
Minta, Cameroon
Richard Bona (born 28 October 1967 in Minta, Cameroon) is a virtuoso Cameroonian Grammy Award-winning jazz bassist. Bona Pinder Yayumayalolo was born in Minta, Cameroon, into a family of musicians, which enabled him to start learning music from a young age. His grandfather was a griot – a West African singer of praise and storyteller – and percussionist, as his mother was a singer. When he was four years old, Bona started to play the balafon. At the age of five, he began performing at his village church. Not being wealthy, Bona made many of his own instruments: including flutes and guitars (with cords strung over an old motorcycle tank). His talent was quickly noticed, and he was often invited to perform at festivals and ceremonies. Bona began learning to play the guitar at the age of 11, and in 1980, aged just 13, he assembled his first ensemble for a French jazz club in Douala. The owner befriended him and helped him discover jazz music, in particular that of Jaco Pastorius, which inspired Bona to switch his focus to the electric bass.

as Self

as Self
1998

as Self
2019

as Self
2021

as Self
2006

as Himself
2005

as Vocals
2003

as bass - vocals
2013

as Himself
2005

as Self - Bass

2026
as Self
2019

2026

as Self
2021

as Self
2019

as bass - vocals
2013

as Self
2006

as Himself
2005

as Himself
2005

as Vocals
2003

as Self - Bass