Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius Burst into Top Ten Jamband/Relix Radio Charts

Beloved ProgRock Band Keeps “Climbing,” Hitting The Number 8 Slot

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius’ “Behind the Curtain (Live at ProgStock)” box set (Melodic Revolution Records (Amplified Distribution) ­ has broken the top ten at Number 8 on the Jam Band/ Relix Radio Charts. During the summer, in July the group was also in the top ten, and began to sink to 29.  But then the students came back, and liked what they heard in the band’s music.

Radio promoter David Avery at Powderfinger Promo says the value of the placement is career-empowering for musician-oriented rock bands, “The high-profile monthly radio chart published by Relix and Jambands.com is the chart of record for music that falls under the Jamband music category. With regular releases coming out by Gov't Mule, Phish, Leftover Salmon, The Wood Brother, et al, it is also a very competitive chart that bookers, managers, and record labels keep a close eye on.”

Part of the reconnection came about through music people’s awareness of Joe joining classic prog rock band Kansas this past May, and all the work and promotion Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius and his record label Melodic Revolution/Amplified  Distribution has done through the years, including playing festivals, and the group working in education.  Joe’s authored the violin instruction book, “Pluggin’ In” and has taught in schools and music camps all over the world.   

The media is playing a role, too. “Behind The Curtain (Live at ProgStock)” received major support:

Prog UK: “two spirited sets packed with hooks and chops, and delivered with decidedly American zeal.”

ProgArchives: "this collection is just stunning" 

Powerplay:  “…all top talent musicians, who show exactly what they can do but always in service of the song. And these songs deserve all the servicing they can get.”

Goldmine: “The band, is outstanding — drummer Jason Gianni, guitarist Michelangelo Quirinale, and bassist Paul Ranieri are all strong players, and are collectively a very tight and well-rehearsed unit. And with the way Deninzon swoops, chops, and coaxes all manner of noises out of his violin, he certainly lives up to the “Jimi Hendrix of violin” label he’s gotten from the press.” 

Strings:  “I noticed the audience seems to be very attentive, unlike what you hear in live recordings of other rock ’n’ roll shows. 

The group will be releasing a to-be-announced music video soon.   

The boxset (2 CDs/DVD/Blu-Ray) “Behind the Curtain (Live at ProgStock)” is three years in the making; the collection is made up of Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius’ 2019 and 2021 live performances at the ultimate Northeast progressive rock festival, ProgStock.   

Joe is the new violinist with legendary rockers Kansas, now on tour celebrating their 50th anniversary. He has played violin for the Who, Bruce Springsteen, 50Cent, Sheryl Crow, and as the concertmaster for Renaissance. The other Stratospheerius bandmembers have a great heritage, as well: Jason Gianni-drums (The Ultimate Queen Celebration, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Rock of Ages, Neal Morse Band), Michelangelo Quirinale-guitar (Thrilldriver), and Paul Ranieri-bass (Mark Wood, Riot Act).    

“An Unforgettable Night” - Prog Rock Sept. 28 in Teaneck and Sept. 30 in Kennett Square

 Great live music from Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius and We Came From Space 

Aiden Alexander of MyChesco Newspaper, Chester County, PA is already calling it "an Unforgettable Night of Progressive Rock.” And it will be for fans the weekend of September 28 in Teaneck, NJ and September 30 in Kennett Square, PA with the co-bill of Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius and We Came From Space.

Downloadable Poster for Sept. 28 Debonair Music Hall

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius are celebrating their new live box set, “Behind the Curtain (Live at ProgStock),” which hit the top 10 on Relix/JamBand radio Charts.  The group, which has 5 albums out, is signed to Melodic Revolution Records.  Joe is the new violinist with legendary rockers Kansas, now on tour celebrating their 50th anniversary. He has played violin for the Who, Bruce Springsteen, 50Cent, Sheryl Crow,  and as the concertmaster for Renaissance.

