Band
Bob’s Biography
Bob Jones – Leader, Lead Singer, Lead and Rhythm Guitarist
Early Career
Bob was born in Hawaii on the island of Oahu. He co-lead his guitar band in high school after switching to guitar from piano which he had studied since age six.
His 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
Southern Comfort at Bill Graham’s Fillmore West. Left to right; Steve Funk, John Wilmeth, Ron Stallings, Karl Sevareid, Bob Jones and Fred Burton 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.
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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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.
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 Severeid. 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 successfully 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 legendary funk bassist Rocco Prestia from Tower of Power played with Tao Jones for about a year during the eighties.
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 nineties 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.
Now
Bob lives in Maui and DJs a radio show on Mana’o Radio 91.5FM and on the web at www.manaoradio.com every Wednesday from 2pm-5pm.
Bob also plays guitar and sings in the Gina Martinelli band. They play every Sunday at Three’s Bar And Grill and every Wednesday at Kahale’s. Both clubs are in Kihei.
In addition, Bob and Nils Rosenblad play as an acoustic duo every Thursday night at the Four Seasons Lobby Lounge in Wailea and every Friday night at Captain Jack’s in Lahaina.
But his primary project is collaborating with his musical partner Nils Rosenblad on their new band; Bob Jones And The Drive. They have recently released their new CD; “Michael And Me”. It is a musical retrospective of the music Bob made with “Mike Bloomfield And Friends” in the ’70s but done in a modern way.
Books and Discography
Books in which he is a major topic:
“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“. – David Randell Shorey – a historical narrative of the Bloomfield Band.
Discography
“You Were On My Mind”
“Make Someone Happy”
both with We Five on A&M Records
“Live at Bill Graham’s Fillmore West”
“Don’t Say I Ain’t Your Man”
“It’s Not Killing Me”
all three with Michael Bloomfield on Colombia Records and CDs
“Count Talent and the Originals” – Michael Bloomfield – TK Records
“Analine”
“Between A Rock And The Ground”
“Michael Bloomfield”
all three with Michael Bloomfield on 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”
both with Brewer and Shipley on Kama Sutra Records
“Believing” – Alice Stuart and Snake – Fantasy Records
“Let Me Party With You” – Bunny Sigler
“The Edge”
“Jealousy”
both with The Edge on Adolescent Records
“Songs from the Haleakala Kitchen” – Voodoo Suns
“Michael And Me” – Bob Jones And The Drive
Tim’s Biography
Tim Hackbarth – Bass Guitarist and Background Singer
Tim was born in Aurora, Illinois but had moved to Oakland, California by the time he was three. He grew up in a musical household where both he and his sisters took piano lessons.
Tim switched to the Bass Guitar in his teens and was heavily influenced by soul, gospel, blues, funk and rock as he learned his craft.
Playing bass and singing background vocals he toured the West Coast, Hawaii and Japan with a soul band. This resulted in him eventually moving to Maui in 1977. He has been active in the local music scene ever since.
Tim loves just about all types of music but especially has a deep love and respect for the Blues. Like most modern professional musicians he knows that it is where all popular American music comes from.
Some of Tim’s influences are: Ray Brown,Duck Dunn, Jaco, Rocco, Larry Graham,Willie Dixon, Chuck Rainey James Jamerson and countless other pocket players.
To quote him; “I enjoy being part of the rhythm section and just laying it down, we block, they run with the ball. I am honored to be a partner with Bob, Nils, and Tom in creating Bob Jones & the Drive. It’s live music played by real people loving what they do.”
Recording credits: Bob Jones & the Drive, Hapa, Gail Swanson, Steve Grimes, Ray Gooliak, Patrick Major, Trevor Jones, Rene Alonzo.
Sideman credits: Elvin Bishop, Charlie Musselwhite, Norton Buffalo, Lee Oscar, Darrell Mansfield, Sammy Hagar, Stephen Stills, Johnny Johnson, Eric Burdon, Hapa, Willie K., The Barefoot Natives, Henry Allen, Buddy Fo, Bobby Ingram, Argentina Turner,Danny Estocado,Gina Martinelli,The Silver Spur Band, many others and anybody that pays.
Gilbert’s Biography
Gilbert Emata – Keyboards
Gilbert grew up in a musical family of 6 siblings. All except one make their living in music. Three of his sisters teach piano and vocals in California and his brother Randy is a successful producer/keyboardist/arranger in LA.
Gilbert moved to Maui in his late twenties from San Jose, California. Prior to moving to Hawaii he was just playing weekends in the Bay Area in several top 40 cover bands. Gilbert says, “Being versatile got me a lot of work in Maui which, in turn, honed my skills. Eventually I got known for playing three keyboards and covering horns, strings, Rhodes, etc with precision and a strong R&B feel.”. Maui could find work for Gilbert seven days a week. He continues to be very busy.
Gilbert has recorded with many local artists including Amy and Eric Gilliom, Ron Kualaau (now with HAPA), Uluwehi Guerrero, Ekolu, and most recently Bob Jones and Steve Grimes (master guitar builder).
He also plays in the many active convention bands including Espresso, Funky Bizness, Jimi Mac and the Kook Kats, the Gina Martinelli Band and Classic Knights. These “corporate” functions are held in the finest resorts in Maui including the Ritz Carlton Kapalua, the Four Seasons Wailea and the Grand Wailea Resort and Spa. Besides these high end gigs Gilbert can also be seen playing in a rocking biker bar, a beach bar with a Hawaiian contemporary trio, a wedding overlooking a stunning sunset or at various night clubs with the hottest island reggae groups.
