{{short description|American band}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | background = group_or_band | name = Tenci | origin = Chicago, Illinois | genre = {{flatlist| * Indie * Folk}} | label = {{flatlist| * Hobbies * Keeled Scales}} | current_members = {{flatlist| * Jess Shoman * Curtis Oren * Joseph Farago * Isabel Reidy}} | past_members = {{flatlist| * Tina Scarpello * Spencer Radcliffe}} | website = https://tenci.band/ }} '''Tenci''' is an American band from Chicago, Illinois.
The group is fronted by Jess Shoman on vocals and guitar, with Curtis Oren on saxophone and guitar, Izzy Reidy on bass, and Joseph Farago on drums.<ref name=":3" />
==History== Jess Shoman began making music at the age of 14.<ref name="chicagotribune">{{cite web |last1=Julious |first1=Britt |title=Jess Shoman, who performs as Tenci, began making music at 14 — and finally found the confidence to perform live last December |date=7 November 2019 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-ott-jess-shoman-tenci-subterranean-1108-20191107-xp7nng4rp5bonj7w3tk7rismwe-story.htmlhttps://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-ott-jess-shoman-tenci-subterranean-1108-20191107-xp7nng4rp5bonj7w3tk7rismwe-story.html |publisher=Chicago Tribune |access-date=2 January 2021}}</ref> She taught herself to play guitar by watching YouTube videos and sang in the high school choir.<ref name=":1" />
Shoman named her band after her grandmother Hortencia. When speaking about her, Shoman has said, “My grandma's not a musician, but I remember always hearing her singing while she was doing chores. She has this really beautiful, romantic vibrato and I feel like I at first subtly started mimicking that. Our voices are similar in that way.” <ref name=":0" />
In 2018, she released her first EP, ''I opened my mouth and nothing came out'', under the name Tenci''.'' Shoman sang and played guitar on the project while Spencer Radcliffe played keys and percussion and Tina Scarpello played bass. Radcliffe mixed the project and Michael Mac mastered it.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Project |first=The Chicago Independent Radio |title=Tenci & DPCD Will Create an Intimate Atmosphere At CHIRP Night at the Whistler! {{!}} CHIRP Radio |url=https://chirpradio.org/?blog/tenci-dpcd-will-create-an-intimate-atmosphere-at-chirp-night-at-the-whistle |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=chirpradio.org |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Artist Profile: Tenci Lead Singer Jess Shoman on the Band's Growth {{!}} Arts {{!}} The Harvard Crimson |url=https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2022/11/11/tenci-jess-shoman-hortencia-band-interview-profile/ |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=www.thecrimson.com}}</ref>
In 2020, shortly after many industries first shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Shoman organized 21 of her fellow Chicago musicians in less than a week to create the compilation project ''Days Go By'' with all proceeds of the project going to Brave Space Alliance, a Black/trans/LGBTQI center on the South Side of Chicago and Black and Pink Chi, an organization that fights alongside incarcerated LGBTQI/HIV+ people for prison abolition. Shoman contributed with Tenci track, "Bugs", that included her singing and playing guitar, Ashley Guerrero on drums, Camila Montoya on second guitar, Ella Williams (Squirrel Flower) and Merce Lemon singing harmonies, Curt Oren on flute, and Emily Jane Powers on violin. Michael Mac mixed and mastered the track.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chicago Crowd Surfer |url=https://chicagocrowdsurfer.com/tenci-days-go-by-interview |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=Chicago Crowd Surfer |language=en-US}}</ref>
On June 5, 2020, Tenci released their first full-length album titled ''My Heart Is an Open Field''.<ref name="consequenceofsound">{{cite web |last1=Graves |first1=Wren |title=Tenci Announces Debut Album My Heart Is an Open Field, Shares "Joy" and "Joy 2": Stream |date=28 April 2020 |url=https://consequence.net/2020/04/tenci-debut-album-my-heart-is-an-open-field-joy-stream/ |publisher=Consequence of Sound |access-date=2 January 2021}}</ref> The album was first released through Hobbies, a small label based in Chicago, before being more widely released through Keeled Scales.<ref name="wnur">{{cite web |last1=Kemp |first1=Susanna |title=A conversation with Tenci |date=9 August 2020 |url=https://wnur.org/a-conversation-with-tenci/ |publisher=WNUR |access-date=2 January 2021}}</ref> In addition to Shoman, the album also features Spencer Radcliffe on lead guitar and upright piano, Tina Scarpello on bass, Jack Schemenauer on drums, Madison Chessare on cello, Joseph Farago on xylophone and synth, Sydney Haliburton on synth, Scott Quider on pedal steel guitar, and Curt Oren on saxophone and flute.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=My Heart Is An Open Field, by Tenci |url=https://tenci.bandcamp.com/album/my-heart-is-an-open-field |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=Tenci |language=en}}</ref> The album was mixed and mastered by Michael Mac. Track "Blue Spring" features a voicemail from Shoman's grandmother, Hortencia.