Richard Bona

Richard Bona

Richard Bona is a Cameroon-born bassist, vocalist and composer from Minta in the Centre region of Cameroon. Born in 1967, he grows up in a musical household and begins performing in public at the age of five, singing in church with his mother and four sisters. His first instruments are wooden flutes and hand percussion, and he later builds his own 12-string acoustic guitar.

After moving to Douala, he starts playing gigs at 11 on a rented electric guitar. A turning point comes in 1980, when a French club owner hears about him, hires him to put a band together and gives him access to hotel instruments. He spends long periods there learning to play multiple instruments and teaching himself to read and write music.

Career in Europe and the United States

In 1989, he moves to Paris, where he works with French violinist Didier Lockwood and bassist Marc Ducret, as well as African artists including Manu Dibango and Salif Keita. During seven years in Paris, he develops his writing while listening closely to jazz figures such as Miles Davis, Chet Baker and Ben Webster. After moving to New York in 1995, he becomes one of the more in-demand musicians on the scene.

Style and associations

His work is associated with afrobeat, jazz, jazz fusion and latin pop. He is also linked with Pat Metheny Group, 渡辺香津美 New Electric Trio and Toto Bona Lokua.