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Jeneen Terrana Serenades Queens

Astoria’s own Jeneen Terrana has been making her presence known around the world— especially in the New York music scene—as a talented singer and songwriter with her new album, “See the Light”.

Terrana was raised in Buffalo where she grew up watching her Sicilian grandfather perform operas after traditional Sunday dinners and drifting in and out of rock bands throughout high school. After graduating, she found her voice by experimenting with more classical music, which she studied throughout college.

In 2002, Terrana released her first full-length album, “Just Me”, which was followed by her award-winning record “My Creation” after a long break in 2007. “See the Light” was released on January 1 of this year.

Terrana now resides in Astoria, where she tours the local music scene, promoting her new album in venues throughout the city. Despite also having toured in Europe and having opportunities for international recognition, she is still very much a local girl. “See the Light” is a hearty mix of pop, folk, blues, and acoustic “indie” rock that showcases Terrana’s wide vocal range and abilities. Songs like “I Laid It On Him” and “Raise Your Voice” display the inspiring bravado of a strong-willed young woman, whereas enlightening tracks like “See The Light” and the revealing “God, I Need Comfort” show the steady maturation of both the music and its singer. Beginning with the fun, poppy “Benny’s In My Head,” and ending with the vulnerable plea, “Time”, the album encompasses a variety of moods, taking the listener on a positive coming-of-age journey that relays Terrana’s experiences over the past few years.

In fact, the lyrics were written under the inspiration of her own journal entries from 2009 to 2010, which recorded the ups and downs of her own personal life. The result is an album that is relatable, soothing and reassuring as well as enjoyable.

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Astoria singer captures folk rock vibe

July 8, 2011 by Bob Doda

When she first started taking the stage, she would sing over tracks played on a boom box since she hadn’t yet learned how to play the guitar. But she knew that stage is where she belonged.

A whirlwind of powerful songs and folksy playfulness, Jeneen Terrana has been gaining national and international exposure touring the states and Europe for the past several years. Her first gigs were in Manhattan but eventually found her way to Long Island City and Astoria; a place Terrana says “feels like home.”

“I started singing when I was very young. I was very shy. I didn’t start playing music in front of people until high school,” said Terrana, who was involved in school theatre, but had no luck auditioning on the New York City theatre scene.  She didn’t feel like she had an outlet to express herself until she began writing songs for herself.
Little by little, her “hang on to your dreams” songs and fictional songs about love and loss earned her a gig once a month at Orange Bear Bar in Manhattan. And little by little, her guitar skills began to improve.

“I played with a boom box at first and tried to incorporate at least one acoustic song into my sets . . . eventually, after eight months, the whole set was acoustic,” said Terrana.

Raised in Buffalo where she would hear her Sicilian grandfather sing entire operas after Sunday dinner, Jeneen Terrana sang in a band in high school and in the local theatre. She left Buffalo to study classical music and opera at Southeastern College, but soon was experimenting with other sounds. After graduating, she moved to New York to find herself in the promising Queens music scene.

“I love Astoria. I feel like when I moved here I was finally home. It’s very cozy with a lot of people my age . . . there is a good vibe in the neighborhood,” said Terrana, who found herself writing songs on the subway or in her apartment.

Her debut album in 2002, “Just Me” was a mix of gentle melodies and sarcastic wit while her 2007 release, “My Creation” was an introspective look at the beauty of being in love and feelings of self-determination that follow long relationships. Her song, “New book” describes Terrana’s clean-slate sensitivity after breaking up with a long time boyfriend: “I’m tearing up the old one/throwing it away, I’m starting a new book today.” Her message is simple; it’s never too late to start over.

After a three year hiatus from recording, Terrana says that her inspiration has been completely rejuvenated. Released in January, her third full-length album – “See a Light” – is a case study in rethinking what is important in life, where we are going and a struggle between life choices.

The album features acoustic guitar, mandolin, trumpets, piano and the affirmative, soulful vocals of a woman recovering the spirit she thought the lost during a rough stage in her life. Terrana says the albums selections are well-balanced between darker tracks and lighter ones. The title track is a jazzy head-nodder that describes the sun shining, the clouds passing and the storm finally ending:

“And it took a while for this storm to pass/at long, long, long, long last/ I raise my arms to embrace this day/ what a lovely, lovely day.”

