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.

 

 

  

Fall Songs from Soul Moves Music

Meet Josh Lewis, who fronts Anita Squeeze. They've got great hard rock sound with influences of the Black Crowes and Rolling Stones.  Josh's yearning tenor reminds me of Axl Rose.  I heard ZZ Top-style guitars on his song THROW ME A LINE.  It's about the loss of a father, and how his "ocean of tears lead me to dry land... Throw me a line." 



Phoebe Legere is touring, writing songs, and teaching children at her Foundation for New American Art. Earlier this year her children's chorus performed songs created in New York City's Lower East Side from the days that Native Americans ruled Manhattan till now, with a rewrite of a Ramones' hit!
This versatile songwriter's LOCAL WINE has delicious double-entendres like “wrap myself around you like a grapevine,” This is the New York version of the song.  We'd love to personalize it for you.

Rebecca and "Kathy Mattea" rhyme!

 Rebecca Loebe loved her debut on Mountain Stage, Charleston, WV.  In addition to Rebecca, featured performers were Shawn Colvin, Lucy Kaplansky, Bruce Robison & Kelly Willis, and Kacy & Clayton.  This broadcast was hosted by Kathy Mattea.

Rebecca's comforting song, GHOSTS has a great lyric, "Give up the ghosts, at least the ones you love the most--they'll never hold you as close." Her friends and mine, Darin and Denby at Blue Corn Music are administering the songs on her latest album, also called GHOSTS! 832-649-7147, denby@bluecornmusic.com, daria@bluecornmusic.com   



Dean Friedman and John Batdorf perform at the legendary MY FATHER'S PLACE on Oct. 5.  He is the "special guest" for the Steven Page Trio on select dates in Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, New Jersey.  Steven was in Barenaked Ladies, who covered Dean's "McDonald's Girl," a teen idol song from the point of view of a 15-year old baseball player to an "angel in polyester" working at McDonalds. The song was also used in a McDonalds' commercial.   

One of my instrumentalists, Joe Olnick has a new fusion album, IGUANA is available for syncs.  "Don's Theme" features his electric guitar in a thoughtful vibe similar to Pink Floyd, Alex Skolnick, Kyuss.


Listen to Rob Bonfiglio's WARM LOVING CHRISTMAS.  He's one of Brian Wilson and Carnie Wilson’s long time musical partners.  Wilson Phillips also recorded this song with all the imagery of mistletoe and writing our names in the snow!  


We just got word that my partner Karen Besbeck has a song, HIGH LOVE will be in Netflix's "Sweet Magnolias" in 2020!  Yay!  It's like Kelly Clarkson updating Dottie West's "Country Sunshine."

BEHIND THE CURTAIN by Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius is knocking it out of the ballpark.  It's an aggressive rock song about deception OR transparency and lack of.  Uses “Wizard of Oz” keywords, especially “Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain.” Joe and his band Jason Gianni-drums (The Ultimate Queen Celebration, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Rock of Ages, Neil Morse Band), Michaelangelo Quirinale-guitar (Thrilldriver), and Paul Ranieri-bass (Mark Wood, Circuline, Rock This Town) have been streamed 3 million plus times on social media.

ProgStock is happening in Rahway, NJ on Columbus Weekend, along with Jane Getter, Robert Berry, Nektar, Rachel Flowers, and Saga.  Saga's leadsinger Michael Sadler was blown away by electric violinist Joe Deninzon at late night showcase at ProgStock last year. said, "I never heard someone approach the instrument that way. Reinventing the way you look at the violin. It’s taking a traditional instrument, and doing your way."

Joe Deninzon and I co-wrote "The Greatest Lives" about what Muhammad Ali would want us to know.  It's going to be on an album by South Africa's Thembeka Mnguni.  Look for a US release on sports radio Jan. 17, 2020.  Thembeka is a superheroine version of Etta James and Cissy Houston combined.  




FAIR WEATHER by Gary Lucas & Jann Klose is a fingerpicking guitar blueser about dealing with psychopathic "friends." Gary has a number of film score performances including “Dracula Vs. Frankenstein” at the Chutzpah! Festival, in Vancouver on Oct. 30  and the 1931 Spanish-language “Dracula” in Mexico on Nov. 2 and 3.  More dates at GaryLucas.com. Jann's vocals was described recently by No Depression as a "Folk version of Sam Cooke!" He opens for the Yardbirds on October 10 in Rockville, MD, has a song in the upcoming movie, MARRIED YOUNG, and sings Gandhi's words in the soundtrack of ONE LITTLE FINGER. Email me for ONE LITTLE FINGER. Visit http://www.theyardbirds.com/tour.html.



