Richard Bona

Richard Bona
Background information
Birth name	Richard Bona
Born	October 28, 1967 (1967-10-28) (age 42)
Origin	Minta, Cameroon
Genres	Jazz
Occupations	Bassist, Double bassist, Singer, multi-instrumentalist, Composer
Instruments	Electric bass, Double bass, percussion, vocals, guitar
Labels	Universal Music Columbia Records Sony Records Verve Records GRP Records
Associated acts	Pat Metheny Group Zawinul Syndicate

Richard Bona (born October 28, 1967 in Minta, Cameroon) is a jazz bassist and musician. His real African name, as he said live in Montreal in a show with Bobby McFerrin, is Bona Pinder Yayumayalolo.

Bona was born into a family of musicians, which enabled him to start learning music from a young age. His grandfather was a singer (griot) and percussionist, and his mother was a singer. At 4 years old, he started to play the balafon. At the age of 5, he began performing at his village church. Not being wealthy, Bona made many of his own instruments: including flutes and guitars (with cords strung over an old motorcycle tank).

His talent was quickly noticed, and he was often invited to perform at festivals and ceremonies. Bona began learning to play the guitar at age 11, and in 1980 aged just 13, he assembled his first ensemble for a French jazz club in Douala. The owner befriended him and helped him discover jazz music and, notably including Jaco Pastorius in particular, whose work inspired Bona to switch his focus to the electric bass.

Bona emigrated to Germany at the age of 22, soon relocating to France, where he furthered his studies in music.

Whilst in France, he regularly played in various jazz clubs, sometimes with players such as Manu Dibango, Salif Keita, Jacques Higelin and Didier Lockwood.

In 1995, Richard left France and established himself in New York, where he still lives and works. There he has had stints with artists like Larry Coryell, Michael and Randy Brecker, Mike Stern, and Steve Gadd.

In 1998, Richard was the Musical Director on Harry Belafonte's European Tour.

His first solo album, Scenes from My Life, was released in 1999. He has also been prominently featured in Jaco Pastorius Big Band albums, as well as many other albums by various top-tier jazz musicians.

In 2002 Bona went on a world tour with the Pat Metheny Group as a percussionist/vocalist.

In 2005 Bona released his fourth album Tiki, which included a collaboration with John Legend on one track, entitled "Please Don't Stop."

He currently holds a professorship of music at New York University.

Discography

Bona

• 1999 : Scenes from my life Columbia Jazz USA
• 2000 : Kaze Ga kureta Melody, Columbia Jazz USA
• 2001 : Reverence, Columbia Jazz USA
• 2003 : Munia: The Tale, Universal Music France
• 2004 : Toto Bona Lokua, No Format Collection with Lokua Kanza & Gerald Toto
• 2005 : Tiki, Universal Music France
• 2008 : Bona Makes You Sweat - Live, Universal Jazz France
• 2009 : The Ten Shades Of Blues, Universal Jazz France

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Richard Bona

• Official Website
• MySpace Profile
• Biography by Radiofrance internationale