Joe’s bandmates in Stratospheerius are Jason Gianni-drums (The Ultimate Queen Celebration, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Rock of Ages, Neal Morse Band), Michelangelo Quirinale-guitar (Thrilldriver), Paul Ranieri-bass (Mark Wood, Riot Act), and new keyboardist Bill Hubauer (We Came From Space, Neal Morse Band).  

Stratospheerius.com

The story of “We Came From Space” started at lunch.  High school friends Bill Hubauer (Neal Morse Band) and Dave Buzard were catching up and talking music. We Came From Space was born that day. The friends decided to create an album that they would want to listen to when they were kids.  They considered their influences: Yes, Genesis, Gamma, Jim Carroll Band, (among many, many others), and began adding their own textures. Two years later the debut album, “How to be Human” was released. 2018 brought the revamped rhythm section of Tim Malone (drums) and Dave Hawk (Bass and vocals) and the breakthrough album “While You Were Away”. All members contributed to the writing and arranging of that release and the 2023’s “Overlords.” The band blends engaging musicianship with sardonic but hopeful lyrics. This year We Came From Space hit the road, playing high profile dates with Crack The Sky and The Winery Dogs. The takeaway: Sometimes lunch is the most important meal of the day! 

www.wecamefromspace.net

We Came From Space, "Overlords" album trailer
  

On September 28, at 7 PM, the tour comes to Debonair Music Hall,1409 Queen Anne Rd., in Teaneck, New Jersey.  The venue phone is 201-833-0011. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

The venue ticket page is www.venuepilot.co/events/77265/orders/new?fbclid=IwAR0AOhEacInUqmfu9ceCpLqKNlMETzCah2hXy3XRUd-N8dhfJRVJNKNm9Ew

Downloadable Poster for Sept 30, Kennett Flash

On September 30, Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius and We Came From Space will be performing outdoors at Kennett Flash on Saturday, September 30 at 7 PM. This is an all-ages show. (In case of rain, the concert will move indoors to Kennett Flash).

Kennett Flash is at 102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, PA 19348.

Tickets are $20. plus $3.50 for service charges. Theres a $5. B.Y.O.B. charge. Event and ticket buy page  www.kennettflash.org/event/a-night-of-prog-rock-with-stratospheerius-we-came-from-space-rooftop/kennett-flash/kennett-square-pennsylvania/

 

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius "One Foot in the Next World"

Joe Deninzon Joins Kansas (press release issued in May by ChipsterPR)

ATLANTA, GA – May 25, 2023 - The band KANSAS is excited to announce the addition of violinist/guitarist Joe Deninzon to the band. He is replacing the departing David Ragsdale.

Joe Deninzon has been hailed by critics as “The Jimi Hendrix of the Violin,” because of his innovative style on the “Viper” seven-string electric violin. Joe is the lead singer and violinist for the progressive rock band, Stratospheerius, which has just released their 6th album, “Behind the Curtain (Live at ProgStock).” He can be heard on over a hundred albums and jingles as a violinist and string arranger.

Deninzon has performed and/or recorded with the Who, Bruce Springsteen, 50 Cent, Sheryl Crow, Ritchie Blackmore, Alex Skolnick, Smokey Robinson, Les Paul, Peter Criss from KISS, Michael Sadler, Renaissance with Annie Haslam, Kurt Elling, and as a soloist with Jazz at Lincoln Center and the New York City Ballet. A BMI Composer’s Grant recipient and winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, he has written solo works for violinist Rachel Barton Pine, and in 2015, premiered his Electric Violin Concerto with the Muncie Symphony Orchestra.

Joe holds a Bachelors degree in Violin Performance from Indiana University and a Masters in Jazz Violin From Manhattan School of music.

KANSAS original member and drummer Phil Ehart comments, “We are extremely excited for Joe Deninzon to be the newest member of KANSAS. We believe KANSAS fans will enjoy what Joe will bring to the band. We are excited to kick off the KANSAS 50^th Anniversary Tour. As the paragraph in the band’s first album said, ‘KANSAS IS A BAND’ and we remain so to this day.”

