Biography
The Early Years
Bob was born in O'ahu, Hawaii. His father was from Mississippi and his mother was a local girl from Maui. After playing piano from age six, he switched to guitar while attending St. Louis High School. Together with his friend Jimmy Funai, he co-led his guitar band, the Viscounts.
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Bob's professional career began as lead guitarist and instrumental arranger for We Five. He recorded two albums with them including the hit single "You Were On My Mind". We Five's first album and single sold more than two million copies each and has since gone on to become a classic of the folk rock period. Bob was one of the first to use an electric 12 string on recordings. The band appeared on national television numerous times and toured the United States and Canada extensively starting with The Dick Clark Caravan of Stars.
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| In Trident Studios playing the Rickenbacker 360/12 with We Five |
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| Southern Comfort at Bill Graham's Fillmore West. Left to right; Steve Funk, John Wilmeth, Ron Stallings, Karl Sevareid, Bob Jones and Fred Burton |
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At the end of We Five Bob found himself in the middle of the hippie revolution in San Francisco. There he founded an innovative horn based R&B band called Southern Comfort. He was lead singer, arranger and drummer for the band which produced one album for Columbia Records.
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The Middle Years
It was during this period that Bob first met legendary blues guitarist Michael Bloomfield. He recorded five albums with Michael on which he played drums, guitar and sang. They also toured the United States and Canada for ten years including playing the Newport Jazz Festival. Bob is interviewed extensively in a book about these years between 1970 and 1980 called "Michael Bloomfield, If You Love These Blues, An Oral History".
In addition, Bob was instrumental in getting his friend Dave Shorey into the Bloomfield Band. Dave has written a book documenting these years called "Tell On It".
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| Michael, Bob and Dave on Haight |
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| Bob and Dave with Michael in New York |
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| During this period of time Bob also recorded with blues legends Mississippi Fred McDowell, Nick Gravenites, Sam Lay, Harvey Mandel, Otis Rush and Taj Mahal. He also played on two Brewer and Shipley albums.
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| Count Talent Photo Shoot |
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Also during the early part of this period Bob played drums, percussion and sang with Alice Stuart in a band called Snake with bassist Karl Sevareid. The group toured Europe twice ( once opening for Van Morrison ) and made albums for Fantasy Records.
In 1979, mostly due to the depressingly high body count among his musician friends because of chemical dependencies, Bob returned to college to study computer science. Bob then went on to sucessful work as a programmer, first in mainframes and then on PCs. Bob continued to play with his band in Marin County, California called Tao Jones. The legendery funk bassist Rocco Prestia from Tower of Power played with Tao Jones for about a year during the eighties.
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| In Amsterdam |
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In 1986 Bob moved to Los Angeles where he formed Bob Jones and Hard Drive. He toured Finland with this band in 1995.
In the middle ninties Bob returned to Hawaii to care for his aging parents after they had strokes and heart attacks. Here he reformed Hard Drive with musicians from Hawaii.
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| O'ahu Hard Drive - Left to Right; Alvin Cameros, Dale Horton, Jason Nobriga, Bob Jones, Mike Cueva, Gary Nakano and Tony Bush |
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Now
In 2001 Bob moved to Maui to restore his grandfather's house which he had purchased in 1982. There he lead a Maui based Hard Drive and returned to playing the trap set with several bands including the VooDoo Suns and Vince Esquire. He continues his ensemble guitar and vocal work with the Howard Ahia Band and the Gina Martinelli Band.
He also DJs a radio show on Mana'o Radio 91.5FM and on the web at www.manaoradio.com every Wednesday from 2pm-5pm.
During the last few years Bob has concentrated on singing and playing guitar as a solo performer. His deep history in all American Music especially Blues and R&B as well as his background in Hawaiian music make him unique in this area.
Most exciting is the news that Bob is collaborating with his partner formerly of the VooDoo Suns, Nils Rosenblad, on a new band. They are in the final stages of recording their CD which will be released in early 2009. In addition they work as an Acoustic Duo. See the Poster below.
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Books and Discography
Books
"Michael Bloomfield, If You Love These Blues, An Oral History". Interviewed or mentioned on pages: 172, 173, 200, 202, 207-213. Picture on page 209
"Tell On It" / "Compendium of Obscurity". Mentioned throughout. Pictures with middle photo spread
Discography
You Were On My Mind, Make Someone Happy - We Five - A&M Records
Live at Bill Graham's Fillmore West, Don't Say I Ain't Your Man, It's Not Killing Me - Michael Bloomfield - Colombia Records and CDs
Count Talent and the Originals - Michael Bloomfield - TK Records
Analine, Between A Rock And The Ground, Michael Bloomfield - Michael Bloomfield - Takoma Records
Living In The Fast Lane - Michael Bloomfield - Waterhouse CDs and Records
Sam Lay In Bluesland - Sam Lay -
Fred McDowell And His Blues Boys - Fred McDowell - Arhoolie Records
My Labors - Nick Gravenites - Colombia Records
Righteous - Harvey Mandel - Phillips Records
Right Place, Wrong time - Otis Rush - Bullfrog Records
Southern Comfort - Bob Jones - Colombia Records
Weeds, Tarkio - Brewer and Shipley - Kama Sutra Records
Believing - Alice Stuart and Snake - Fantasy Records
Let Me Party With You - Bunny Sigler -
The Edge, Jealousy - The Edge - Adolescent Records
Songs From The Haleakala Kitchen - VooDoo Suns
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To contact Bob Jones click here.
Additional Photo Credits:
Beach Guitar Leg Tattoo and
O'ahu Hard Drive photos by Donah Lillich-Jones
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