Singer-bassist Richard Bona grew up in a musical environment. His mother was a noted singer in Cameroon and his first public performance was when he was five, singing with his sisters. As a child he spent hours fashioning his own instruments, even making a guitar. While still a teenager, he landed a job in a jazz club in Douala. The only problem was that he knew nothing about jazz. Luckily the owner had a large collection and Bona was a fast learner. Two musicians stood out for him: Miles Davis, because of his astonishing eclecticism, and bassist Jaco Pastorius because “he played like a madman!” Bona took up the bass, built up a reputation and headed for Paris.
Cameroonian musicians have long had a powerful and distinguished presence in Paris. What was it like jamming with them over here? “In fact, we didn’t get to jam very often. When I arrived in Paris I was seen as a ‘jazz musician,’ which I am not. I’m a musician! But I soon learnt that categorization is very strong in France, and unfortunately, even the Cameroonians got caught up in that.”
After catching the attention of visiting musicians such as fusion pioneer Joe Zawinul, Bona moved to New York in 1995. He found the scene there the opposite of Paris. “People don’t care where you come from, they just want to play music. You can play Salsa one night, funk the next, jazz the next. There are no categories. And people are open, they’ll take chances.” One person who took a chance was Branford Marsalis, artistic director of Columbia records, who handed him a contract. The result, “Scenes From My Life,” is a very personal album, with Bona singing mainly in his native Douala language, and playing a variety of instruments. Guests include French keyboardist Jean-Michel Pilc and sax star Michael Brecker and Bona’s group will be at New Morning October 12 to launch their CD here.
New Morning, 9pm, 7-9, rue des Petites Ecuries, 10e, Mº Château d’Eau, tel: 01.45.23.51.41, 120F, a “Mairie de Paris two for the price of one” concert.
