Track Listing

1. Invocation
2. Bisso Baba
3. Suninga
4. Ekwa Mwato
5. Sweet Mary
6. Reverence
7. Te Misea
8. Muntula Moto
9. Laka Moto
10. Ndaga Ndutu
11. Duet
12. Mbanga Kumba

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #32527 in Music
• Released on: 2001-09-17
• Number of discs: 1

Album Description
Richard Bona is a stunning West African bassist, vocalist and composer who performs his own beautiful songs with awesome musicianship. On Reverence, his follow-up recording to 1999's critically acclaimed debut, Scenes From My Life, Bona sings in his native language of Douala, accompanying himself on electric bass, acoustic guitar, flute, keyboards and percussion. The album features special guests Michael Brecker and Pat Metheny. Bona joins Pat Metheny's band as vocalist for a year-long world tour starting in 2002.

Customer Reviews

Wonderful album from an astonishing musician
Lovely, instantly appealing album. The songs are sung in Bona's native Douala, which gives an exotic touch, and many of the themes are from the Cameroons, but the feel is very much in the mainstream of modern music. Those of us who have been fans of Richard's for a while are delighted to note his growing stature - his major role in Mike Stern's latest album is testimony to this, as are the guest appearances by such as Michael Brecker and Metheny on "Reverence". It's hard to find any fault on this release - the songs are varied, he manages to produce multi-tracked performances (all the instruments plus multiple vocals) without any of the lifelessness normally associated with such techniques. If there is one small regret, it might be that Richard's African roots are less conspicuous than they were but - do yourself a favour - this is one of the great albums of the year - please buy it!

pure talent
What a bass player! Being a bassist myself I just love what he does with the instrument. Just listen to Mbanga Kumba, how does he play so fast with such precision and skill. This album is the reason why i'm working the whole summer to get a new fretless bass!

A genre all his own
This is not a CD which can be adequately categorized. Richard Bona encompasses jazz, new age, and world music, without truly being "OF" any of those genres.

However, it's safe to say that if you are a true fan of any of the three genres, you will find yourself completely taken in and absorbed by this music. There's nothing flashy here, nor on the other hand is there any bland mellowness.

I admit that the vocals rather put me off the first time I listened, but only because this wasn't quite what I expected. By the second listen, I was better prepared and more appreciative.

I honestly urge all to listen to this. You'll be glad you did.