Jess Novak takes no prisoners. With a fiddle on fire, powerful vocals and a fierce band behind her, this pop, rock, soul-pumped group from Syracuse, New York brings passion to every performance. Known for their energy, superb musicianship, engaging songwriting and ability to win any crowd, this is a band on the rise. Having touched audiences across the country – from Burlington, VT to Key West, FL to San Diego, CA – and with Novak playing more than 250 dates annually, the sound gets tighter with each show.
Jess Novak (violin, guitar, vocals, piano, percussion, looping) works with Byron Cage (Tommy Castro, Joe Louis Walker, Otis Taylor) on drums; Anthony Saturno (Atkins Riot) on electric guitar, Jabare Mckinstry (Chris Ames Band) on bass and Gavin George (Strange to Look At, BSG) on drums to create a powerhouse sound, often with Melissa Gardiner on trombone and Nick Fields on trumpet.
Novak's work is being played on radio stations worldwide (WTYT 960, D.C. Coast to Coast, Women of Substance Radio, IndieOutbreak) and written about at home and across the ocean. Novak has played such prestigious rooms as The Cutting Room (NYC), The Saint (Asbury Park) and Nectar's (Burlington, VT), opened the 23rd Annual Chenango Blues Festival (with headliner, Ronnie Earl) and performed with groups and artists including Devon Allman, Tas Cru, Jimmy Hall, Ghost Town Blues Band and members of Butch Trucks and the Freight Train Band.
Learn more at https://www.jessrocknovak.com/
Safe word
bad words & big voices.
pop.rock.reggae.soul.
This musical duo and couple blends their combination of styles and talents to hit a piece of everything. With a repertoire spanning The Grateful Dead to Chris Stapleton to TLC to Sublime - paired with dozens of original songs from each - this team has something for everyone.
Ben Wayne's room-stopping voice is enough to grab the attention of any crowd. That along with his incredibly catchy songwriting and deft acoustic guitar skills and he's a powerful one-man show. Mixed with Jess Novak's smooth violin work, equally accomplished songwriting and similarly strong voice and this is a team of equals - but each offer something unique and always exciting to the combination. Wayne and Novak don't just sing into the mic, they sing across it, often sharing songs for and about each other. That intimacy adds something stand-alone to their show - one that's infectious with sincerity.
The Safe Word Band features Mike Spadaro (Chris Eves and the New Normal) on bass and Gavin George (JNB, Strange to Look At, BSG) on drums. Mixing Novak and Wayne's big voices and varied song lists, the band brings the same energy and mix of material as the duo, with an added punch of power and attitude.
Novak and Wayne released Rise on November 10, 2019. More music is quickly on the way.
Learn more about Ben Wayne here.
For frequent live feeds, check: Ben Wayne Music and Jess Novak Music.
Hear Safe Word on SoundCloud.