Terrana says that she is part of budding conglomerate of local musicians in the Long Island City and Astoria area like Jeanne Marie Boes, Gus Rodriguez, Little Embers, Brian Meece and Anthony Lanni.

“We are all moving up together and I see it growing more and more,” says Terrana. “It feels like I finally found my family.”

For now, her musical plans remain focused on capturing the essence of what acoustic Americana is all about, but she did not rule out the possibility of plugging-in at some point.

“I do have an electric guitar here that’s calling my name,” said Terrana.

You can catch the Jeneen Terrana Band at Rockwood Music Hall in Manhattan on July 21. For full information about upcoming shows, a stream of her new album and to view clips from live performances, visit www.jeneenterrana.com.

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Singer-songwriter and Queen of Queens

June 23, 2011 by Mark Lord

For her third CD, released in April, Astoria resident Jeneen Terrana recorded songs that span emotions ranging from love and loss to courage and heartache. But it was how she raised the money to get the album made that is most unusual.

A longtime lover of baking who, even worked as a professional wedding cake preparer for a spell, Terrana, who is known to give away cupcakes and other homemade delights at her concerts, baked her way to recording with the help of an online fundraising site, earning over $4,000 toward the production of her latest record, “See the Light.”

“I was nervous halfway through the first song,” she said of performing work from the new album, “but then you calm down. You realize people want you to do well.”

When she first started, Terrana had really bad stage fright. “My hands would shake. My knees would shake. You learn different ways to channel it,” she said.

Despite her nerves, her original songs have taken her around Europe, including stops in England, Ireland, Scotland, Belgium and the Netherlands. In 2009, she fell in love with Scotland, to which she returned earlier this year.

“People are so receptive there to American music,” she said. “They light up when they hear you’re from New York. You’re different, special, you traveled all that way.”

Terrana did tour America in 2003, but in this country, she said, “you feel you can get a little lost in the shuffle. Maybe I just wasn’t ready for it. I’m ready to do that now and I’m ready to grow my fan base here.”

It’s not hard to love Terrana’s music, which is folk rock-oriented with jazz and blues influences. Her style is reminiscent of Fiona Apple with a bit of Mary Chapin Carpenter, the Indigo Girls or early Ani DiFranco thrown in.

In some of the songs, Terrana features brass instruments and in others, the guitar she plays is central. “Never Go” is among the catchiest songs on the album, augmented by strong harmonies.

Terrana’s musical heroes are performers as diverse as Barbra Streisand, Roy Orbison and Leonard Cohen. “I love great singers,” she said. “I grew up listening to singers.”

Her love for discovering talent continues, as she recently hosted the fourth annual “Queens of Queens,” a successful festival for female singer-songwriters in the borough. con

Terrana’s formative years were spent upstate in Buffalo. She was a voice major in college and originally came to the city to pursue a career in musical theater but “got frustrated by the audition process.”

She began writing her own songs, with the lyrics generally coming first. An avid fan of journal writing, Terrana often finds herself jotting down ideas on the subway or when she’s “going through something;” those ideas often provide the basis for her next song.

Her first CD, entitled “Just Me,” was released in 2002, primarily featuring songs of consolation. Her second album, “My Creation” came out in 2007.

The title song from that album is about “creating the world you live in. If you don’t like the way it’s coming out, take the reins and do something different,” Terrana said.

“I choose a heart so open you can see the love pour out/ I choose to sing until every cell in my body cries out,” read the lyrics.

Audiences will be able to hear Terrana when she makes a return visit to the 100-year-old LIC Bar on June 29 at 9 p.m. There is no cover and no minimum and no reservations are required. For further information, call (718) 786-5400. To see if Terrana’s music appeals to you, visit jeneenterrana.com

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Two Crowdsourcing Success Stories

April, 2011 by Brett Ackerman, Beacon Pass

“Her music is utterly soothing, full of the organic sounds of the northern country.”

