Introducing Richard Bona
Friday, April 26, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. / Maltz Performing Arts Center
We will close our 2023-2024 season series with bassist, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist, Richard Bona, with Bonafide Genius. Before the show, let’s learn a little more about him and his music!
Bona was born into a musical family in a village in Cameroon. He began performing in church at the age of 5, along with his mother and sisters. As a child, he played flutes and hand percussion, then he started making his own instruments, including guitars.
Starting the guitar at age 11, his talent was quite evident, and at age 13 he was hired to assemble a band for a French jazz club. He taught himself to read and write music, while studying a number of different instruments. His early knowledge of jazz came from listening to jazz LPs - his first album being Jaco Pastorius.
“Before I heard Jaco I’d never even considered playing bass, but when I heard that music, and especially the tune ‘Portrait of Tracy,’ it changed my life.”
He moved to Paris at age 22, where he spent a number of years working with Didier Lockwood, Marc Ducret, Salif Keita, and more, while writing music and studying jazz legends such as Miles Davis.
In 1995, Bona moved to New York, where he resides today. Not too long after he relocated to New York, he became Musical Director for Harry Belafonte for a year and a half.
His first solo album was released in 1999, Scenes from My Life, but he’s been featured on a number of other albums with a variety of jazz musicians, touring and recording with Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Harry Belafonte, Sting, Chucho Valdés, and so many more.
From Scenes from My Life, here is “Eyando”
His album Tiki (2005) was nominated for Best Contemporary World Music Album. From that album comes the track “Please Don’t Stop,” a collaboration with John Legend. LISTEN
He has released nine studio albums, one live album, and has been a guest on countless other albums. Catch him in a live studio session (KNKX) from last November.
In addition to performing, he’s been a professor of jazz music at NYU, has owned a jazz club in NYC, and is a TED speaker for a number of non-profit organizations.
Richard Bona is unsurpassed in connecting African sensibilities with jazz, world, and Afropop musics. We are delighted to share the stage with him next month. Join us for an unforgettable evening of music!
"Bonafide Genius"
featuring Richard Bona
Friday, April 26th, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
Maltz Performing Arts Center
