Bassist, singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist Richard Bona is originally from Cameroon, but has lived in New York since 1995. He feels completely at home in this metropolis and can develop his talents. The versatile Bona plays and composes in a jazz fusion style in which African and Latin American elements are recognizable. Bona has a warm, light-hued falsetto voice and sings in the language
… of Douala (the place in Cameroon where he grew up). Bona's debut album Scenes From My Life (1999) had to be recorded within three days. Bona took more time for his second album. Reverence is therefore a more mature album anyway; the storyteller sings about universal human themes and accompanies himself on acoustic guitar, electric bass guitar, flute, keys and percussion. The arrangements range from sparse to orchestral, the atmosphere changes from intimately reflective to exuberant with a funky groove. Guest musicians include jazz guitarist Pat Metheny, Cuban pianist Edsel Gomez, tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta. (SvdP) _more