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Jeneen Terrana – See The Light

February 26, 2011 by Wildy Haskell

Jeneen Terrana is an integral part of the Long Island City, NY music scene.  A distinctive songwriter with flair, Terrana has been comfortable with her local status but has the talent to play much larger stages.  Terrana debuted in 2002 with Just Me, a highly personal collection of originals that showed a raw talent just beginning to come into its own.  Terrana’s 2008 follow-up effort, My Creation, featured the inspired instrumental work of The Howl Brothers, and won critical acclaim from multiple outlets, including being branded a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.  Terrana returns in 2011 with See The Light, a more mature and airy effort than her previous two albums.

See The Light opens with “Benny’s In My Head”, a folk ballad with a soulful slant.  This is Terrana’s internal dialogue over the battle between heart and mind when finding herself suddenly in the midst of love.  This is a great piece of songwriting; Terrana has crafted a great arrangement that stays enough in the background to allow the story of the song to play out unfettered.  “I Laid It On Him” is a foxy bit of urban gospel blending jazz with a folk/storyteller pastiche.  The song is incredibly catchy with an almost swing feel to it at times.  “Raise Your Voice” encourages children to speak up from their well of idealism about the world; encouraging them to not be borne down by the cynicism of the world around them.  The song is well-written, and Terrana performs it with heart.  There is one moment, on the highest note of the song, where the vocals come off a bit shrill, but otherwise the performance is flawless.

“All Of You” is written from the midst of true, deep and abiding love; it’s an invitation to join her and be immersed in its waters.  Terrana calls on her heritage, infusing shades of an Italian folk style here.  “I’ll Always Be With You” brings a sort of Baroque musical theater feel to the table.  While the song itself is a love song in a fairly common style, Terrana breathes pleasant life into the genre.  “See The Light” and “At School” are solid album tracks that lead into the splendid songwriting that makes up “God, I Need Comfort”.  Terrana’s representation of one side of a dialogue or prayer is intriguing; full of dark, Mediterranean influences.  Terrana explores the darker side of self and the constant battle to be better than we really are.  The composition is gorgeous, with amazing harmony vocals.  “Never Go” is another meditation on love; on her desire for love to stay as it is forever.  See The Light closes out with “Time”, a gentle plea to time itself to slow down for her.  Terrana keeps things simple, allowing the simple beauty of the melody and the unbridled angst of the lyrics to shine.  It’s a stunning closer.

Jeneen Terrana shows a lot of musical maturity on See The Light while exploring the happier countenance of love.  She doesn’t get entirely way from the darker aspects of humanity, and often her best songwriting comes from those darker places, but See The Light is a strong transitional album.  It doesn’t have quite the urgent energy of her previous work, but shows an artist struggling to come to terms with her deeper self.  Terrana is a top-notch songwriting, and her voice is enthralling.  And while there are a couple of slow spots here, this is the album Terrana had to make next to continue to grow creatively and as a performer.  See The Light is highly recommended listening.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

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Most inspiring song for the New Decade

January 1, 2011 by Clive Swersky

Song #1 of my Top 10 Most Inspiring Songs from The Alive with Clive TV Channel to hear at the start of a New Decade and New Year: “My Creation” by Jeneen Terrana.

Song # 10: “My Creation” by Jeneen Terrana

November 6, 2010 by Clive Swersky

“My Creation” by Jeneen Terrana is the tenth song in The FIRST Alive with Clive Top 20. I am so inspired by “My Creation” that I learned the lyrics and believe that one of the best ways to start every day is by listening to the song or singing it to yourself!

Wildy’s World Artist Of The Month, January 2010: Jeneen Terrana

January 1, 2010 by Wildy Haskell

We are proud to present Jeneen Terrana as Wildy’s World’s Artist of the Month for January of 2010! Ms. Terrana’s album with The Howl Brothers, My Creation, was ranked #1 on Wildy’s World’s Top 40 Albums of 2009! The Buffalo, New York native relocated to New York City a number of years ago, but may be one of the Nickel City’s finest musical exports since Chuck Mangione. She is currently one of the brightest lights on the nascent Long Island City music scene, and in 2009 made her first foray to Europe for a four week tour with Silbin Sandovar (also known as Gustavo Rodriguez). 2009 also saw Terrana begin to gain radio exposure in places such as Michigan, California, New York, Connecticut, Dublin, London, Virginia, New Jersey and Massachussets.

