Stratospheerius

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius // Hysteria
December 1, 2017
Johnny Cash – Hurt
Nirvana – The Man Who Sold The World
Jimi Hendrix – All Along the Watchtower..
… Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius – Hysteria

When you put distorted guitars up against a violin you get magic. When you put a violin solo in a metal song, you get F***g amazing shit! That’s all I can say about that..

There is always some danger attached to the task of releasing a cover track.. to be successful the artist must find his or her own way and unique expression. Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius did just that.
It’s amazing and in my book, a thousand times better than the original.

I love it when artists push the boundaries of what is perceived as the norm….. And I love it even more when it’s pure magic, just like Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius did with this cover.

I tip my hat and bow my head in awe .. - Gustu Music

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius
Guilty of Innocence
Melodic Revolution Records
Progressive Rock
Review by Nick Tate

Jimmy Page famously applied a bow to make his guitar sound like a violin. Joe Deninzon has made a career turning that idea on its head-wielding his violin like a guitar. In the process, he has pioneered a new standard for rock violin, much the same way Ian Anderson did for the flute. For "Guilty of Innocence"-Joe's fifth album leading support ensemble Stratospheerius-he is backed by a crack team of players in guitarist Aurelien Budynek, bassist Jamie Bishop, drummer Lucianna Padmore, plus guests Alex Skolnick (guitar, Testament), Rave Tesar (keyboards, Renaissance), and Randy McStine (guitar, the Fringe). The results are a lavish feast for the ears.
Stand Out Cuts include the funky Spin Doctors-like jam, "Affluenza," the rocking "Behind the Curtain," and speedy "Hysteria"-all propelled by Deninzon's blazing Stradovarius-meets-Stratocaster leads.Instrumental "Dream Diary Cadenza" features a violin break that takes a page from Freddie Mercury stacked-echo vocals (consult "The Prophet") and Brian May's Layered fretwork ("Brighton Rock"). But the album's 30-minute closer, "Soul Food," pulls together everything Joe and friends excel at-with rocked-up violin runs, pastoral acoustic guitar/strings passages and even a Scottish Highlands-style fling. - Progression Magazine

With herky-jerky momentum, the sinister yet jolly “Behind the Curtain” kicks off Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius’ exhilarating fifth album Guilty of Innocence. Chunky guitars, a battery of drums, and a seesawing Jacob’s ladder of electric violin battle for supremacy as Deninzon’s piercing tenor equates American exceptionalism with the fraudulent Wizard of Oz. The metaphor has been employed before, but seldom with such panache.

Deninzon has been called the Jimi Hendrix of electric violin, and that comparison seems apt on “Dream Diary Cadenza,” an excerpt of Deninzon’s solo concerto, where his violin swoops, howls, and dive bombs amid quickening arpeggios.

Elsewhere, Deninzon nods to Jean-Luc Ponty and George Clinton’s Funkadelic while charting an eccentric course that conjoins whiplash funk, spacey electronic, and progressive rock. Vocals adopt a snarky tone, but the lyrics convey anything but cynicism. Deninzon is a moralist raising an alarm and pointing out insanity. “Take Your Medicine,” a revenge fantasy aimed at scam artists, entangles Deninzon’s hyperkinetic bowing and a rubbery bass line in a muscular groove. The set’s title track lambasts the United States court system with squawking guitar, wiseacre lyrics, and Deninzon’s dust-devil ostinatos.

On “Face,” coiled percussion, crunchy guitars, and whirlpooling violin entangle in a grand slalom of power chords, syncopation, and distortion. The 12-minute progressive rock epic “Soul Food” reels out vertiginous violin switchbacks, operatic choruses, and pummeling panzer division drums before galloping to a finale that combines crescendo and cacophony.

Splashy and theatrical, Guilty of Innocence is a howl for justice delivered by virtuosos completely in synch with one another. It’s a darkly comic clarion call to combat affluenza, self-delusion, and the commoditization of daily life. Otherwise, Deninzon seems to say, we’re just another brick in the mall. - Strings Magazine

When looking for musicians that have the talent to put on a good show, you don’t have to look any further than seven-string violinist Joe Deninzon. Having graduated with Bachelor’s degrees in Violin Performance and Jazz Violin from Indiana University and a Master’s in Jazz/Commercial violin from Manhattan School of Music, Deninzon splits his time between teaching violin and performing in his band called Stratospheerius. Just recently, Deninzon and the band created a new album of music. For this album, Stratospheerius consists of: Joe Deninzon – Electric Violin, Lead Vocals & Mandolin; Aurelien Budynek – Guitar & Backup Vocals; Jamie Bishop – Bass & Backup Vocals and Lucianna Padmore – Drums. Together, the band is currently celebrating the release of this album. The new release from Stratospheerius is entitled Guilty of Innocence.

Guilty of Innocence from Stratospheerius begins with the track “Behind the Curtain”. With this track, Deninzon and the band start the album off with a bang. The track features a strong, driving pace to the music that comes complete with a definite Progressive Rock feel. That Prog-Rock sound is helped along with the inclusion of Deninzon’s electric violin along with a few musical effects that add to the feel of the piece. With a sly acknowledgement to the movie The Wizard of Oz, the track’s lyrics deal with a slight of hand, making people pay less attention to what’s really going on around you. “Behind the Curtain” contains a sound and feel that keeps the feel of the band’s last release of The Next World…, an album that was released back in 2012.

