Richard Bona

Yet another of Harry Belafonte's protégés who later made a big name for himself, Cameroon's Richard Bona takes time out from his ace session bass life to make another remarkably versatile, impeccably polished solo album, Munia: The Tale, his first on Verve. While Bona allows rock, jazz, funk, and Brazilian influences through the window, the melodies and rhythmic patterns are still strongly rooted in West Africa, always permeating the atmosphere. On some of the tracks, Bona needs no help at all to make an impression, layering on his vocals over his bass, guitars, keyboards, and percussion in an exquisitely controlled one-man show. He often does so with the subtle shading and dabs of color of a pianter, like the gentle Moog lines that seep into the background of "Dina Lam." Indeed, "Munia" opens with a cleverly titled a cappella incantation "Bonatology" -- featuring no other voices than those of Bona. And when he gets one of those revolving Afrobeat grooves going -- with irresistible results on "Couscous" -- you wish the track would never end. Yet Bona also doesn't mind playing a supporting role, laying back on bass as Miles Davis alumnus Kenny Garrett offers up some soulful soprano sax on the now-contemplative, now-complex Miles tribute "Painting a Wish." Salif Keita adds his impassioned, keening vocals to "Kalabancoro," and Romero Lubambo's acoustic guitar gives "Bona Petit" (another self-referential title) a lot of its Brazilian flavor. Bona the virtuoso doesn't try to dazzle you with his technique; instead, he seduces you with his music's glossy finish and peacefully insistent rhythms. © Richard S. Ginell /TiVo

Richard Bona's Afro-Cuban heritage is at the heart of his latest album: Heritage. Appearing on Quincy Jones' label Qwest records, the album was created by the Cameroonian from Douala and his band Mandekan Cubano. Lying somewhere between traditional music and Afro-Cuban jazz, Richard Bona and his accomplices subtly blend together torrid grooves and melancholy ballads. Heritage draws its inspiration from the long history of Mandekan speaking slaves from West Africa, who were brought to Cuba with their music and traditions. Initially, the pulsations of social clubs known as Cabildos helped to preserve and perpetuate cultural myths to local Cubans as well as immigrants from Spain, through its unique forms of dance, music, ritual and oral tradition. Today it's thanks to the dazzling beat of global music that Bona, regarded by the greats as a bass genius, never stops shining far and wide.

Richard Bona was born in a little village in West Africa. His mother was a singer and his grandfather was both a singer and musician. Those talents were passed down naturally. By the time Bona was of school age, he spent plenty of hours performing at church. At home, his hunger for the world of music found him making his own flutes, drums, and even a decent guitar. As a teenager he moved to a large city where he soon found a way to get his fill of jazz and the chance to play real instruments and learn to read and write music. On this 2001 album, Reverence, his second full-length recording, all of those years of surrounding himself with music shine through. Even though the lyrics aren't in English, fans from the United States seem to enjoy the album. Bona's songs on Reverence are jazz, but done in a world style, with the flavor of his homeland proudly holding a large spot. The numbers on this recording carry styles of fusion and American jazz, but also offer African pop, Latin, jazz-rock, and even some orchestral arrangements. © Charlotte Dillon /TiVo

Coming off of 2005's Toto Bona Lokua, his world music collaboration with Congolese guitarist and vocalist Lokua Kanza and Martinique singer Gerald Toto, Cameroonian bassist/multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Richard Bona's fourth solo album continues the artist's exploration of the possible linkages of global fusion, jazz, R&B, and pop. Bona has already proven his value to others by lending his bassmanship to an array of artists ranging from Bobby McFerrin (whose scat-informed vocal style is not unlike Bona's) to Paul Simon, Chick Corea, and Queen Latifah. But Tiki is about the expansion of his own brand name, with Bona providing much of the keyboards, guitar, and percussion in addition to the fluid bass pulses and the smooth, unhurried vocals that permeate the set. Shuffling between African, Latin, Brazilian, and Western pop and funk rhythms and a grab-bag of harmonic colors and mesmerizing melodies, Bona's talents as a multi-tasker finally converge here into an unmistakable identity. Guests, among them multiple Grammy-winning singer John Legend (on the opening track, "Please Don't Stop"), Indian music vocalist Susheela Raman, Brazilian star Djavan, and jazz guitar dynamo Mike Stern all assist graciously. But the particular stew that is Tiki is all Richard Bona this time, the richest, most whole manifestation of his artistry to date. © Jeff Tamarkin /TiVo

Richard Bona's debut solo album Scenes from My Life is an unexpected delight, a first effort of such assurance that it's nearly irresistable. Bona blends a smooth production with fusions of contemporary jazz and music from his native country, Cameroon, West Africa. He has a warm, fluid style on bass and his voice is pure, high and lovely. To some undiscriminating ears, it may sound a little too smooth, but there is no calculation behind this music, only joy, and that is what makes Scenes from My Life a first-class debut. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo

Coming off of 2005's Toto Bona Lokua, his world music collaboration with Congolese guitarist and vocalist Lokua Kanza and Martinique singer Gerald Toto, Cameroonian bassist/multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Richard Bona's fourth solo album continues the artist's exploration of the possible linkages of global fusion, jazz, R&B, and pop. Bona has already proven his value to others by lending his bassmanship to an array of artists ranging from Bobby McFerrin (whose scat-informed vocal style is not unlike Bona's) to Paul Simon, Chick Corea, and Queen Latifah. But Tiki is about the expansion of his own brand name, with Bona providing much of the keyboards, guitar, and percussion in addition to the fluid bass pulses and the smooth, unhurried vocals that permeate the set. Shuffling between African, Latin, Brazilian, and Western pop and funk rhythms and a grab-bag of harmonic colors and mesmerizing melodies, Bona's talents as a multi-tasker finally converge here into an unmistakable identity. Guests, among them multiple Grammy-winning singer John Legend (on the opening track, "Please Don't Stop"), Indian music vocalist Susheela Raman, Brazilian star Djavan, and jazz guitar dynamo Mike Stern all assist graciously. But the particular stew that is Tiki is all Richard Bona this time, the richest, most whole manifestation of his artistry to date. © Jeff Tamarkin /TiVo