Richard Bona

Richard Bona, an enigmatic, Brooklyn-based Cameroonian bass player and singer, explores several musical directions on Tiki. The opening track, "Please Don't Stop," grabs attention with its catchy beat, soul-inflected keyboards, and soulful vocals by John Legend. Brazil's influence is evident throughout the album; for example, Djavan performs a duet on "Manyaka o Brasil," and "Calçadão de Copacabana" features a full-scale Carnaval-like percussion. Bona really shows his bass chops on sweeter moments such as "Dipama" and on the title track, where he takes advantage of the open spaces to explore his instrument. Listen also to the remake of Jaco Pastorius's "Three Women," which features a string arrangement that's the perfect backdrop for Bona's fretless bass.