“Rise” CD Release by Jess Novak & Ben Wayne

Rise, by duo Jess Novak and Ben Wayne, was recorded in Nashville. It marks the eighth studio album for Novak and the first for Wayne though he also just released Expletive Repeated; a collection of his solo work. Both are songwriters and multi-instrumentalists. They are already working on new songs. This collaboration by the couple tells a story about the beginning of their relationship. Robyn Stockdale gets the credit once again for beautiful album artwork. It’s a 4 song EP streaming now on all platforms and available on CD at their shows. Carousel is easily one of my favorite songs to come out of CNY. The duo, otherwise known as Safe Word, performs regularly. Find their gigs on the cnyalive.com calendar.

The Ridge hosted the CD Release party on their off hours and provided a cozy atmosphere for family and friends to attend. A taco bar and samples by Three Chord Bourbon added to the comfort of the Sunday afternoon show. Wayne joked it was appropriate because most of his songs only have three chords. Neil Giraldo’s Three Chord Bourbon has a mission to support original artists. Keep your eye out for more collaboration with Three Chord.

 

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photos and video by Azure Eyes Photography