The newest release from Joe Deninzon and Stratospheerius continues with the track “Take Your Medicine”. The track starts off with a very strong bassline from bassist Jamie Bishop before the rest of the quartet joins in. Like the previous track, the band creates a track that features a very driving feel to the music. That driving feel seems to alternate between musical deliveries that is reminiscent of Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention and a delivery that contains a slightly less progressive feel. Because of the Progressive nature of the music, “Take Your Medicine” may not be very commercial; however, this track would be extremely popular on Album-Oriented Rock radio formats.

Joe Deninzon and Stratospheerius create one of the more “progressive” tracks on the title track of the album. Keeping with the pattern set forth by the first two tracks of the album, “Guilty of Innocence” hits the listener with yet another driving force to the music. Like the previous tracks on the release, the band plays with plenty of energy. But the one thing that stands out on this track is the Classical Music feel to the music as Deninzon layers his playing on the electric violin to create an effect as if a string quartet was brought in to add texture to the track. The addition of the Classical approach on the song is what truly sets the title track apart from the earlier songs.

Continuing the inclusion of a more Classical approach on the musical side of things, the track “Face” allows Deninzon to show off his ability on the violin. This track features more of Deninzon’s playing than the previous tracks on the album. The song begins with Deninzon’s violin and a strong beat plus his vocals. The sparse feel of the music allows for Deninzon’s violin to truly have a moment in the spotlight. When the rest of the band joins in on the music of the piece, the band creates a track in “Face” that has a definite Gentle Giant vibe to it.

And speaking of other people’s styles, the Guilty of Innocence album from Stratospheerius continues with the band’s version of a track from the band Muse. It is that group’s song of “Hysteria” that Joe Deninzon and band put their spin on. With the version by Muse, the band creates a song about animal attraction and the uncontrollable need for someone. Needless-to-say, the lyrics and music from Muse create a song that has a very dark feel to it. When Deninzon and the rest of Stratospheerius take their turn at the song, the ensemble seems to lighten up the feel of the song so that it’s not so dark. The energy level is still there with the Stratospheerius version as they create yet another track with a driving nature to the music, but the song contains a lighter feel this time around. If only a little bit.

The mood of the album changes direction on the next track. Like many in the music industry, Joe Deninzon shows he has a political side on the track “Affluenza”. With this track, Deninzon makes his opinion known on the subject as he sings about those who live their lives not caring what the consequences of their actions may be. While the lyrical content is rather political, the music of the track is rather commercial. The song begins with a Funk style of music that separates this track from every other song. The track’s music also includes some straight-out Rock and Roll. If not for the political edge to the song, “Affluenza” would be the most commercial track on the Guilty of Innocence album.

The most progressive sound of the band returns with the track “Game of Chicken”. The track once again features Deninzon on violin back by the rest of the band as they create a track that features one of the more challenging musical time signatures. With the track, Deninzon and the musicians in Stratospheerius show off their true musical abilities.

The Guilty of Innocence album from Joe Deninzon and Stratospheerius comes to a close with what could be called the “showcase piece”. The track “Soul Food” features a playtime that exceeds the ten-minute mark. The twelve-plus minute opus features the band creating several different passages that change the direction of the music from one moment to the next. Included in the song are passages that include the use of a piano and the final section that even includes an entire chorus that adds an orchestral feel to the piece. The twelve-minute playtime seems to go by rather easily because of the variety in the different sections of the track. “Soul Food” ends up being the most unique track of the ten that make up the release.

Guilty of Innocence from Joe Deninzon and Stratospheerius finds the band in fine form as they create a new album of music. While the album comes with plenty of Progressive Rock tracks, it’s the other songs containing other styles that help to make the release even more entertaining. If you happen to be a fan of Progressive Rock, the new album of Guilty of Innocence album from Joe Deninzon and the band Stratospheerius is one album you need to check out. - Rock and Roll Report

his is a strange one, the fifth album from singer and violinist Deninzon and the three piece Stratospheerius.

It’s mainly in a straight rock vein, of a high quality with the violin adding nice textures here and there, on occasion ripping things up lead guitar style or injecting a kind of Gentle Giant groove in Face and a sassy funk for Affluenza. There’s a bravura cover of Muse’s Hysteria with much fiddle, but eventually it goes off at a major tangent with the last two pieces, Dream Diary Cadenza, a solo extravaganza taken from Joe’s electric violin concerto, and 12-minute slab of prog that is Soul Food.

