Ever since his solo debut in 1999, Cameroonian
bassist/singer/composer 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.
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| RICHARD BONA |
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.
The Ten Shades Of Blues,
Richard Bona’s latest release, synthesizes his thirst for new things,
even if 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.
