Richard Bona – Full Concert | Live at Martinique Jazz Festival

Singer, bass guitar player and multi-instrumentalist Richard Bona splits his time between New York and Paris. His list of collaborators proves illuminating: Quincy Jones, Jacques Higelin, Lauryn Hill, Stevie Wonder and Salif Keita, just to name a few. Winner of the award for Best International Artist of 2004 in the Victoires du Jazz Awards, he was also nominated for a Grammy in 2005 in the Best Contemporary World Music Album category for his fourth solo album, Tiki, recorded in Brazil. He reprises two of the titles here and treats his audience to rhythms ranging from the Latin-influenced “O Sen Sen Sen” to the jazz of Jaco Pastorius, in a dizzying cover of “Liberty City.” These last two titles turn back time, recalling his first solo album, “Scenes from My Life,” which came out in 1999. He sings in Cameroonian, his native language, and funk sonorities mingle with African beats. His bass playing ensures a groove that’s both generous and unrelenting.