<ref name=":0" /> The album title was inspired by Arthur Russell's album ''Love Is Overtaking Me''.<ref name="talkhouse">{{cite web |title=Tenci Will Never Get Sick of Love Is Overtaking Me |url=https://www.talkhouse.com/tenci-will-never-get-sick-of-love-is-overtaking-me/ |publisher=Talkhouse |access-date=2 January 2021}}</ref> The album received a 7.3 rating from ''Pitchfork''.<ref name="pitchfork">{{cite web |last1=Cush |first1=Andy |title=Tenci My Heart Is an Open Field |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/tenci-my-heart-is-an-open-field/ |publisher=Pitchfork |access-date=2 January 2021}}</ref> In 2020, Tenci was named one of the best new artists of the year by NPR Music.<ref name="nprmusic">{{cite news |last1=Boilen |first1=Bob |last2=Hilton |first2=Robin |title=The Best New Artists Of 2020 (So Far) |newspaper=NPR.org |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/06/22/881821489/the-best-new-artists-of-2020-so-far |publisher=NPR Music |access-date=2 January 2021}}</ref><ref name="thedeli">{{cite web |title=Tenci "Serpent" Video |url=http://m-chicago.thedelimagazine.com/41353/tenci-%E2%80%9Cserprent%E2%80%9D-video |publisher=The Deli |access-date=2 January 2021}}</ref>
In 2022, Tenci released ''A Swollen River, A Well Overflowing'', with the solidified line-up of Jess Shoman, Curtis Oren, Izzy Reidy, and Joseph Farago. The project was recorded by Abby Black, mixed by Melina Duterte, and mastered by Piper Payne.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Swollen River, A Well Overflowing, by Tenci |url=https://tenci.bandcamp.com/album/a-swollen-river-a-well-overflowing-2 |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=Tenci |language=en}}</ref> The album received a 7.5 rating from ''Pitchfork,'' who praised the newfound solidity of the band, alongside its ability to "allow Shoman’s talent for harnessing silence to flourish and grow".<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Tenci: A Swollen River, A Well Overflowing |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/tenci-a-swollen-river-a-well-overflowing/ |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref> After the album's release, the band embarked on a 40-city tour.<ref name=":0" />
In 2025, they went on tour in the U.S. with Thanya Iyer.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-15 |title=Thanya Iyer // US Tour with Tenci, EU tour with La Luz, Canadian dates with The Dears |url=https://www.topshelfrecords.com/words/posts/30761-thanya-iyer-us-tour-with-tenci-eu-tour-with-la-luz-canadian-dates-with-the-dears |access-date=2025-12-15 |website=Topshelf Records |language=en}}</ref>
==Discography== ===Studio albums=== * ''My Heart Is an Open Field'' (2020, Keeled Scales)<ref name=":2" /> * ''A Swollen River, a Well Overflowing'' (2022, Keeled Scales)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/tenci-announce-new-album-share-video-for-new-song-watch/ |title=Tenci Announce New Album, Share Video for New Song |work=Pitchfork |date=August 23, 2022 |access-date=August 23, 2022 |author=Bloom, Madison}}</ref>
=== EPs ===
* ''I opened my mouth and nothing came out'', 2018<ref>{{Cite web |title=I opened my mouth and nothing came out, by Tenci |url=https://tenci.bandcamp.com/album/i-opened-my-mouth-and-nothing-came-out |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=Tenci |language=en}}</ref> * ''this is how we know music'' with hemlock, 2025<ref>{{Cite web |title=this is how we know music, by Tenci x hemlock |url=https://tenci.bandcamp.com/album/this-is-how-we-know-music |access-date=2025-12-14 |website=Tenci |language=en}}</ref>
=== Compilation Albums ===
* ''Days Go By'', 2020<ref>{{Cite web |title=Days Go By, by Various Artists |url=https://tenci.bandcamp.com/album/days-go-by |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=Tenci |language=en}}</ref>
=== Singles ===
* "Bubblegum", 2024<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bubblegum, by Tenci |url=https://tenci.bandcamp.com/track/bubblegum |access-date=2025-12-14 |website=Tenci |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Musicians from Chicago Category:American women pop singers Category:American pop guitarists Category:American women singer-songwriters Category:Singer-songwriters from Illinois Category:Indie rock musical groups from Illinois Category:Musical groups from Chicago Category:American indie folk groups Category:21st-century women guitarists Category:Crossover (music) Category:21st-century American women musicians Category:American dream pop musical groups Category:American LGBTQ singers Category:American feminist musicians Category:American rock bass guitarists Category:American rock guitarists Category:American women bass guitarists Category:Living people Category:American people of Peruvian descent Category:Hispanic and Latino American musicians Category:21st-century American bass guitarists Category:Year of birth missing (living people)