NEVER TAKE LOVE FOR GRANTED by the warm folk singer Dan Berggren is one of my favorite Christmas songs with the hook, “You’ll never take love for granted if you always give love in return.”  

New Single in Europe: HYSTERIA by Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius

Band Gives muse Song “Queen” Treatment Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius are releasing a new single HYSTERIA for International Audiences.  HYSTERIA is a “Queen-esque” cover of the muse hit.  Deninzon chooses his covers carefully. “Being a fan of Muse, the song spoke to him. “We would perform it on our live shows over the past few years, and I felt it suited us and fit in with our set next to our originals. I wanted to record a version similar to the original, but the band refused, saying why re-create something that was so perfect to begin with? They forced me to re-imagine the song entirely.”  “I was having a very good day vocally and channeled my inner Matt Bellamy, hitting the E’s! Rocking my “Viper” electric violin through a whammy pedal and an Earthquake Arpenoid in the solo. We pulled out all the stops!” The operatic intro is my tip of the hat to Queen, who obviously influenced the music of MUSE. Two of my all-time favorite bands! This was the first time we had an operatic Soprano (Melanie Mitrano) on a Stratospheerius recording.” Here is the music video for HYSTERIA.   Recently passing the 150 mark of radio stations playing the band’s latest album, GUILTY OF INNOCENCE, the album is finding support in Europe—thanks, in part, to a media outreach campaign by Judith Fisher of BJF PR. The group is being played a number of times by iconic radio hosts including Mark from Holland and Dick Heath’s Alt2 Radio Show out of Loughborough. Says Garry of Starship Overflow (on London’s Radio Gibb FM) “Real proof that the fiddle rocks & the vocals shine... Cracking album, so get your rocks off and PLAY LOUD!”    Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius are signed to Melodic Revolution Records, one of the leading progressive rock labels in North America.  Melodic Revolution Records’ slogan is “Music Is Our Voice.” The group was the buzz band at this year’s ProgStock, and have signed on for the main stage at next year’s Fest.     GUILTY OF INNOCENCE is Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius’ fifth album.  The 10-track prog rock album is available on vinyl, CD, and digital formats, and features special appearances by Alex Skolnick (Testament), Rave Tesar (Renaissance) and Randy McStine (The Fringe).     The band is led by founding member, electric violinist & vocalist Joe Deninzon. Joe has been called the “Jimi Hendrix of the electric violin.” Playing are guitarist Aurelien Budynek (Cindy Blackman, Vernon Reid), bassist Jamie Bishop (The Syn, Francis Dunnery), and drummer Lucianna Padmore, praised by Modern Drummer Magazine for her “Deep grooves and serious fusion chops.”    As a renowned violinist, Joe has recorded/performed with Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Peter Criss, Jazz at Lincoln Center, NYC Ballet (electric violin soloist), Les Paul… He is the author of the alternative violin Bible: “Plugging In: A Guide to Gear and Technique for the 21st Century String Player” through Mel Bay. Joe premiered his “Dream Diary: Concerto for Seven-String Electric Violin and Orchestra” with the Muncie Symphony, and renowned violinist Rachel Barton Pine commissioned Joe’s “The Electric Lake of Soul.” He is a 14-time BMI Jazz Composer’s grant recipient and winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest.

Sports Music by Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius

Hysteria The hit by (UK rockers) muse, reimagined. Wagnerian rock with shades of Queen. Hard and faster, Passionate vocals. The electric violin gives the recording electric heavy metal power. “I want it now.” 


Road Rage Aggressive, electric violin driven songs with the power and energy similar to Slamming metal, pace like Flight of the Bumblebee.  

The Greatest Lives Joe wrote the music, tweaked lyrics, produced, and arranged this song about "The Greatest"--Muhammad Ali.  Sung by Thembeka Mnguni for Universal South Africa, this version song recalls Midwest rock and soul.  Vocals will remind you, probably, of Etta James, Mavis Staples, Cissy Houston.  

” 

Game of Chicken Violin-driven rock, similar to Survivor, but with electric violin. Chasing to fight reckless causes. We are all speeding towards the edge of a giant cliff screaming at each other as a way to try to solve our problems. The one who swerves will be called a "chicken,” or a coward.   



Climbing Vocals kindred to Jack Bruce, electric violin-driven. Song is inspired by music of Marshall Tucker/Pearl Jam. CLIMBING is about never giving up! 



Listen to Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius' new album, GUILTY OF INNOCENCE, now on over 100 stations in North America:

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius Music Video/Single, HYSTERIA

(Electric Violinist/Singer Amplifies Muse’s Passionate Song)

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius’ new music video and single, HYSTERIA will be live on YouTube, Spotify, and digital stores on August 4.

