Richard Bona

Born in 1967 in the village of Minta in East Cameroon, Richard Bona grew up in a home filled with music. He began to perform in public at the age of five, singing in the village church with his mother and four sisters. His earliest instruments were wooden flutes and hand percussion. Eventually he constructed his own 12-string acoustic guitar. After moving to the bigger city of Douala, Richard began playing gigs at the age of 11 on a rented electric guitar. A major turning point in his life happened in 1980 when a Frenchman came to his town and established a jazz club in a local hotel. The club owner heard about the young local prodigy and hired him to assemble a band. "I didn't know anything about jazz," Richard says, "but the gig paid really well, so I took it." The hotel provided the instruments, so Richard would spend his entire day there, learning to play all of the instruments and teaching himself to read and write music. The club owner also offered his collection of 500 jazz LPs as a kind of reference library for Bona to start learning the repertoire. Purely by chance, the first record he pulled out of the stacks was Jaco Pastorius, the revolutionary self-titled debut album from 1976 by the bassist from Weather Report. This single album became a kind of Rosetta Stone for Bona's entry into jazz. "Before I heard Jaco I'd never even considered playing bass," he recalls. "But when I heard that music, and especially the tune 'Portrait of Tracy,' it changed my life"

In 1989, at age 22, Bona moved to Paris and soon began working with such leading French musicians as violinist Didier Lockwood and bassist Marc Ducret as well as such African stars as Manu Dibango and Salif Keita. During his seven years in Paris, Richard refined his writing skills while further immersing himself in the music of jazz greats like Miles Davis, Chet Baker and Ben Webster. After locating to New York late in 1995, he contacted former Weather Report founder Joe Zawinul, whom he had previously met and played with in Paris. Richard joined the Zawinul Syndicate, appearing on 1996's My People and following it up with a whirlwind international tour (documented on 1998's live World Tour). In 1997, Bona became the musical director for Harry Belafonte, a position he held for a year and a half.

Mike Stern: Echoes and Other Songs

Read "Echoes and Other Songs" reviewed by Neil Duggan

by Neil Duggan
September 19, 2024

Echoes and Other Songs is guitarist Mike Stern's first release since the loss of pianist, friend and confidante, Jim Beard in March, 2024. Beard, perhaps best known for his association with Steely Dan, appears here as pianist, keyboardist and producer. Stern is still on the long road to recovery following a fall in 2016 that broke both his arms and left him with nerve damage. He has adapted his technique and now uses a homegrown solution to hold his pick ...

Album Review

Mike Stern: Echoes and Other Songs

Read "Echoes and Other Songs" reviewed by Doug Collette

by Doug Collette
September 13, 2024

With a running time of seventy-seven minutes plus, guitarist Mike Stern's Echoes and Other Songs is effectively a double album. And like most such expansive works--including classics like Bob Dylan's Blonde On Blonde (Columbia, 1966) and The Beatles (aka 'The White Album')(Apple, 1968)--it would benefit from consolidation of its best elements (as would a replacement of the amateurish cover design). Even so, this is still a deceptively ambitious piece of work. Of course, advanced thinking has virtually always ...

Album Review

Richard Bona: Heritage

by James Nadal
October 3, 2016

The roots of Afro-Cuban music can be traced to its primordial source in the West African Mandika Empire (Mali) of the 15th century. Heritage is a collaboration of Cameroonian bassist Richard Bona with the Mandekan Cubano ensemble in a musical exploration of two cultures with the common bond of Africa as a point of origin and influence. This venture revolves around familiar Cuban dance oriented, melodic structure, accented with Bona's dominant African traits, for an engaging tour de force.

Live Review

Penang Island Jazz Festival 2014

by Ian Patterson
December 16, 2014

Penang Island Jazz Festival Bayview Beach Resort Malaysia December 4-7, 2014 It was business as usual at the Penang Island Jazz Festival 2014, following the tenth anniversary celebrations of the previous year. That milestone was no small feat for Festival Director Paul Augustin, business partner Chin Choo Yeun and their loyal team, in a region where jazz of all stripes--with the notable exception of smooth jazz--occupies the bottom rung of the popular music ladder. ...

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Live Review

Bona Makes You Sweat: Ricard Bona at Le Bataclan, Paris

by David Miller
December 8, 2009

Richard BonaBataclanParis, FranceNovember 21, 2009“On va bien s'amuser ce soir." Those were Richard Bona's opening words at the Bataclan, and he and his band did not disappoint. Lots of fun was had by all in attendance. From a critical standpoint, however, one had to wonder if the music was really the focus of the evening. Bona is an absolute monster on the bass. Many in the jazz world are aware of his ...

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Album Review

Richard Bona: The Ten Shades of Blues

Read "The Ten Shades of Blues" reviewed by David Miller

by David Miller
November 11, 2009

Widely known in jazz circles for his virtuosity on the bass, relatively little attention has been paid to Richard Bona's solo career. Pity, as his solo records are generally excellent. Bona's records have a style that can only be referred to as world music. Generally, that term is misused, but Bona truly takes his influences from all over the world. Sure, he's Cameroonian, and his heritage plays a large role. But one can also hear overt references to jazz, bluegrass, ...

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Album Review

Richard Bona: Scenes From My Life

by Paula Edelstein
October 1, 1999

Bassist/multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Richard Bona has debuted SCENES FROM MY LIFE for Columbia Jazz. The Cameroon, Africa native who is widely considered to be one of the world’s top bass players, and rightly so, has performed with such great musicians as Harry Belafonte, Joe Zawinul, Manu Dibango, Billy Cobham, The Brecker Brothers and Salif Keita. Singing in his native language of Douala, Richard Bona blends African music and jazz to reveal his remarkable talents as a vocalist and instrumentalist. He composed all ...