It’s an upbeat, good natured and fun album with playing of a very high order, nothing wrong with that at all and it’s bound to be a blast played live. All of the tracks come in easy to digest bite-size pieces, except for Soul Food which is the one that really make the difference for me. - Progressive Aspect

PROGRESSION MAGAZINE (SPRING, 2013)

NOT JUST FIDDLIN’ AROUND: JOE DENINZON and his band STRATOSPHEERIUS Make the Case for Progressive Diversity

By Dan Roth

Russian-born Joe Deninzon has been at the forefront of violin technology and performance for more than a decade. Whether teaching “fiddle funk” or :fusion violin” at Mark Wood’s rock orchestra camps, slaying on his seven-string Viper electric with band Stratospheerius, or exploring acoustic jazz with his self-named trio, Joe pushes the limits to what can be done musically on the violin.
Stratospheerius stretches the prog umbrella with a unique style once described as “psycho-jazz trip funk.” It’s eclectic mix evokes Frank Zappa, Dixie Dregs, and Mahavishnu Orchestra, featuring Joe’s thought-provoking, skilled musicianship and inspired imagination. Further reference points include Bela Fleck, John Medeski, even the Dave Matthews Band, making his work a favorite with the jam scene enthusiasts.
Stratospheerius does not play what you want; it plays things you didn’t know you wanted. In the following interview, the New York-based Deninzon discusses new Stratospheerius album The Next World…and his take on progressive music from a violin-centric point of view.

Progression: The violin is a unique lead instrument for rock-oriented music. How did this become your instrument of choice?
Deninzon: “I led two parallel lives growing up. My father was and is a violinist in the Cleveland Orchestra. My mother is a concert pianist and my uncle is a viola player, so I always had classical music in the house. I was handed a violin when I was 6 years old and went through the Suzuki and Russian method studies. We were new to America. I really wanted to fit in and fell in love with rock n roll, and later, jazz. I had no concept at the time that any of that music could be played on the violin. So when I was 12, I took upthe bass guitar and formed my first band. I started writing songs with lyrics around that time, so the first instrument I learned to improvise on actually was the bass. The two years later I taught myself guitar. So I was playing bass in my high school jazz band and guitar in various local bands while idolizing Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, and Steve Vai. But my violin life was ust playing classical music.
Things changed for me at age 16 when popular Cleveland rocker Michael Stanley heard me and invited me to play a show with his band on violin. This actually came easy to me, as I already knew the language because of playing guitar and bass. It was a big turning point, and was reviewed in the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper. My guitar teacher then turned me on to Jean-Luc Ponty and I was really inspired by him. I wanted to go to Berklee College of Music and be a guitar player, but I wound up going to Indiana University, double majoring in classical music performance and jazz violin.
O found that most violinists had a very clean sound. Stephane Grappelli and Ponty had that clean, pure sound. I never heard the violin equivalent of a Jimmy Page or a Keith Richards, or someone that had a little grit to their style. The real turning point for me was hearing Jerry Goodman playing ‘Celestial Terrestrial Commuters’ with Mahavishnu Orchestra. Jerry was the closest I had heard to that gritty sound, and that’s when I decided this is what I was meant to do. I became obsessed with Mahavishnu and Frank Zappa. Zappa violinist Sugarcane Harris also had that grit to his playing. He had that raw, bluesy sound that didn’t sound studied; it was so raw and emotional.
In 1995, I bought my first electric violin, a six-string Jensen. I made my first three albums using that violin and in 2003 bought the seven-string fretted Viper electric violin made by Mark Wood.

Progression: What made you move to an electric violin? What can you convey musically with this electric that you couldn’t with an acoustic?
Deninzon “First of all, the range. Now, when I go back and play an acoustic, I find myself reaching for the low strings that aren’t there. Being able to arrange whole string sections and hear all the parts….And the way it sounds with effects-you get a much purer sound with distortion, delay or anything else than with an acoustic that’s plugged in.”
Progression: Do you use MIDI effects?
Deninzon: “I don’t use MIDI because that can make your violin sound exactly like other instruments. I still want it to sound like a violin, but maybe a violin tripping on acid! I like using stomp boxes and still retain the essence of the violin. MIDI is great for composition and arranging, though.
Progression: Tell us how your first album came about.
Deninzon: “After graduating from Indiana University, I recorded my first album, Electric/Bue, in Cleveland. It was basically an instrumental fusion album that got really good reviews and I used some amazing jazz musicians I had come to know in Cleveland. I moved to New York to go to Manhattan School of Music and my next few years in - Progression Magazine

PROGRESSION MAGAZINE (SPRING, 2013)

NOT JUST FIDDLIN’ AROUND: JOE DENINZON and his band STRATOSPHEERIUS Make the Case for Progressive Diversity

By Dan Roth

Russian-born Joe Deninzon has been at the forefront of violin technology and performance for more than a decade. Whether teaching “fiddle funk” or :fusion violin” at Mark Wood’s rock orchestra camps, slaying on his seven-string Viper electric with band Stratospheerius, or exploring acoustic jazz with his self-named trio, Joe pushes the limits to what can be done musically on the violin.
Stratospheerius stretches the prog umbrella with a unique style once described as “psycho-jazz trip funk.” It’s eclectic mix evokes Frank Zappa, Dixie Dregs, and Mahavishnu Orchestra, featuring Joe’s thought-provoking, skilled musicianship and inspired imagination. Further reference points include Bela Fleck, John Medeski, even the Dave Matthews Band, making his work a favorite with the jam scene enthusiasts.
Stratospheerius does not play what you want; it plays things you didn’t know you wanted. In the following interview, the New York-based Deninzon discusses new Stratospheerius album The Next World…and his take on progressive music from a violin-centric point of view.

