Hello Friends,
Here’s some great music to wind down your week. I present to you a genius of his craft, vocalist and guitar maestro extraordinaire -> Richard Bona. A friendly banter we had back in 2013 proves that he is just as real as his talent. Are you ready for some of his jazzy earsplosions? 🙂 not just yet, here’s some 411 on him.
“Like many African songwriters, he sings lessons and parables. The language of his music is less specific; it draws on pop and jazz from across Africa, the Americas and Europe. His songs assume a virtuosity so complete that it only has to whisper.” – The New York Times
Richard Bona (born October 28, 1967 in Minta, Cameroon) is a jazz bassist and musician. His actual African name, as he said during a live performance with Bobby McFerrin in Montreal, is Bona Pinder Yayumayalolo. Bona was born 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. At 4 years old, Bona started to play the balafon. At the age of 5, 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 age 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 music, in particular that of Jaco Pastorius, which inspired Bona to switch his focus to the electric bass. More at Source – Wiki
Enjoy this front row 1 hour straight Jazz Experience.
Here’s one of my favorites ~ ‘Eyala’
Richard Bona, thanks for sharing your gift, as you inspire your audience and other African Artists on the globe and in the diaspora to continue to bear the musical torch of AfroFusion music. For more about Richard Bona’s music, discography and tours, visit http://www.bonamusic.com
Beautifully Dreaming… Positively Doing..
xoxo
Tosinger
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