It’s been just a few weeks since Joe Deninzon was announced as the new violinist for the legendary band Kansas. He takes the seat previously held by original member Robby Steinhart and then David Ragsdale. Joe Deninzon’s first performance with the band was in Pittsburgh, PA last June 2 at the Benedum Center during the premier date of the “KANSAS 50th Anniversary Tour – Another Fork in the Road.”
Joe Deninzon has been hailed by critics as “The Jimi Hendrix of the Violin,” because of his innovative style on the “viper” seven-string electric violin. Joe is the lead singer and violinist for the progressive rock band, Stratospheerius, which has just released their 6th album, “Behind the Curtain (Live at ProgStock).” He can be heard on over a hundred albums and jingles as a violinist and string arranger.
Deninzon has performed and/or recorded with The Who, Bruce Springsteen, 50 Cent, Sheryl Crow, Ritchie Blackmore, Alex Skolnick, Smokey Robinson, Les Paul, Peter Criss from KISS, Michael Sadler, Renaissance with Annie Haslam, Kurt Elling, and as a soloist with Jazz at Lincoln Center and the New York City Ballet. A BMI Composer’s Grant recipient and winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, he has written solo works for violinist Rachel Barton Pine, and in 2015, premiered his Electric Violin Concerto with the Muncie Symphony Orchestra. Joe holds a Bachelors degree in Violin Performance from Indiana University and a Masters in Jazz Violin From Manhattan School of music.
KANSAS original member and drummer Phil Ehart commented about Joe joining the band: “We are extremely excited for Joe Deninzon to be the newest member of KANSAS. We believe KANSAS fans will enjoy what Joe will bring to the band. We are excited to kick off the KANSAS 50th Anniversary Tour. As the paragraph in the band’s first album said, ‘KANSAS IS A BAND’ and we remain so to this day.”
Needless to say, life has been good – and busy – for Joe Deninzon of late. But he’s found some time to talk with our very own Mark Boardman and deep dive about how he joined KANSAS and how the experience of playing with one of the bands he grew up listening to feels like. Watch or listen to their chat below, and remember that for more interviews and other daily content, Sonic Perspectives is on Facebook, Flipboard, Twitter and YouTube, where you can be notified about new content we publish on a daily basis.