Festival

Richard Bona Headlines Penang Island Jazz Festival, December 4-7, 2014

Source: All About Jazz
November 27, 2014

The Penang Island Jazz Festival embarks on it second decade from the December, 4-7 2014. The first ten years have cemented the PIJF’s standing as one of the very best music festivals in Asia and the 11th edition at the Bayview Beach Resort is set to carry on that tradition with an eclectic and exciting line-up crowned by Cameroonian singer/bass legend Richard Bona. The two-day main program on the Jazz By The Beach stage offers a diverse line-up. Singer-songwriter Seth ...
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Event

Richard Bona Performing in The Dominican Republic

Source: John Kelman
September 18, 2011

For the first time in the Dominican Republic, Richard Bona, for one concert only! By Fernando Rodriguez Richard Bona, the well-known bassist and vocalist from Cameroon will perform a single concert on his first visit to the Dominican Republic on Wednesday October 12, 2011, at 8:00 PM at the Teatro La Fiesta of the Jaragua Hotel. Latin Jazz Kafé DD, presided by David Drumeaux, will be the producer of the encounter that Bona and his band will have for the ...
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Award / Grant

Richard Bona, 7th Winner of the Antonio Carlos Jobim Award

Source: Michael Ricci
July 2, 2010

Montreal -- Cameroon-born Richard Bona, world renowned bassist and songwriter, will be honoured today by the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal with the Antonio Carlos Jobim Award. The prize will be presented to him by Andre Menard, artistic director and cofounder of the Festival, during a press conference to be held today at 3 p.m. at the Salle Stevie Wonder of the Maison du Festival Rio Tinto Alcan (305, Ste. Catherine St. West, 2nd floor), as well as at ...
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Festival

The Festival International de Jazz de Montreal Honours Smokey Robinson, the Manhattan Transfer, Sonny Rollins, Richard Bona, Herman Leonard, Don Thompson, and Presents a Special Award to Dave Brubeck

Source: Michael Ricci
May 24, 2010

Smokey Robinson will be the fifth artist to receive the Montreal Jazz Festival Spirit Award. Created especially on the occasion of the 27th edition of the Festival, in 2006, this special award underlines a popular artists extraordinary contribution to the musical world. His very first single accompanied by the Miracles, Got a Job, was released the day he turned 18. And 50 years later, Smokey Robinson-who Bob Dylan described as the worlds greatest poet!-is still going strong! Instantly recognizable: how ...
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Performance / Tour

The Town Hall Presents Lizz Wright & Richard Bona Friday, April 9th at 8PM

Source: Michael Ricci
February 25, 2010

The Town Hall (123 W. 43rd St.), Times Square's landmark concert venue, is pleased to present Lizz Wright and Richard Bona on Friday April 9 at 8:00PM. Tickets are on sale now for $50 and $45 through Ticketmaster, 212-307-4100 or www.ticketmaster.com, or by visiting The Town Hall Box Office at 123 West 43rd Street, 212-840-2824. Southern singer-songwriter Lizz Wright's distinct mixture of jazz, folk, gospel and R&B has earned favorable comparisons to Anita Baker, Regina Belle, Cassandra Wilson and Tracy ...
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Event

Lionel Loueke & Richard Bona

Source: All About Jazz
September 19, 2008

Lionel Loueke & Richard Bona September 26-27, 7:30pm & 9:30pm The Allen Room Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center Broadway at 60th Street Guitarist/vocalist Lionel Loueke from Benin and bassist/vocalist Richard Bona from Cameroon create an unforgettable evening of the folkloric music of their homelands and contemporary jazz vocabulary. Lionel Loueke is a versatile musician, having performed with Herbie Hancock and Terence Blanchard among others. Loueke is currently a member of Herbie Hancock’s band, and recorded ...
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Performance / Tour

Duo Tones- Lionel Loueke & Richard Bona

Source: All About Jazz
September 5, 2008

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Event

Lionel Loueke & Richard Bona at Jazz at Lincoln Center

Source: All About Jazz
August 13, 2008

Lionel Loueke & Richard Bona Kick Off New Season of Duo Tones in The Allen Room - Sept. 26-27 Who/What: Guitarist/vocalist Lionel Loueke from Benin and bassist/vocalist Richard Bona from Cameroon are instrumentalists fluent in the folkloric music of their African homelands and contemporary American jazz vocabulary. These virtuosos will showcase their talents in a display of improvisational artistry in their Allen Room debut as part of the new Duo Tones series, produced by Jazz at Lincoln Center. ...
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Performance / Tour

Richard Bona Band Debut Performance of Afro-Cuban Global Jazz with Special Guest Guitarist Lionel Loueke at Kimmel Center March 1

Source: Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
February 13, 2008

Kimmel Center Presents 2007/08 Season Sponsored by Citi

“Imagine an artist with Jaco Pastorius's virtuosity, George Benson's vocal fluidity, Joo Gilberto's sense of song and harmony, all mixed up with African culture. Ladies and gentlemen, we bring you Richard Bona!" --Los Angeles Times

Cameroonian bassist and vocalist Richard Bona and his Band perform global Jazz infused with African spirit, as part of their Kimmel Center debut on Saturday, March 1, 2008 at 7:30pm in Perelman Theater. Dubbed “The African Sting," ...
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Video / DVD

Kazumi Watanabe, Horacio 'El' Negro Hernandez and Richard Bona's MoBop DVD

Source: All About Jazz
July 21, 2005

"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