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.”
CreditsMusic 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
