RICHARD BONA & ESTONIAN DREAM BIG BAND USA-Estonia

The sunny bassist and singer Richard Bona charms the listeners with his simple nature, excellent sense of humour, sincere music and fascinating stage shows. He  has also melted the hearts of the Estonian audience with various line-ups at Jazzkaar and Christmas Jazz before. At this year’s Christmas Jazz, Bona will delight us with a versatile musical experience, performing together with the Estonian Dream Big Band for the first time.

Richard Bona gained wider recognition with his album Scenes From My Life in 1999. It attracted the attention of many renowned musicians, such as Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, George Benson, and Bobby McFerrin, who invited him to work with them both in the studio and at concerts. Virtuoso bass playing and sweetly performed songs in Douala became Bona’s “trademarks”. Albums released in the following years showed Bona as a multicultural and multi-styled musician. He combines his African heritage with pop music, bossa nova, blues and jazz. To date, Bona has released ten albums under his name. He has received three Grammy nominations and a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album as a member of the Pat Metheny Group, for their album Speaking of Now (2003).

Born in a small village in Cameroon in 1967, Bona has become a global citizen who feels equally at home in Europe, Africa and America. He is also always interested in the local culture of the the places he performs. Estonia has been in Bona’s heart for some time: he has played at Jazzkaar and Jõulujazz in 2002, 2003, 2011, and 2014. There is no doubt that his first-time collaboration with the Estonian Dream Big Band will bring his fellow musicians to rejoice and make the audience sing and dance along. There is also a surprise in store at the concert!