Richard Bona at Ethno Jazz Festival and Siesta: Cameroon, jazz and afrobeat in one sound

One of world music’s most distinctive figures, Richard Bona, will perform in Wrocław on 9 October as part of a joint project by Ethno Jazz Festival and Marcin Kydryński’s Siesta w Studio.

Wrocław audiences will be among the first to hear material from Richard Bona’s latest album, recorded with a new band and due for release in mid-September 2013.

The Cameroonian multi-instrumentalist has been surrounded by music since early childhood. At 5, he was already singing with his family in the local church. The first instruments he learnt were the recorder and various unusual percussion instruments. A little later, he built his own 12-string acoustic guitar. At 11, he moved to the larger city of Douala and began earning his living playing electric guitar. There, he discovered his extraordinary talent for easily learning any instrument by ear. In 1980, the French owner of a jazz club in a local hotel heard him and suggested that he form a big band.

Bona moved to Paris in 1989. There he soon began working with leading French jazz musicians, violinist Didier Lockwood and bassist Marc Ducret, and African-born jazz stars Manu Dibango and Salif Keita. Bona spent 7 years in Paris, honing his skills and learning from outstanding musicians, including Joe Zawinul.

Richard Bona was a member of Pat Metheny Group and has also worked with Michael Brecker, Paul Simon, Chaka Khan, Tito Puente, Joni Mitchell, Harry Connick Jr., Herbie Hancock, Bobby McFerrin, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Harry Belafonte and George Benson. His style moves towards jazz, bossa nova, pop, Afrobeat, traditional songs and funk.

Today, Richard Bona is called the “African Sting”. Firstly, because he plays bass, like The Police frontman, and secondly because his music knows no boundaries.

Wrocław audiences remember his concerts with Anna Maria Jopek and world music supergroup Toto/Bona/Lokua.