Progression: The violin is a unique lead instrument for rock-oriented music. How did this become your instrument of choice?
Deninzon: “I led two parallel lives growing up. My father was and is a violinist in the Cleveland Orchestra. My mother is a concert pianist and my uncle is a viola player, so I always had classical music in the house. I was handed a violin when I was 6 years old and went through the Suzuki and Russian method studies. We were new to America. I really wanted to fit in and fell in love with rock n roll, and later, jazz. I had no concept at the time that any of that music could be played on the violin. So when I was 12, I took upthe bass guitar and formed my first band. I started writing songs with lyrics around that time, so the first instrument I learned to improvise on actually was the bass. The two years later I taught myself guitar. So I was playing bass in my high school jazz band and guitar in various local bands while idolizing Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, and Steve Vai. But my violin life was ust playing classical music.
Things changed for me at age 16 when popular Cleveland rocker Michael Stanley heard me and invited me to play a show with his band on violin. This actually came easy to me, as I already knew the language because of playing guitar and bass. It was a big turning point, and was reviewed in the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper. My guitar teacher then turned me on to Jean-Luc Ponty and I was really inspired by him. I wanted to go to Berklee College of Music and be a guitar player, but I wound up going to Indiana University, double majoring in classical music performance and jazz violin.
O found that most violinists had a very clean sound. Stephane Grappelli and Ponty had that clean, pure sound. I never heard the violin equivalent of a Jimmy Page or a Keith Richards, or someone that had a little grit to their style. The real turning point for me was hearing Jerry Goodman playing ‘Celestial Terrestrial Commuters’ with Mahavishnu Orchestra. Jerry was the closest I had heard to that gritty sound, and that’s when I decided this is what I was meant to do. I became obsessed with Mahavishnu and Frank Zappa. Zappa violinist Sugarcane Harris also had that grit to his playing. He had that raw, bluesy sound that didn’t sound studied; it was so raw and emotional.
In 1995, I bought my first electric violin, a six-string Jensen. I made my first three albums using that violin and in 2003 bought the seven-string fretted Viper electric violin made by Mark Wood.

Progression: What made you move to an electric violin? What can you convey musically with this electric that you couldn’t with an acoustic?
Deninzon “First of all, the range. Now, when I go back and play an acoustic, I find myself reaching for the low strings that aren’t there. Being able to arrange whole string sections and hear all the parts….And the way it sounds with effects-you get a much purer sound with distortion, delay or anything else than with an acoustic that’s plugged in.”
Progression: Do you use MIDI effects?
Deninzon: “I don’t use MIDI because that can make your violin sound exactly like other instruments. I still want it to sound like a violin, but maybe a violin tripping on acid! I like using stomp boxes and still retain the essence of the violin. MIDI is great for composition and arranging, though.
Progression: Tell us how your first album came about.
Deninzon: “After graduating from Indiana University, I recorded my first album, Electric/Bue, in Cleveland. It was basically an instrumental fusion album that got really good reviews and I used some amazing jazz musicians I had come to know in Cleveland. I moved to New York to go to Manhattan School of Music and my next few years in - Progression Magazine

Stratospheerius – The Next World ?I’m just gonna say it, no one stop me, please: This album drove me absolutely nuts. So, why the good rating? It’s well done, I simply can’t argue with that. Stratospheerius is a unique band, melding blugrass, rock, prog, jazz, and funk. It’s really hard to describe. It’s got great violin happening all over the place, it breaks down to these blugrass and country moments all of a sudden, then this weird electronic bit, and all of a sudden there’s a funk guitar going, followed by classic rock guitars and vocals. Then, of course, there’s the prog elements on a variety of tracks, which prove to be quite well done (check out “Fleshbot” and “Road Rage” great instrumental driven violin rock madness). I’m not gonna lie, this violinist is really good, and really fun. If I were supersticious, I’d have to say that the devil came down and made a deal with Mr. Denizon for sure. Stratospheerius is all over the map on The Next World. Great band, not my style, but still a great band. This one’s worth checking out to see whether you love it or hate it.

-Matt Di Giordano
- www.progulator.com

"Have you ever been to electric violin land? A master of four-string wonder crystallizes his vision.

Over the five years that have passed since Joe Deninzon carved a personal niche in the rock domain with his band's debut, "Headspace", he made forays into jazz territory with a trio of his own on the instrumental covers collection which is "Exuberance", but it's in STRATOSPHEERIUS that the violinist holds the richest palette to take colors from. And this time he goes for a big picture, even though tango "The House Always Wins" and punky yelp of "Tech Support" might throw things to the humorous side to dissolve the wah-wah-adorned cerebral swipe of "The Missing Link" or the heavy "Gods" idiosyncrasy and, thus, blur the intent." - www.dmme.net