No word on specifics for 2010, but hopefully we’ll catch up with Terrana over the course of the month and find out what’s instore. Take some time to check out Terrana’s My Creation, as well as her fine 2002 solo album, Just Me.

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The Wildy’s World Top-40 of 2009 #1: Jeneen Terrana & The Howl Brothers – My Creation

December 31, 2009 by Wildy Haskell

#1 – Jeneen Terrana & The Howl Brothers – My Creation
Buffalo, NY born and raised singer/songwriter Jeneen Terrana has been based in New York City for several years now, but she hasn’t forgotten her roots. Terrana’s My Creation is the finest overall recording we reviewed here at Wildy’s World during the past year, and is our pick as album of the year for 2009. Terrana may not have a lot of name recognition outside of New York City or Buffalo, but  that’s more an indication of what’s wrong in the music business than of anything about Terrana herself. Mixing elements of Norah Jones, Sarah McLachlan, PJ Harvey, Ani DiFranco and Joni Mitchell, Terrana is an every-woman singer/songwriter whose music speaks across social and generational boundaries in a fashion many of her peers have never imagined.

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Another Memorable Night From SXSC – Winchester, UK

By Lisa Gowling • April 13, 2009

“It was yet another memorable night at The Railway on Saturday, as SXSC (South by South Central) introduced a New York based Showcase with Jeneen and Silbin, The Ryan O’Reilly band (not from New York however) and the headliners of the evening Kill Henry Sugar, who normally reside as Joen Baez’s backing band. The audience was small, but every chair was occupied creating a lovely intimate atmosphere.

Jeneen and Silbin kicked off the night, they are two single acts but have brought their vocal talents together to form a duo. This is the first time they have toured the UK and I for one am hoping it wont be the last. Jeneen has a powerful voice with a soft delicacy which promotes feeling in her words and every song, be it upbeat or a slow ballad, she dressed with a fantastic American smile that you cannot help but look endearingly on . Their on stage chemistry works well and makes you wonder how they didn’t find each other sooner, they carried their own individual songs with the help of each other. It worked.”

Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc – 5 stars out of 5

January 30, 2009 by Wildy Haskell

“Jeneen Terrana is a special talent, and My Creation is one of the most breathtaking introductions to an artist I’ve ever experienced. It makes me sorry I missed her debut in 2002. Buffalo, NY should be proud, and New York City music fans should make every effort to see and hear the musical gem playing among them while they can. If there’s justice in the world of music, New York City won’t be big enough to hold Terrana in the long run. Between her voice and songwriting talent, and the impresario backing band The Howl Brothers, there’s nothing this musical outfit can’t accomplish. My Creation is, without a doubt, a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc. It’s a classic album that deserves to be heard far and wide. What are you waiting for?”

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

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For Obama’s Inauguration, Let’s All Sing “My Creation!”

January 14, 2009 by Clive Swersky

“The lyrics to Jeneen Terrana’s song, My Creation, emphasize that we all have within us the power to choose what we wantto create for our lives without being shackled by decisions of the past, and themes of love and peace, as well as being courageous and fully self expressed, reverberate throughout the song,” says Clive, “so I can’t think of a more appropriate song for us to sing on the eve of Barack Obama’s inauguration, especially in these challenging economic times.”

Jeneen Terrana, music’s next big thing…

Article by Mackin Enterprises

NEW YORK (Top40 Charts/ Bitesized Records) – Introducing a rock chanteuse who picks up her guitar and sings her heart out, a woman whose songs and hypnotic vocals, packed with a solid delivery, work their way into your brain, and seduce your creative senses.

This chanteuse is Jeneen Terrana, utilizing a delicious mix of rock, blues and rockabilly, her hypnotic vocals , her rock soft style elicits mass appeal due to it’s wondrous diversity.

