Deninzon, Joe and Stratospheerius: Live Wires

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.

Track Listing:
1. What's That Thang?
2. The Perfect Storm
3. Pleasurepain
4. Heavy Shtettle
5. Magic Fingers
6. Theme From The Simpsons
7. An Evening Nap In The Afternoon
8. Contusion
9. Acid Rabbits
10. Shock Therapy

Added: October 20th 2004
Reviewer: Jedd Beaudoin
Score:
Related Link: More Information
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Language: english

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