Deninzon adds, “As a lifelong fan of Kansas, I am overwhelmed and humbled to have been invited to join this legendary band! I have the deepest respect for Robby and David and will do my best to honor and build on their musical legacy.”

Joe Deninzon’s first performance with the band will be in Pittsburgh, PA on June 2 at the Benedum Center during the premier date of the KANSAS 50^th Anniversary Tour – Another Fork in the Road.

A complete list of KANSAS 50^th Anniversary Tour – Another Fork in the Road is below. Ticket and VIP Package information can be found at KansasBand.com.

For more information on KANSAS and the Another Fork in the Road – 50^th Anniversary Tour please visit:www.kansasband.com 

Druckfarben's SECOND SOUND Called "Best Album of the Year"

Druckfarben photo by Julia Li

(and wins other high praise from critics and industry)

A who's who of the international prog rock community has been responding to Druckfarben’s sophomore album, Second Sound, with acclaim and accolades. A&R man Michael Caplan (who discovered Echolyn, Matisyahu, Los Lonely Boys and Keb’ Mo’) says it’s "the best album of the year so far!"

Prog Rock journal Expose's editor Peter Thelen writes "The entire band is a pretty impressive unit... This will definite be of interest to all fans of classic prog, and particularly bands like Gentle Giant, Kansas, vintage Saga and CTTE (Close To the Edge) era Yes." 

Pop Culture Classic's Paul Freeman calls Second Sound an "impressive album." Powerline writes that Druckfarben is "truly a band to watch." Michelle Wilson of Ink19 says “If you're a prog rock fan, this one is not to be missed.” The Phantom Tollbooth compares Druckfarben to "Yes, Rush, Gentle Giant and Kansas, all mixed together with some Celtic and residual metal flavors on top." Bass Musician Magazine states, “Though the modern Prog band is usually a by-musicians-for-musicians band, Druckfarben is a fantastic exception to this rule and is not only listenable, but also enjoyable to just about anyone.”

Mark Lettieri, guitarist for 2014 Grammy award-winners Snarky Puppy, says: "Druckfarben is a ridiculously intense progstravaganza of a rock band. It's like Yes meets Zappa meets Canadian poutine!"

Tyrone Buccione of T-Mak World writes: “What a great album! I give this bad boy 5/5 stars for just being a bold and powerful progressive rock album with track crossfading and killer tones and another 5/5 for having such amazing written parts and melodies. That’s right, 10/5 stars! I thought Druckfarben’s Second Sound really captured the true essence of rock and roll, and I know it will be well received in the rock community.”

Druckfarben is led by guitarist Ed Bernard and includes bassist Peter Murray (Surrender Dorothy, Ron Sexsmith), keyboardist William Hare (Crystal Shawanda, Abraham's Children), drummer Troy Feener (Full Nine, Tom Cochrane) and vocalist Phil Naro (Talas, Peter Criss, DDrive).

In German, the word Druckfarben means "coloured printing ink." As teenagers growing up in suburban Ontario, Ed and Troy stumbled upon those letters stenciled on mysterious black barrels in their rehearsal space. Although at the time they had no idea what "Druckfarben" meant, they decided it would make a great band name. Many years later, as their dream progressive rock band came together, they knew what to call it.

All five members grew up with a shared love of classic progressive rock. They played their first show in 2008, released their self-titled debut in 2011, and put out a live DVD (Artifact) in 2013. Fans include Kim Mitchell, Nick D’Virgilio (Spock’s Beard), and Maurizio Guarini of Italy's Goblin, plus producers Terry Brown (Rush) and David Bendeth (Bruce Hornsby, Paramore).

Songs from Second Sound cited by the media include "Dandelion," "In Disbelief," and the 19-minute epic title track that closes the album. 

www.druckfarben.ca

Twitter @druckfarben

facebook.com/druckfarben

GENTLE GIANT'S ALUCARD MUSIC RELEASE OCTOPUS and THREE FRIENDS, DISTRIBUTION THROUGH EMI RECORDS.

