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 has worked 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, Phoebe LeGere, Kurt Elling, and as a soloist with Jazz at Lincoln Center and the New York City Ballet. Joe is the lead singer and violinist for the progressive rock band, Stratospheerius, which has released 6 albums to critical acclaim. He can be heard on over a hundred albums and jingles as a violinist and string arranger. A BMI Jazz Composer’s Grant recipient and winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, he has written a solo piece for renowned violinist Rachel Barton Pine, and in 2015, premiered his Electric Violin Concerto with the Muncie Symphony Orchestra.

Joe is also a member of 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 released a CD with his acoustic jazz trio, titled “Exuberance.” Joe makes annual appearances performing at the Grand Canyon Music Festival with renowned harmonica virtuoso Robert Bonfiglio. In 2007, Joe co-founded the Grand Canyon School of Rock in Arizona, an annual music program for local high school students. He travels worldwide as a clinician and has contributed articles to Strings, Downbeat, American String Teachers Journal, and Making Music Magazine. In 2012, Mel Bay published Joe’s book on improv and extended techniques for strings, titled “Plugging In.” Joe has taught at the Mark Wood Rock Orchestra Camp, Mark O’Connor’s String Camp, and Julie Lyonn Lieberman’s “Strings Without Boundaries.” He has also contributed to books by Tracy Silverman and Julie Lyonn Lieberman. Joe has made the Downbeat Critic’s poll for “rising stars” in jazz/rock violin. 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 Bachelor’s degrees in from Indiana University and a Master’s from Manhattan School of Music. His teachers have included Josef Gingold, Nelli Shkolnikova, Linda Cerone, David Baker, John Blake Jr, and Henryk Kowalski.