Richard Bona (born 28 October 1967) is a Cameroon-born American multi-instrumentalist and singer.
Bona Penda Nya Yuma Elolo was born in Minta, Cameroon, into a family of musicians, which enabled him to start learning music from a young age. His grandfather was a griot – a West African singer of praise and storyteller – and percussionist, and his mother was a singer. When he was four years old, Bona started to play the balafon. At the age of five, 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 the age of 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, particularly Jaco Pastorius's, which inspired Bona to switch his focus to the electric bass.
Tap on any album for track list.
This live trio performance shows Richard Bona leaning into straight ahead jazz with great time, strong interaction, and a relaxed groove.
Richard Bona delivers a two hour live set in Germany, with a standout moment covering Jaco Pastorius’ iconic Teen Town.
Two masters, one groove. Richard Bona and Alfredo Rodríguez deliver an inspired live performance blending Afro-Cuban rhythm and jazz phrasing.
Watch Richard Bona shine in Mike Stern Band’s "Out Of The Blue" live at Marciac. A jazz masterclass!
The North Sea Jazz Archive shared another fantastic (full) concert recently. Richard Bona took the stage at the 2006 festival with his band, performing for over an hour.