HYSTERIA is a Wagnerian/Queen-esque cover of Muse’s 2003 hit.  The song is going to be on the upcoming Stratospheerius album, GUILTY OF INNOCENCE, out September 29 on Melodic Revolution Records, the leading North American progressive rock record label. 

Directed by musician Dave Milone (of the band Radio 4), the video for HYSTERIA features a dramatic performance of the band punctuated with explosions. Deninzon says the explosions represent “Someone who has had enough! Feeling hopeless frustration with the current state of the world, breaking out of a bad relationship, or someone held back from their dreams and ambitions, a prisoner in their mind or in a literal sense…or both!”  

Joe is a huge Muse and Queen fan, and pays tribute to both bands in their version of this song, "The original was so perfect that we wanted to reimagine the song entirely!" The single features singer Melanie Mitrano, the first time Stratospheerius has ever had an operatic soprano guesting on any of their recordings.

Fusing influences by artists as diverse as Tool, Tom Morello, Jean-Luc Ponty, and Jack Bruce, Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius are contenders for being the biggest deal in prog that you've never heard!  Writes Cleveland.com’s Peter Chakerian, “He may not be a ‘household name’ (yet) but he's kind of a big deal.” Adds Progressive Rock Central’s Angel Romero, the group “combines solid songwriting and tradition with extraordinary electric violin work and the sounds of the future.” 

Special guests on GUILTY OF INNOCENCE include guitarist Alex Skolnick (Testament, TSO), keyboardist Rave Tesar (Renaissance), and vocalist/guitarist Randy McStine (The Fringe, Stu Hamm).  

For updates on digital store links such as iTunes, Amazon, visit both the Melodic Revolution Records and Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius’ Facebook and YouTube pages. CDBaby is selling the single, and taking pre-orders for the GUILTY OF INNOCENCE album at: 

http://store.cdbaby.com/cd/joedeninzonstratospheeri4. 

Melodic Revolution Records’ slogan is “Music Is Our Voice.”

#### 

Social Media

www.facebook.com/stratospheerius/

www.youtube.com/user/jdeninzon

www.Instagram.com/Stratospheerius

www.twitter.com/JoeDeninzon

www.JoeDeninzon.com

www.Stratospheerius.com

http://melodicrevolution.com

Dave Milone, Video Director: 

www.silverproentertainment.com

Here's news from friends.

print out this coupon, and you can get a discount to the cat show in Westchester this November.


If you like writing about animals, and live in the New York City area, join me, Animal Planet's Emergency vet Kevin Fitzgerald, and social networking and media maniac Peter Shankman for the Cat Writers Association Conference, November 19-21 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, White Plains, New York. This will be the first time that the CWA conference is held in conjunction with the Westchester Cat Show.

The conference will also feature 18 seminars to help writers identify good sources, pitch to editors, learn new social media and interviewing skills and explore new topics. Editor/agent appointments will also be available on a first-come, first-serve basis after people register in full. I'll be at the pet book autograph party on Saturday afternoon with my UK book, PAWS FOR THOUGHT for sale at the Westchester Cat Show (anyone Christmas shopping?)

Conference registration can be made online at http://www.catwriters.org/annual-info.html.

Hotel reservations can be made online at http://www.crowneplaza.com\whiteplainsny, under the International Cat Writers' Association, or by phone at 914-682-0050 or 800-227-6963. For more information please visit http://www.catwriters.org.



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Congratulations to our friends in the band Tiles, who have a song, “Static” from their 1999 PRESENTS OF MIND album on the A&E show, “Parking Wars.”
The show is a first-hand, and decidedly playful, look at what happens when citizens come face-to-face with the parking authority, whether it's ticketing, booting, or towing -- it's PARKING WARS! This episode will broadcast Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 10 PM. Additional show times and program details are available at http://www.aetv.com/parking-wars/.

http://tiles-music.com/.


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One of the folks who helped me in my career--Howard Bloom is releasing a new book, THE GENIUS OF THE BEAST. The book is about what America and its people need to do to revitalize itself (and a lot is connected with being aware of people's needs, regarding them as being worthy, and being of service to one another). He also runs think tank chats on SKYPE Sunday nights from 9 till midnight east coast time.

Back in the 1970s and '80s, Howard created the "heavy metal magazine" by becoming the first editor of CIRCUS. He also created one of the legendary music publicity firms in the 1980s. (His roster included Tower of Power and other superstars including KISS, Diana Ross, AC/DC, Queen.... Renaissance was also one of his artists.)
Send an e-mail to howlbloom@aol.com , and he will send you an e-galley of his book.

http://www.howardbloom.net