“As a violinist and vocalist who likes to do both simultaneously, the Viper is the answer to my prayers. The harness system allows complete versatility and flexibility for singing and playing. It also eases tension in my back and allows for more freedom of movement. The frets have saved my life on those nights when I couldn’t hear myself in the monitors. As a guy who loves to invade other people’s frequency ranges, having the 7 strings has really helped me with this goal. Seriously though in addition to its amazing tone, the instrument is truly beautiful. It is truly a work of art that looks great on stage. The Viper has opened many musical doors for me, and I am proud to recommend your instruments to my students, and to any string players who want to expand their horizons and bring out their inner beast.”
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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.
Most recently, he joined the legendary rock band Kansas as their violinist, rhythm guitarist, and backup vocalist. Joe is also the lead singer and violinist for the progressive rock band, Stratospheerius, which has just released their 6th album, “Behind the Curtain (Live at ProgStock) to critical acclaim.
Joe has performed and/or recorded with the Who, Bruce Springsteen, Steve Morse, 50 Cent, Sheryl Crow, Ritchie Blackmore, Alex Skolnick, Smokey Robinson, Les Paul, Peter Criss (KISS), Michael Sadler (Saga), Renaissance with Annie Haslam, Kurt Elling, and as a soloist with Jazz at Lincoln Center and the New York City Ballet.
He can be heard on over a hundred albums and jingles as a violinist and string arranger. A BMI Composer’s Grant recipient and winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, he has composed solo and chamber works for violinist Rachel Barton Pine, and in 2015, premiered his Electric Violin Concerto with the Muncie Symphony Orchestra.
Joe has also worked with the Sweet Plantain String Quartet, which combines Latin Jazz with hip-hop and Classical music, and has toured throughout Europe and the U.S.
Joe has made annual appearances performing at the Grand Canyon Music Festival with renowned harmonica virtuoso Robert Bonfiglio.
A passionate educator, in 2007, Joe co-founded the Grand Canyon School of Rock, an annual music program for local high school students in Northern Arizona. Joe is a faculty member at the New Jersey City University Multi-Style Strings Program. He travels worldwide as a clinician and has contributed articles to Strings Magazine, Downbeat, American String Teachers Journal, and Making Music Magazine. In 2012, Mel Bay published Joe’s book, “Plugging In.” Joe has taught at the Mark Wood Rock Orchestra Camp, Mark O’Connor String Camp, “Strings Without Boundaries,” and “Fiddle Hell,” and has presented multiple workshops at the American String Teachers National Conference.
Chris Haigh’s book, “Discovering Rock Violin,” lists one of Joe’s recorded solos among the “Top 20 greatest rock violin solos of all time.”
Joe holds a Bachelors degree in Violin Performance from Indiana University and a Masters in Jazz Violin From Manhattan School of music.
He resides in Old Tappan, New Jersey with his wife Yulia Ziskel, violinist with the New York Philharmonic, and their two children, Max and Arianna.
AND he is a faculty member at Mark Wood Rock Orchestra Camp (MWROC)!
“I have designed and built my own instruments and I can tell you that the workmanship of the instrument by the Wood Violins team is amazing. Everyone at Wood is extremely friendly and they were also incredibly accommodating when working with me to build a custom designed instrument. It has been incredibly freeing to be able to stand and play, and the instrument is incredibly responsive to all the electronics on my pedalboard. When compared to many other electric cellos, the Cobra has a great warmth to it! Traveling with it is so much easier than my full body cello, so it is very convenient to do gigs all over. I love it!!”
