Astoria singer captures folk rock vibe

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.