Search - Bobby Jones, The Mannish Boys :: Comin' Back Hard

Nice, laid-back, swinging Chicago blues from a confident vet

Docendo Discimus | Vita scholae | 03/18/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is not exactly ground-breaking, but it is really enjoyable nevertheless. "Comin' Back Hard" features blues project "The Mannish Boys" and veteran blues and R&B singer Bobby Jones, who once performed with 50s blues outfit The Aces, and it is a thoroughly pleasant collection of songs by the likes of Ike Turner, Willie Dixon, Little Junior Parker, and Mel London.



A bit more variation would have been nice, I think, but it's quite hard to fault what is here: A classic blues combo with two guitars, bass, drums, and keyboards (mostly piano). A 50-year veteran with a strong baritone voice. And some strong material which includes the old Louis Jordan-number "Three Handed Woman", which features Lynwood Slim on harmonica, and a great, punchy rendition of "Mystery Train", this time with Randy Chortkoff blowing the harp. Guitarist Kirk Fletcher guests on two numbers - he is one of four guitarists featured here, although not at the same time - and harpist Al Blake sizzles on the swinging R&B of "I Must Be Crazy".



Bobby Jones sound equally comfortable on the slow burner "How Long Will It Last" as he does on a tough, swaggering "She's The One" (great performance by pianist Fred Kaplan and drummer Richard Innes on that one). He does equally well by Willie Dixon's "Two Headed Woman", and the entire band dig a deep, deep groove on Tom Leavy's "Come In Out Of The Rain". And while "Comin' Back Hard" doesn't start any new trends (it's just about as traditional a Chicago blues record as you can image), it is an enjoyable and easily recommendable 41 minutes nevertheless. 3 3/4 stars."