Deena began her music career as co-founder of The Cucumbers, a leading band in the 80s indie pop scene in Hoboken, NJ,with reviews in Rolling Stone and People Magazine and videos on MTV.
Deena's songwriting has been called "direct and artful," by the New York Times, her voice "...incredible: kidstuff and wisdom merged," by the Village Voice. Her songs have been recorded by Jackson Browne and Dar Williams and featured in films and on network TV.
A blend of alt country and indie pop, with a wink and a twinkle, "Rock River" (released March 2014, Life Force Records) is the second full length CD from Deena. Deena's compelling, charming vocals will draw you into direct, heartfelt songs that reach into the roots of American music, without nostalgia, mixed with a bit of Jersey style rock and roll party spirit, full of harmony, and pop hooks.
Reviews of "Rock River":
"...a surplus of homespun charm, sharp and witty lyrical skills, or a bounty of memorable melodies.......she's lost none of her youthful enthusiasm and infectious exuberance of the Cucumbers era, and we'd all still love to be her boyfriend." - 4/21/14 Jim DeRogatis, Pop N Stuff Blog, WBEZ
"...magnetism that never wavers." - 5/27/14 Tom Franks & Tim Carroll, FolkWords
"Rock River is a winner and should find a place in your head. It's already found a place in mine. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED" - 4/1/14 Rob Ross, Popdose
"Dean's List - Highest Achievers.......blending amazingly childlike innocence with time-honed pop smarts" - 5/14 Lee Valentine Smith, INsite Magazine
"Pop diamonds" - 4/9/14 John Pfeiffer, The Aquarian
"Radiant.... sauntering...delicate (songs) feel like sonic expressions of emotional states" - 3/28/14 Tris McColl, Star Ledger
"Every song here is a keeper," -
"A giant smile of a voice..." - 5/5/14 TomHull.com
"Unfeigned innocence crossed with warm sensuality" 5/14, Michael Tatum, A DownloaderÕs Diary
"Delightful... ****" -5/14, Jeffrey Sisk, Pittsburgh In Tune
"Deena truly is a great songwriter and excellent vocalist who can immediately grab you with her voice from song number one and she will not let loose before all tracks on the record have been played." -4/26/14 Rootstime, Belgium
"Delightfully wistful and delightfully free from empty sentiment," Ear to the Ground
"A splendid listen" Jim Mclean's Rabbit
"Deena is a beam of sunshine on a rainy day, an endless source of childlike enthusiasm and delight," Jim Testa, Jersey Beat
"Great original new Indie Pop. A breath of fresh air in today's stale music scene." Paul - An Overdose of Fingal Cocoa
"Classic songwriting" The Modern Folk Music of America
"Full of personality," Lonesome Highway
"Clear and brilliant voice," A Few Good Times in My Life
"Deena's thoroughly charming new CD Rock River.... behooves, as they say behearing -- can (and should) be sampled over HERE. " Steve Simels PowerPop
"If you're up for some great tunes, with a great band, and a top-shelf singer...look no further." The Eclectic Ear
"If I had to pick one defining word for it, I would say the album is joy." You Don't Know Jersey
"Her charming retro vocals make me feel nostalgic for simple things and simple days as the songs flow like calm, mesmerizing ripples.... harmonious layers and catchy hooks that had me hitting repeat and singing along." Popa's Tunes
"the way it has with words... literate and self-referencing or reflective."
"Deena's songs are so ideally suited to a C&W medium that I'm started to think she should make the move to Nashville and show them how it's done," Keith Astbury, EvilSponge
...quite tender and sympathetic... harmonious and melodic.."-5/14 Wolfgang Giese, RockTimes, Germany
"If you're up for some great tunes, with a great band, and a top-shelf singer...look no further." Top of the Pops
"Rock River" was included in many critics "Best of 2014" lists including: Popa's Tunes, Jersey Beat, Homegrown Sunday Ramblers, Tom Hull, Cygnus Radio & Popwerpopaholic.
"Somewhere in Blue," Deena's first solo album, received rave reviews and airplay around the world. "No songs like these have been heard before on contemporary albums, which in turn leads to a joyous and genius sound being created right before your very eardrums," wrote Russell Hill (Maverick Magazine) "Somewhere in Blue will brighten your day and reaffirm your belief in the power of rock 'n' roll to stay with us throughout our adult lives." Jim Testa, Jersey Beat
Deena's other projects include RockDownBaby (lo-fi dance pop), Over The Moon (original rock and roll for children), and SingSOS: Songs of the Spectrum. She is co-host of The Saturday Afternoon Songswap music series and radio show, and a member of the TaikoZoku drumming ensemble.