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