EMI Unleashes New Digital and physical remasters from the original 1/4 inch tapes of these Seminal British Progressive Rock Recordings on September 27, 2011

Hollywood, California - September 27, 2011 Roger Dean's infamous Octopus and Martin Birch's original Three Friends artwork will adorn the special digipacks which are heading to your favorite music store on September 27th 2011. You can acquire another taste of Gentle Giant with the original U.K. Artwork and remastered music on CD or via digital download.

The albums are already listed as pre-sales on Amazon at
http://www.amazon.com/Octopus-Gentle-Giant/dp/B005G0YP3M/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1312829910&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Three-Friends-Gentle-Giant/dp/B005G0YP3C/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1312828329&sr=1-1

One of the most renowned bands that came out of the British Progressive Rock
Movement, Gentle Giant spent their decade together pushing musical boundaries
and continually taking chances. Their music, while rooted in rock, had overtones of classical European composition, American jazz, British soul, medieval and even blues. They seamlessly integrated these disparate styles into the melting pot that epitomized the essence that was Gentle Giant.

Gentle Giant fans range from Ozzy Osbourne, Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson, Trey
Anastasio of Phish, Mike Portnoy and Jordan Rudess of Dream Theater,
Avenged Sevenfold, Kerry Livgren of American progressive rockers Kansas
to guitarist Peter Banks of Yes.

Jordan Rudess of Dream Theater said, “Gentle Giant was one of my biggest musical
Influences in the days when I left Juilliard and my classical path of becoming a
concert pianist. My mom wouldn't like Gentle Giant because of that fact, but
hell, I am at least making a living playing music!”

Peter Banks called them “ahead of most of those groups at the time - they were
quite exceptional.”

Livgren said, “Gentle Giant was one of my favorite groups. Their albums Three
Friends and Octopus had a remarkable originality, good musicianship, and
philosophically interesting lyrics. I also had the pleasure of seeing them in
concert, and appreciated the energy of their performance.”

Three Friends, the group's first self-produced work (after two times in the
studio with Tony Visconti) and their first-to-be-released in the US, propelled
the group into one of the hardest edged progressive bands of their day. Of
Octopus, the All Music Guide's Dave Thompson says “…it's astonishing just how
little Octopus has dated…an album that has withstood the test of time a lot
better than anyone might have expected."

As he did for Gentle Giant's earlier re-releases, Fred Kevorkian re-mastered
these two additions to the available Gentle Giant catalog.

Complete with the original Roger Dean artwork (on Octopus) and Martin Birch
cover (on Three Friends), these two epic Gentle Giant recordings also include
over 30 minutes of rare bonus music. The packaging also features special booklets
with up-to-date reminiscences of these albums by the band members, as well as rare
photos from the time.

Ray, Derek, and Phil Shulman, Kerry Minnear, Malcolm Mortimer and John Weathers
are all available for interviews in anticipation of these blockbuster re-releases.

Track line up (note: Bonus track only on digital albums)
Octopus, 1972:
1. The advent of Panurge.
2. Raconteur Troubadour.
3. A Cry for Everyone.
4. Knots.
5. The Boys in the Band.
6. Dog's Life
7. Think of me with Kindness.
8. River.
9. Bonus Track-"Excerpts from Octopus" recorded live at the Calderone Theatre,, Hempstead, NY, July 3, 1976

Three Friends, 1972:
1. Prologue
2. School Days
3. Working All Day
4. Peel The Paint
5. Mister Class and Quality.
6. Three Friends.
7. Bonus Material.
i. Prologue from Concert tour in New Orleans September 1972.
ii. Peel the Paint-recording drums and bass in studio.
iii. alternative guitar and drum solo recording Peel the Paint.
iiii. Recording vocals harmonies on "Three Friends".

Web site: http://www.gentlegiantmusic.com
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/pages/GENTLE-GIANT/121160188790
Twitter twitter.com/ggiantmusic
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/gentlegiantplaying