Richard Bona

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Ever since his solo debuts in 1999, Richard Bona has defended the idea of music that’s universal: generous and accessible to all. He was born in 1967 in Minta, a tiny Cameroon village, into a family where both his mother and grandfather were singers. Richard was playing the balafon by the time he was four, and then he taught himself to play the guitar. In 1989 he went to Europe. He took lessons for some seven years in Paris, and at the same time he became a familiar figure in the capital’s clubs.

In 1995 Richard left Paris for New York where he worked with Michael and Randy Brecker, Pat Metheny, Larry Coryell, Mike Stern, Steve Gadd, Joe Zawinul and Harry Belafonte. Here, he gained a reputation for being one of the best bassists of his time, and he was also giving people a glimpse of his other talents as a composer and singer. A solo career was beckoning.

Scenes From My Life his first album was released in 1999, followed by Reverence (2001), Munia: The Tale (2003), Tiki (2006, with John Legend and Djavan) and the live album Bona Makes You Sweat in 2008. On his latest release, Ten Shades Of Blues, Bona’s unmistakable stamp can be heard after just a few bars: “It’s my role to make all this coherent. It wouldn’t be nice for the listener to zip from one mood to the next if there wasn’t a link.”

With his talents as a fluid instrumentalist, his slender singing-voice coupled his natural showmanship Bona found his audience immediately, he appeared to be born for the stage. Far from slowing down his rhythm, Bona the globe-trotter has maintained his pace, and one look at his schedule is evidence of this.

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REVIEWS

It’s not cool to be impressed by the latest whiz kid to hit town. But even the hippest of the hip give it up when the subject turns to Richard Bona, a slight, shy virtuoso of the electric bass guitar from a mud-hut village deep in Cameroon.
Newsweek

Imagine an artist with Jaco Pastorious’s virtuosity, George Benson’s vocal fluidity, Joao Gilberto’s sense of song and harmony, all mixed up with African culture. Ladies and gentlemen, we bring you Richard Bona!
Los Angeles Times