Epic Prog Power Ballad a Collaboration with Acclaimed Prog Rock & Classical Musicians
Saga’s Michael Sadler, Fernando Perdomo, Rachel Flowers, Ruti Celli, and Yulia Ziskel Join Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius for a Virtual Record Release Party Friday Night
Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius’ “Storm Surge” is now out on all digital media, from Tidal, Pandora, and Spotify to Apple/iTunes, Amazon Prime, and many other favorite streaming platforms.
Legendary Saga frontman Michael Sadler sings lead on the song, with support from Fernando Perdomo (Jacob Dylan & The Echo in the Canyon Band, The Dave Kerzner Band) on acoustic and electric guitar. Multi-instrumentalist prodigy Rachel Flowers plays both piano and flute on the song. Classical players include cellist Ruti Celli and New York Philharmonic violinist (and Joe’s wife) Yulia Ziskel. Joe’s bandmates–guitarist Michelangelo Quirinale, bassist Paul Ranieri, and drummer Jason Gianni are also on the song, which was engineered by Renaissance’s Rave Tesar and mixed and mastered by Rich Mouser (Dream Theater, Sons of Apollo, Tears for Fears). The song is available on U.S.-based prog label Melodic Revolution Records.
Labelhead Nick Katona will be hosting Joe and all the musicians this Friday night at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT/and Saturday morning at 2 AM Holland time on Youtube at https://youtube.com/c/JoeDeninzonStratospheerius The Facebook link is at https://bit.ly/3jsgUnJ.
After hearing his son Max, daily, practice a short piano piece called “The Storm,” by 19th Century composer Friedrich Burgmuller, Joe re-imagined it as a power ballad . He and the band began working on it May 2019, which included collaborating with his drummer, and then inviting other musicians to play on the song. A fan of “the genius multi-instrumentalist Rachel Flowers,” he asked her to to play flute and piano track for the song. He says, “Rachel has been blind since age 3 and plays piano, flute, bass, guitar, drums, stick, sings, and records and mixes her own albums. I’ve met and worked with hundreds of talented people in my career, but don’t think I’ve ever met a person with this level of talent! Check out the documentary about her, ‘Hearing is Believing’ on Amazon.”
The invite to Michael Sadler happened because Joe loved the idea of using outside singers in Stratospheerius. “We’ve been longtime fans of the Canadian band Saga. When we played the afterparty at Progstock, in 2018, Michael caught our set and was raving about the band! Michael’s voice, I thought, would be perfect for this song. He ended up contributing a jaw-dropping vocal performance, enhancing the melody, and adding Queen-esque harmonies.”
“In the end, “Storm Surge” is a writing collaboration between Friedrich Burgmüller, Jason Gianni, Michael Sadler, and me.”
Joe says that with all the problems the world is dealing with, “we are experiencing a feeling of uncertainty and anxiety. There’s a storm that’s raging inside of us right now, but we must believe that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.”
In addition to being played on YouTube, the video for “Storm Surge” is being played on MyJamMusicNetwork and StyleCity video shows. Watch it on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKugSd_QELQ
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 and 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’s played in orchestras and sessions for artists including Bruce Springsteen, the Who, Renaissance, the New York City Ballet, Aretha Franklin, Ritchie Blackmore….
“Storm Surge” linktree:
https://linktr.ee/stratospheerius
Bandcamp:
https://joedeninzonstratospheerius.bandcamp.com/track/storm-surge
Credits
Music and Lyrics by Friedrich 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