Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius - Behind The Curtain - Live At ProgStock (2CD/DVD/Blu-Ray)
Rock fans that love musicians with great chops are listening to Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius’ live box, Behind the Curtain - Live at ProgStock. The collection on two CDs and DVD/Blu-rays shows this treasured electric violinist/singer-songwriter’s history of favorites in the past decade and a half in the rock scene.
Game of Chicken is a race to self-destruction but escaping at the last minute. With a little country/bluegrass influence, Climbing is Joe’s dedication to anyone in the arena, paying their dues and going after their dreams.
Live at ProgStock features some eclectic covers. Frame by Frame is a wild version of the King Crimson classic! King Crimson is a huge influence for Joe, “My voice is the same range as Adrian Belew’s, and ‘Frame by Frame’ always beckoned me to cover it. It’s fun to play Robert Fripp’s fast ostinato guitar part on violin.”
The band takes a Queen-esque approach to Muse’s Hysteria. A spontaneous, unrehearsed cover of Chick Corea’s Spain with blind piano and flute virtuoso Rachel Flowers and Testament’s guitarist Alex Skolnick is a highlight of the album.
Alex and Joe co-wrote Heavy Shtettle. Alex’s history with Stratospheerius dates back to the early 2000s, when Alex briefly toured and recorded with the band.
Behind the Curtain - Live at ProgStock is three years in the making. The collection is made up of live performances at the ultimate Northeast progressive rock festival, ProgStock in 2019 and 2021. Writes festival attendee John Giordano in the new issue of UK’s The Progressive Aspect, “The performance is so alive, I can almost feel the discomfort of the old theatre seat on my bum. Wow!”
Joe, who is best known as the violinist for the band Kansas, is joined by his bandmembers: 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).
“Deninzon demonstrates that he is perhaps the finest electric violinist of his generation. Notably, he discharges scorching violin solos, performed at dizzying speed, along with various mesmerizing, innovative violin techniques.” - Angel Romero, Progressiverockcentral.com
“Deninzon has been called the Jimi Hendrix of electric violin… his violin swoops, howls, and dive bombs.. while charting an eccentric course that conjoins whiplash funk, spacey electronic, and progressive rock!!” - Strings Magazine
“When you put distorted guitars up against a violin you get magic. When you put a violin solo in a metal song, you get Fucking amazing shit! 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… I tip my hat and bow my head in awe ..”-Act/one Magazine
“Stratospheerius music is otherworldly!” They can tear out ear hairs and stomp them flat! …sounding both ahead of the curve and accessible at the same time. ”- #cirdecsongs, Proglodytes.com
Check 'em out:
https://youtu.be/riBWgHo3MgE
https://youtu.be/t6JPN4FELKc
Tracks:
Disc One: CD (2019)
- 1. Behind The Curtain
- 2. Release
- 3. Impostor
- 4. Frame By Frame
- 5. Climbing
- 6. The Missing Link
- 7. Gods
- 8. Game Of Chicken
- 9. The Prism
Disc Two: CD (2021)
- 1. Take Your Medicine
- 2. Cognitive Dissonance
- 3. Storm Surge (Featuring Rachel Flowers)
- 4. Spain (Featuring Rachel Flowers and Alex Skolnick)
- 5. Hysteria
- 6. Heavy Shtettle (Featuring Alex Skolnick)
- 7. One Foot In The Next World
Disc Three: DVD
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Behind The Curtain
- 3. Release
- 4. Impostor
- 5. Frame By Frame
- 6. Climbing
- 7. The Missing Link
- 8. Gods
- 9. Game Of Chicken
- 10. The Prism
- 11. Take Your Medicine
- 12. Cognitive Dissonance
- 13. Storm Surge
- 14. Spain
- 15. Hysteria
- 16. Heavy Shtettle
- 17. One Foot In The Next World
Disc Four: BluRay
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Behind The Curtain
- 3. Release
- 4. Impostor
- 5. Frame By Frame
- 6. Climbing
- 7. The Missing Link
- 8. Gods
- 9. Game Of Chicken
- 10. The Prism
- 11. Take Your Medicine
- 12. Cognitive Dissonance
- 13. Storm Surge
- 14. Spain
- 15. Hysteria
- 16. Heavy Shtettle
- 17. One Foot In The Next World
Format: 2CD/DVD/Blu-Ray
Artist: Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius
Release Date: May 19, 2023