Sweet and melodic, with a biting agressive element, Jeneen brings a freshness to the music scene, her new cd, MY CREATION is a joy to behold, totally defining the genre of adult contemporary. Her tales of love and lost, captivate you, her haunting vocals, both  gorgeous and evocative, lead the listener into a new dimension of auditory enjoyment..

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Girls gone wild (for the love of music) at L.I.C. Bar

by Tiffany Razzano, qboro Contributor

However, you might not realize that if you looked in your own backyard you’d find a bevvy of talented female songwriters, which is why L.I.C. Bar teamed up with GoGirlsMusic.com, an online community that promotes independent women musicians, to present The Queens of Queens on Dec. 1. In an effort to cultivate the burgeoning local scene, this free show,which even offered the audience a free catered dinner, brought together nearly a dozen female songwriters and musicians based in western Queens — mostly from Astoria and Long Island City — in celebration and recognition of their musical talents. And while all were singer-songwriters, the musicians represented a wide spectrum of genres, from blues and jazz, to Americana and folk. So there was a little something for everyone.

The evening was hosted by Astoria-based acoustic indie rocker Jeneen Terrana, originally from Buffalo. Listening to her mix of alternative rock and blues, it’s easy to appreciate her wind range of influences from musicians such as Nick Cave and PJ Harvey to Dusty Springfield, Patty Griffin and Harris.

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Another Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc – 5 stars out of 5

February 24, 2009 by Wildy Haskell

We previously reviewed the exquisite My Creation from Jeneen Terrana And The Howl Brothers. She must have liked what we wrote because she sent along her earlier album, Just Me. She has a disarmingly honest and personal songwriting style that will leave you on the edge of your seat. I was very curious to hear what Terrana was like before her association with The Howl Brothers. One word:  Wow.

In going back to the earlier disc in Terrana’s catalog I expected to hear a developing artist who would turn into the one we heard on My Creation. Instead we find an artist fully formed, striking in her candid and confessional songwriting. The voice is the same;  wonderfully nuanced and subtle but capable of striking power and grace. Just Me is every bit as good as My Creation. The development seen isn’t so much a growth in skill or prowess but a widening of stylistic choices. Just Me is a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc, and Terrana is just the second artist to have two albums gain that distinction. Get this disc.

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Joe Ruvel, Lookey Dookey Magazine

“Disclaimer: I am a sentimental bastard. When a woman picks up a guitar and sings her heart out, its hard for me not to enjoy it.

With that disclaimer out of the way, I introduce you to Jeneen Terrana. After only a few listens to her album, Just Me, I am on her side. Her tales of love and lost are overlaid on simple songs, that slowly start to work their way into your brain. Sometimes its catchy lyrics and a tight song that draw you in, like on the opening song “Good Folks”. Other times on the album, her haunting voice lulls you while you sit with her replaying a moment in her life.

Jeneen is not all sadness either. One of the high points on the album is the song “Fuck you”. This country tinged anthem of sorts is at times funny, stirring, and down right fun. Jeneen says it all with the words, “So fuck you / Fuck your planning/Fuck the way you treated me / If I wake up and I’ve made a mistake / I’ll just have to say fuck me.” You also have to give her credit for having the word fuck repeated about 10 times in one song. By the time you think you understand the album pretty well, Jeneen surprises you with a gorgeous rendition of “O Sole Mio”. It not only acts as a definitive ending to the album but a window into another side of Jeneen’s life. If you are a sentimental bastard like me, then you will enjoy this album.”

Anna Maria Stjärnell, Ectophiles Guide to Good Music

“Jeneen Terrana’s music is gorgeous and evocative. It’s a fine debut by any standards. Jeneen Terrana combines sharp lyrics with memorable tunes. The langourous “Someone Else Has been Loving you” really gets to me. Its heartbreak is almost touchable. The irresistible singalong “Fuck You” gets me to merrily sing the chorus over and over. It’s not unlike Ani Difranco’s “Untouchable face” in that respect. “Superman” is quirky and cute. “Losing You” has a strong sense of desperation to it. “Something’s dying, I need healing” sings Terrana as if her life depended on it. The version of “O Sole Mio” that closes the album really shows Terrana’s voice at its best. It’s a great way to end this lovely album.”