar & Backup Vocals
Jamie Bishop : Bass & Backup Vocals
Lucianna Padmore : Drums

Further Information Can Be Found At :
Official Website: www.stratospheerius.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/stratospheerius/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/stratospheerius 
Melodic Revolution Records: http://mrrmusic.com/joe-deninzon-stratospheerius/ 

 What the critics have said :
“Stratospheerius does not play what you want; it plays things you didn’t know you wanted.”
- Dan Roth, Progression

“a whirling dervish of vibrant creativity. He is one of those folks who seem to have a limitless supply of intriguing ideas. Deninzon is the embodiment of a true progressive artist…”
- Eric Harabadian, Downbeat   

“combines solid songwriting and tradition with extraordinary electric violin work and the sounds of the future.”
- Angel Romero, Progressive Rock Central   

“Joe Deninzon brings the process of bringing the violin into the 21st century by making the music and technology of the contemporary electric guitarist available to the curious and willing violinist.
- Mimi Rabson, Strings Magazine

“Think a bit of Zappa, the Dixie Dregs or Blues Traveler, with the violin being the focal point. Violinist & singer Joe Deninzon’s talents are flat out phenomenal, and the progressive rock tapestry he weaves around himself is carried out to perfection by his amazing band.”
- Mark Waterbury, Music Morsels

“Deninzon shows how he has earned the nickname the Jimi Hendrix of violin as he tears threw a distortion heavy solo that points more in the direction of Guns N Roses Slash than Yo Yo Ma.”

- Justin Scro, Cashbox Magazine

“Memorable hooks, gravity-defying instrumental prowess and a kitchen sink move toward rock If Bela Fleck and Frank Zappa had a love child in outer space, they might grow up to sound like these guys do.”

- David Budin, CoolCleveland.com

Highland School Orchestras to Perform with Electric Violinist, Joe Deninzon, May 4, in Medina, OH

  

Highland Middle School and Highland High School Orchestras will present two concerts on Wednesday, May 4 in the Highland High School Auditorium, featuring electric violinist and recording artist Joe Deninzon. The HMS Orchestra concert begins at 6:30 p.m.; and the HHS Orchestra concert begins at 8 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public. The program will include original songs by Deninzon, as well as some of his arrangements of popular songs from composers including Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon/Paul McCartney, Peter Gabriel, Kurt Cobain and Muse’s Matthew Bellamy.    

Deninzon, the music world's expert on alternative violin techniques, will also lead a two-day workshop with Highland orchestra students, focusing on rock stylings and improvisation. A musician who transcends many genres, Deninzon has recorded and performed with a variety of artists including Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow, Everclear, Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple, Smokey Robinson, Johnny Mathis, Les Paul, Phoebe Snow, Jane Monheit, Robert Bonfiglio and President Bill Clinton. An active clinician, he has taught at Mark O’Connor’s renowned String Camp and Mark Wood’s Rock Orchestra Camp. He leads the band Stratospheerius, which was a winner in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition. Additionally, he was awarded the Online People's Choice Awards in the Cornucopia Festival, and named "Best Jam Band" in Musician's Atlas Independent Music Awards. He is also a member of the classical hip hop Latin jazz string quartet, Sweet Plantain.  

The Highland Orchestras are under the direction of Mrs. Rachel Gamin who holds both a Bachelor and Master’s degree in Music Education from Case Western Reserve University and studied violin performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Under her leadership, the Highland Orchestra Program has grown from 41 students in 2009 to over 300 presently. The concert and workshops are made possible through the generous support of The Highland Foundation.

highlandschools.org