"Perhaps despite themselves, Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius are proving the sub-genre of '70s progressive rock is very much alive and well in 2012. While Stratospheerius describes itself as a "psychojazz trip funk" band, The Next World is squarely in the linage of works from bands like Yes, King Crimson, and Genesis, along with nods to jazz/rock fusion. While Deninzon doesn't claim any of these groups as influences, citing instead musicians like Frank Zappa and Jean-Luc Ponty, The Next World seems grounded in the conventions of progressive rock, which gives Stratospheerius the ideal format to showcase their musicianship and songwriting abilities.The Next World might suggest the album is a Deninzon project with Stratospheerius essentially his backing band. That's far from the case. The album does have ample samplings of Deninzon's accomplished violin work, but Budynek's guitars are on display in equal measure. None of the "jams" sound like spontaneous improvisations, but are rather tightly crafted studio pieces including intricately produced vocal articulations, electronic effects, and multi-tracked instrumentation. Most of the songs are five minutes or less, meaning there are few opportunities for extended demonstrations of virtuosity. It's an album with bright, vibrant tones from four players who aren't competing, but rather congealing." -Wessley Britton

- seattlepi

"Stratospheerius - The Next World... (Fiddlefunk Music)

Take violinist / vocalist Joe Deninzon, add guitarist Aurelien Budynek, bassist Jamie Bishop, and drummer Lucianna Padmore and you get the genre-busting quartet Stratospheerius. One moment you get a Police vibe; another song might fit in with that gonzo Tubes feel; the next some Jeff Beck-ish; yet another would be at home in the Zappa family. Sometimes all at once. The one common factor is that every number is full of invention and feels alive.

The biggest jump since the last Stratospheerius album is the depth and maturity Deninzon's voice has gained. His vocal on The House Always Wins is playful and a bit of a tease. On Gods it's got an urgent edge. Earthy and open on Climbing. As for the playing, every member plays with passion and invention. Budynek is tight and bright in rhythm mode and soars when the song calls for it. Bishop, who prog fans might recall from stints with the Syn and with Francis Dunnery, is a flat out low end monster and perfectly matched with the fiery Padmore. She is that drummer every musician wants in their ensemble: a player that can blow your mind one moment, then tenderly hold your hand the next. As for Deninzon - the sounds he gets out of that violin are inhuman. His speed, precision, color, and character are just off the charts!

Not a bum song to be found here. Today Ballad For Ding Bang, the Morse-era Spock's Beard-ish One Foot In The Next World, The House Always Wins, and Tech Support win the highlight honors. If you dig funk/prog/rock/jazz/jam/fusion/pretty-much-everything-but-opera - it's all right here. The Next World... is a disc you'll never get tired of spinning! Much love to dear departed Stratospheerian Bob Bowen who also provided the cover art." - Jon Wilcox (5/2012)
- Prog Sheet

"The Next World (Digital Nations, 2012)

A leading candidate for best rock album of 2012 is the deliciously addictive album The Next World by Stratospheerius. The wide-ranging New York-based band is the brainchild of electric violin sensation Joe Deninzon.

Stratospheerius displays violin virtuoso, mandolinist and vocalist Joe Deninzon at his prime, accompanied by three outstanding musicians: Lucianna Padmore on drums, Aurelien Budynek on guitar and vocals, and Jamie Bishop on bass and vocals.

The Next World mixes state of the art progressive rock, jazz fusion, Dave Matthews Band-style jam band rock, contemporary bluegrass, cutting edge electronica, blues, folk-rock vocals harmonies, and even Balkan Gypsy music. Joe Deninzon’s dazzling violin solos, creative loops and effects are clearly spectacular and demonstrate that is one of the most talented instrumentalists in the current rock scene."
- wwww.progressiverockcentral.com

It’s familiar, but like absolutely nothing you’ve heard before. That’s about all this reviewer can muster as a lead for reviewing the latest Stratospheerius release, Headspace. Lead by electric violinist/vocalist/mandolinist and former Clevelander Joe Deninzon, the quartet unleashes their fourth full-length effort with an assortment of songs that simply careen from your speakers. Following up their critically-acclaimed Live Wires disc, Headspace contains a frenzied mélange of alt-bluegrass, progressive rock, jazz fusion and funkabilly, with shades of the neo-hippie 90s and space rock for good measure. If Bela Fleck and Frank Zappa had a love child in outer space, it might grow up to sound like these guys do.

Band leader Deninzon brings it from the word go, channeling every bit of voracity through his 6 and 7-string Viper electric violin. No joke, he pushes bandmates Mack Price (guitars, vocals) Bob Bowen (electric and acoustic bass) and Lucianna Padmore (drums) into the stratosphere. You know their name is fitting after the set opener “New Material,” which pinballs through an array of time signatures and chord progressions that stop on a dime. In contrast, “Old Ghosts” “Today is Tommorrow” and the manic “Gutterpunk Blues” go for a bigger, louder and faster Jam Band ethos. Pay particular attention to the inimitable cover of The Police classic “Driven to Tears” and the set closer, “Heavy Shtettle II,” which you simply have to hear yourself to believe. Even I’m a bit lost for words about it. Memorable hooks, gravity-defying instrumental prowess and a kitchen sink move toward rock and Zappa-esque fusion fill Headspace. Let it fill yours.
- www.coolcleveland.com

