Richard Bona to Perform at The Israeli Opera

Jazz bassist and singer Richard Bona will perform at the Israeli Opera on April 22, 2011 as part of the World Music series. This is the musician’s second visit to Israel – the first in 2008 was with guitarist Mike Stern. Idan Raichel, music consultant for the series, will moderate the evening and will also join Bona onstage for a song.

Richard Bona was born in Cameroon in 1967, in a family of musicians. His grandfather and mother were singers and Bona began to sing in the village church with his mother and sisters at age 5. Not having instruments at hand, he learned to make his own, including a guitar. Performing in a French jazz club in Doula at age 13, his discovery of Jaco Pastorius in the owner’s record collection led him to the bass guitar.

Bona’s music today is characterized by Brazilian and African influences, and is concerned with social issues. Emigrating from Cameroon to at age 22 to Europe to study music in Germany and France, Bona now lives and works in New York. Over the span of his career he has played with many well known musicians: Manu Dibango, Salif Keita, Jacques Higelin, Didier Lockwood, Larry Coryell, Michael and Randy Brecker, Mike Stern, and Steve Gadd. His first solo album, Scenes from My Life, was released in 1999, and in 2005 Bona released his fourth album Tiki, which included a collaboration with John Legend on one track, entitled “Please Don’t Stop.”

Idan Raichel says, “Bona is one of the most interesting singers and has one of the most moving voices of the last decade. He is very creative and has released 8 solo albums. We invite you to a performance that will be full of surprises, for much of what will happen onstage that night will be spontaneous.” Read more about Richard Bona on his website, and enjoy his music here, and at the Israeli Opera:

The performance will take place on April 22, 2011 at 21:00. Israel Opera, 19 Shaul Hamelech Street, Tel Aviv. Tickets are 180/220/265, to order call: 03-6927777 or online.