Richard Bona - Musical Passport

"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).
Fans call him “The African Sting,” critics call him a pro, but it’s his unique and electrifying style of connecting with his audience that titles him what he really is—a true musician. Richard Bona’s seemingly effortless voice, fierce skills on the bass, unique songwriting/arranging expertise and ability to learn just about any instrument simply from watching, position him as a rare African artist to have established an unscalable reputation on an international platform.

Originally from Cameroon, Bona remains true to his roots, with African rhythms reflected in each of his albums; Seeking inspiration from his origins, the themes of Bona’s albums address international issues which mirror his desire of using music to take a stance on issues affecting the oppressed.

As a bass player Bona has toured and recorded with guitarist Mike Stern, Kazumi Watanabe, Pat Metheny, Steps Ahead and Bobby McFerrin, to name a few of his numerous notable collaborations.

He later garnered recognition at the Victoires du Jazz Awards where he won the trophy for “Best International Artist of 2004”. His album, “Tiki” was nominated for a Grammy in 2007 for “Best Contemporary World Music Album.” Bona was also honored by the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal with the Antonio Carlos Jobim Award; as one of seven recipients, he is distinguished as an artist in the field of world music whose influence on the evolution of jazz is widely recognized. He also received the prestigious SACEM Jazz Award (Grand Prix Jazz SACEM) in 2012 for the Jazz Grand Prize. Additionally, his certified Gold 2013 album, Bonafied, demonstrates a fusion of cultures. Bona has become one of the most accomplished and sought-after musicians of this generation.