Classic fusion lives and breathes via Russian-born, classically-trained Joe Deninzon and his amazing band Stratospheerius. Captured blazingly bright live and in the moment on this 10-song live outing, Joe and his magic band bring old music (Jeff Beck, Mahavishnu Orchestra) and new music (fans of the Dave Matthews Band's most transcendental moments won't feel lost here) together with a heavenly blend of originals from Deninzon's two previous studio affairs,Electric/Blue andAdventures of Stratospheerius, covers, and previously unreleased material.
From the latter disc comes the inspiring "Contusion," the ass-shaking "What's That Thang" and the aptly-titled Acid Rabbits" (think Jeff Beck'sBlow By Blow), from the former; there's also Frank Zappa's "Magic Fingers," Danny Elfman's theme from The Simpsons and "Heavy Shtettle," co-written by ex-Testament guitarist and current jazz ax meister Alex Skolnick (who guests on two tracks here).
While Deninzon's studio outings served as fine introductions to the New York-based maestro, this little sonic boom captures him unhinged and unencumbered as he leads his fiendishly good mates into strange and bold new worlds that leave now jaw snapped together, no heart beating at anything approaching a normal rate. Sounding more relaxed and confident than ever, Deninzon unleashes the fury on "Shock Therapy," "The Perfect Storm" and shines in the vocal department on the lovely and amazing "An Evening Nap In The Afternoon."
As at home in the world of Grappelli and O'Connor as he is in the world of Steve Vai and Jimi Hendrix, Joe Deninzon may very well be our next national violin treasure.
- Jedd Beaudeon

Violin master Joe Deninzon and his magic band Stratospheerius return with the album that captures them in the environment they seem to have been born to play in––on the stage with strings smoking and thoughts flying faster than the Concorde on amphetamines. Those already familiar with Deninzon’s work, whether Adventures of Stratospheerius or Electric/Blue already knew that he could smoke, that his compositions were living, fire-breathing monsters but this proves it once and for all, for all those who bother to pause and listen and all those who can’t help but be drawn in by Deninzon’s musical magnetism.

Old favorites such as "Acid Rabbits," "Pleasurepain" and "What’s That Thing?" get wheeled out and given the once-over and what-for, while the maestro turns to past masters such as Danny Elfman ("Theme From The Simpsons"), Frank Zappa ("Magic Fingers") and Stevie Wonder ("Contusion"), lending the effort the sense of past-meets-present that Deninzon has always done so well.

Alex Skolnick joins the band for two tunes (he also co-wrote "Heavy Shtettle"), while the core band of Ron Baron (beautiful bass), Luciana Padmore (smoking drums) and guitarist Jake Ezra (Where’s this guy been all our lives?) , does just fine on its own.

The only regret here is that this isn’t a double live monster but there’ll be time for that. Deninzon isn’t going anywhere, except into the stratosphere where we’ll crane our necks to watch him shine.
- Seaoftranquility.com

Violinist Joe Deninzon is an anomaly. He was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, to classical musician parents who later joined The Cleveland Orchestra. It was in Ohio that Deninzon discovered all the great American music genres. Now based in New York, he fronts the exciting Stratospeerius, which rips across those genres with no regard for boundary lines. He has played sessions (Ritchie Blackmore) and done string arrangements for the likes of Sheryl Crow, Project Object and Smokey Robinson. Yet it’s Stratospeerius that’s creating musical sparks. The band’s latest album, Live Wires, encapsulates elements of jazz-fusion and progressive rock. Deninzon feels that the violin "has barely scratched the surface in the rock world." He cites influences such as Jean-Luc Ponty, Jerry Goodman and Sugar Cane Harris. "[Harris] really embodied the blues violin sound. He made that thing cry and sound like a blues harp at times." With further influences that range from Frank Zappa and Miles Davis to Led Zeppelin, Bartok and Stravinsky, it’s no surprise that he is a monster player. Deninzon loves jams when there is a purpose and this live album offers ample evidence of that. Although he is an accomplished classical player he says it is the freedom of rock and jazz where you can turn a mistake into a new musical idea. And it’s that that really interests him. If the violin has a future in rock and jazz it is with Joe Deninzon. The guy is a good vocalist, too! www.joedeninzon.com - Mick Skidmore

You like prog rock? Stupid question, since you wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t. You like violin? If you do, then listening to the Adventures of Stratospheerius will be a treat for you. It most likely will be even if you can only answer yes to one of the above questions. Joe Deninzon is a classically trained violinist that turned to jazz against his parent’s wishes (proof that parents often give bad advice…) and released the album Electric Blue in 1998. This is Joe’s second opus, and he’s accompanied by several musicians including guitarist Alex Skolnick, known for his work with Attention Deficit (and before that, Testament, a group that should be familiar to those of you who were young in the 80’s with long hair, tight jeans, and white high-top sneakers…)
So, as I was saying, excellent jazz-rock embellished by electric violin played with Pagannini-like virtuosity. The disc offers the traditional jazz forms with their virtuosic solos and refreshing improvisations all in a fusionistic spirit. The influences aren’t limited to these elements; some of the tunes display a bit of Southern Rock influence, and there is a sublime cover of Stevie Wonder’s Contusion (from the 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life). To make all of this work, it’s no surprise that a "Zappaesque" sauce is present; after all. To marry Lynyrd Skynyrd with Jean-Luc Ponty or john Mclaughlin, you need a little craziness.
I don’t want to scare you with all these rferences. For what at first glance might seem like a weird album, the tunes work very well together, and you don’t need to be an amatuer of weirdness to appreciate it. It should appeal to a wide audience because Joe Deninzon never forgets the importance of a strong melody.
- Prog-Resiste (Belgium)

