Album Notes

The Less Nessman brand of Blues/Rock and Folk/Funk is a soulful groove with a rocker edge that makes a sitting fan get up and get down. Take your favorite 80's summer hit sung through Janis and Aretha's vocal chords and you've got Less Nessman - edgy vocals, melodic lyricism, and driving beats.

Naomi Less personifies the sexy and intelligent woman of today. Her powerhouse vocals and signature scats rouse the audiences with a jolt to the soul. Naomi's voice lifts off from the syncopated rhythms of her acoustic guitar.

Adam Stein's classic rock riffs and solos dance with Naomi for a sound that peels out of the lane with a nostalgic flare. The power trio of Naomi's guitar rhythms and jazzy-blue vocals, Stein's gallant 70's rockin' solos, and Jim "Rock Hopper" Hopkinson's driving-it-home beats will plant songs in your head and keep them spinning for days.

Less, Stein and Hopkinson got together through a series of jams and parties in New York City during the fall of 2002. Each member contributed songs to craft their first Less Nessman gig at Hopkinson's loft on New Year's Eve. Over the next year and a half Less Nessman performed shows across New York City at many venues including The Cutting Room, Lion's Den, Kenny's Castaways, and CBGB's Gallery.

Following a Lion's Den gig, Tribe 13 writer Michelle Levy described Less Nessman as, "Sized to fit. Nostalgic. Like your favorite pair of jeans. Satisfy that deep craving for denim blues...You instinctively know where to put your feet."

Less Nessman captured their unique sound in the Spring of 2004 when they entered Vibromonk recording studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The result: Bird's Eye View, their debut CD. Tracks include Less' "Spread Your Love," a hand-clappin', foot-stompin' prayer for spiritual protection, and Stein's quirky rocker, "Empire," an anthem to music as the world's healing language.

Just like their live shows, Bird's Eye View is filled with guest musicians. Isaac Everett grinds the organ on "Blank Pages," a folk-funk tune in which Stein and Less call and respond to each other through guitar licks and vocal scats. Josh Sitron brings us back to the 80's on keys in "Bucklemack and The Bro," a road-rumbler about two dudes on their way to a rock concert. Bassist Ari Gold plays fretless and upright bass on the entire album, and also sings some really low bass vocals.

Less is originally from Chicago, studied classical voice at Northwestern University, and learned guitar through Jewish song leading. Stein transplanted from Kansas City and has been playing guitar in bands for close to twenty years. Hopkinson makes his way down from Boston and cut his rhythms in a band called The Nasties. These diverse origins influence and ultimately create Less Nessman's unique sound on Bird's Eye View.

Designer and photographer, Andrew Hammer - hammermania.com, captured these various influences through CD artwork in the style of an AOR album. When you get your hands on a copy, be sure to open it up all the way and view the front and back covers together as one.

Less Nessman looks to bring their energy to the rest of the East Coast and beyond in 2005. Catch them at venues in Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and LA! Stay tuned to www.lessnessman.com as the band makes its moves, and be sure to sign-up on the email list and send a note to say "Rock On!"