Psychojazz mavens Stratospheerius bring their violin influenced jams out in full on their latest release Head Space. Blending their influences into a style all their own, Stratospheerius make music that teeters on becoming its own genre. Part Dave Matthews Band, part modern rock and part classical, Head Space bounces from sound to sound with total ease. The violin playing by veteran Joe Deninzon opens up the dynamic of Stratospheerius with total urgency and takes what may at first seem like normal rock songs to an entirely higher level. However, it is not just the violen that makes Head Space a great experience. The vocal performance of Joe Deninzon is on par with his stringed abilities. This is most apparent on Head Space’s far and away hit track Today Is Tomorrow. This track still features Deninzon’s trademark strings, but he holds off on bowing them and instead plucks the strings for the first half of the song. Today Is Tomorrow also shows off the bands ability to craft a radio friendly song and one that still operates perfectly within the context of the album.

Opening track New Material is an interesting song to start off Head Space with. The song at first seems very Rocky Grass and a listening that does not penetrate the album may not get passed it if they are not a fan of the genre. However, as Head Space progresses, it reveals the many different sides of Stratospheerius. New Material shows a more roots rock and bluegrass influenced sound, Old Ghosts shows off the bands summer fest jam band appeal, and Today Is Tomorrow takes the band and puts them right into the best parts of the mainstream. On Mental Floss, 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. The other effected instruments on Mental Floss give Head Space a great push in the psychedelic direction, adding to the long list of the bands genre leaping abilities. Head Space is an exciting experience, taking the listener by the hand and whipping them around an Alice In Wonderland like journey of musical exploration.
- cashbox.com

Hailed as champions of “psychojazz trip funk,” Stratospheerius leap deep into progdom with Headspace — a smart and satsifying album in which a mandolin-powered instrumental called “Gutterpunk Blues” can straddle a frantic, spot-on cover of The Police’s “Driven to Tears,” and a Jewish heavy metal anthem (“Heavy Shtettle Part II: Heavier Shtettle”) and a solid, fiddle-fueled rocker about a songwriter pissed off because he can’t write a song (“New Material”) book-end a collection of 10 equally fascinating pieces.

Fronted by electric violinist (and guitarist, singer and mandolin man) Joe Deninzon, Stratospheerius veers more heavily from its instrumental past into vocal-based music influenced as much by Bruce Springsteen and Joni Mitchell as Frank Zappa and Bela Fleck, Kansas and The Flower Kings. Hence, these songs tell stories that, coupled with some intense instrumentation that the quartet makes sound way too easy, emerge as substantial pieces of ear candy. And the three instrumentals here improve significantly upon the band’s earlier work.

Despite the unusual shredding (mandolin rules, dude!) and virtuoso aspirations inherent in this music, Headspace resonates with an earthbound freshness that reflects a charming change of direction for a band that’s already established itself as critical darling. The possibilities just became seemingly endless.
- www.seaoftranquility.com

You like prog rock? Stupid question, since you wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t. You like violin? If you do, then listening to the Adventures of Stratospheerius will be a treat for you. It most likely will be even if you can only answer yes to one of the above questions. Joe Deninzon is a classically trained violinist that turned to jazz against his parent’s wishes (proof that parents often give bad advice…) and released the album Electric Blue in 1998. This is Joe’s second opus, and he’s accompanied by several musicians including guitarist Alex Skolnick, known for his work with Attention Deficit (and before that, Testament, a group that should be familiar to those of you who were young in the 80’s with long hair, tight jeans, and white high-top sneakers…)
So, as I was saying, excellent jazz-rock embellished by electric violin played with Pagannini-like virtuosity. The disc offers the traditional jazz forms with their virtuosic solos and refreshing improvisations all in a fusionistic spirit. The influences aren’t limited to these elements; some of the tunes display a bit of Southern Rock influence, and there is a sublime cover of Stevie Wonder’s Contusion (from the 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life). To make all of this work, it’s no surprise that a "Zappaesque" sauce is present; after all. To marry Lynyrd Skynyrd with Jean-Luc Ponty or john Mclaughlin, you need a little craziness.
I don’t want to scare you with all these rferences. For what at first glance might seem like a weird album, the tunes work very well together, and you don’t need to be an amatuer of weirdness to appreciate it. It should appeal to a wide audience because Joe Deninzon never forgets the importance of a strong melody.
- Prog-Resiste (Belgium)

As the new violinist in Kansas, Deninzon is getting well-deserved accolades. But this live 2CD/2DVD package from 2019/2021 captures the seeds of his solo endeavors. Songs like “Release” and “Impostor” feature inspired Hendrix-like abandon on his custom Viper fiddle. There are also some surprising guests, with pianist/flautist Rachel Flowers and guitarist Alex Skolnick joining in on Chick Corea’s “Spain.” – Eric Harabadian - Music Connection Magazine

There's very big news out of the Joe Deninzon camp: The electric violin wizard and progressive music aficionado has been named a full time member of classic prog rock band Kansas. So fans can look forward to seeing Joe on the road with Kansas and in the meantime they can enjoy this awesome Stratospheerius release that was recorded at the ProgStock Festival in Rahway, New Jersey during the band's appearances there in 2019 and 2021.
Deninzon plays an electric 7-string Viper violin during these shows and with Stratospheerius members Michelangelo Quirinale (guitar and vocals), Paul Ranieri (bass and vocals) and Jason Gianni (drums) backing him up, every single moment here is filled with excitement. The band's version of prog rock includes lots of nods to jazz and jazz fusion, and the latter is especially noticeable on "Prism." "Imposter" is very Kansas-esque while Deninzon's fondness for King Crimson is demonstrated on an awesome cover of that band's "Frame by Frame." On the rocker "Gods" Deninzon plays his Viper like a guitar, holding it as if it were a guitar while strumming and picking and occasionally "spanking" the fretboard.

The second part of the presentation, from the second ProgStock show, finds Deninzon bringing out a couple of guest players, Rachel Flowers and Alex Skolnick. First up is Flowers who plays piano on the original cut "Storm Surge;" she's sitting in for Michael Sadler who couldn't make it to the show (Sadler is the song's co-writer and player of piano on the studio version.) Flowers' delicate and precise playing is captivating and she also contributes flute parts to the composition. A 13-minute version of the Chick Corea chestnut "Spain" is nothing short of stunning; it's an acoustic performance featuring only Flowers, Deninzon playing a regular violin and Skolnick (Testament, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, one time Stratospheerius member) on acoustic guitar. The band returns and Skolnick switches to electric guitar for "Heavy Shtettle," a 17-minute jam that Deninzon says, "Celebrates our metal and Jewish roots." Also included is a nice take on Muse's "Hysteria," a cut that Deninzon says was previously mercilessly panned by a British critic. Deninzon gets the last laugh on that as the crowd loves the performance.

Behind the Curtain: Live at ProgStock is a four-disc set that includes a DVD, a Blu-ray and two CDs. All include the exact same programming with the two CDs holding the 2019 and 2021 shows separately. Get it at Amazon (affiliate link). - www.antimusic.com

5 stars When violinist/singer Joe Deninzon was teaching at The New School in New York he came across Alex Skolnick (yes, THAT Alex Skolnick) who was on one of his breaks from Testament and was studying jazz guitar, and together they recorded an album and formed a band called Stratospheerius. The band has been through a few line-up changes over the years, but recently can be found with Joe alongside drummer Jason Gianni, bassist Paul Ranieri and guitarist Michelangelo Quirinale. This four-disc set from Melodic Revolution Records captures two different Progstock concerts, from 2019 and 2021 and includes a CD of each, alongside a DVD and blu-ray, presented nicely with a small booklet.
To write the review I am listening to the audio but must confess I have been mostly watching the concerts on TV as the multi-camera recording has fully captured a band who are very much in their element, bouncing off each other and having a great time. Each of those involved is a wonderful musician, and I think Joe is possibly the only violinist in the world who plays a custom 7-string for the most part, with a strap which allows him to have both hands free as opposed to having to hold the violin at all times. One of the beauties of the visual is that not only do we see the interaction but also the backdrop videos, which sometimes get put into the main feed and their addition is fascinating.

Musically the guys are very much a prog band who enjoy long instrumental passages, yet they can also be surprisingly commercial and also enjoy bringing in jazz. The 2019 set finds the band mixing and melding their fusion style, and the harmonies on opener "Behind The Curtain" are wonderful, and I have found myself returning to that song time and again as it is such a blast, but being honest I often find that whatever song I am playing is my favourite, and "The Prism" is an amazing way to bookend the set. The threads are insanely complex and complicated, and how Joe manages to sound so composed while he is singing yet is demolishing his violin at the same time is totally beyond me.

While the first set is sublime with the band at full speed, the second set is somewhat more fractured just because Joe is extending what the band is doing. For "Storm Surge" they bring in pianist/flautist Rachel Flowers which adds a totally different element of the band, and then there is a full reset for a take on Chick Corea's "Spain". Here Joe moves onto a normal violin, Alex Skolnick joins on acoustic guitar, and they then work with Rachel to produce a jazz masterclass ? with Rachel being blind it is interesting to note her piano was at a different angle to normal with both Alex and Joe taking their cues from her at all times. The quartet resume with a blistering take on Muse's "Hysteria" before Alex returns on electric to play "Heavy Shtettle" for the first time in 20 years.

This is an absolutely glorious set from a group who consistently deliver. It is perhaps no surprise at all that Kansas chose Joe to replace the departed David Ragsdale as violinist on their 50th Anniversary Tour. That is amazing news for him, but let us hope it is not too long until we get more music from these guys, as this collection is just stunning. - www.progarchives.com