Richard Bona Reverence CD

Richard Bona was born in a little village in West Africa. His mother was a singer and his grandfather was both a singer and musician. Those talents were passed down naturally. By the time Bona was of school age, he spent plenty of hours performing at church. At home, his hunger for the world of music found him making his own flutes, drums, and even a decent guitar. As a teenager he moved to a large city where he soon found a way to get his fill of jazz and the chance to play real instruments and learn to read and write music. On this 2001 album, Reverence, his second full-length recording, all of those years of surrounding himself with music shine through. Even though the lyrics aren't in English, fans from the United States seem to enjoy the album. Bona's songs on Reverence are jazz, but done in a world style, with the flavor of his homeland proudly holding a large spot. The numbers on this recording carry styles of fusion and American jazz, but also offer African pop, Latin, jazz-rock, and even some orchestral arrangements. ~ Charlotte Dillon

Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone); James A. Hynes (trumpet); Michael Eugene Davis (trombone); Alan Cox (flute); John Moses (bass clarinet); Martin Kuuskman (bassoon); Eriko Sato-Oel (violin); Louise Schulman (viola); Richard Locker (cello); Grace Paradise (harp); Alan Cox (flute); John Moses (bass clarinet); Martin Kuuskman (bassoon); Etienne Stadwijk (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards); George Whitty (piano, keyboards); Edsel Gomez (piano); Pat Metheny (acoustic guitar); Oz Noy (guitar); Ariel M. Hoenig, Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Luis Quintero (percussion).

Includes song annotations by Richard Bona.

Personnel: Richard Bona (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, flute, keyboards, fretless bass, percussion); Pat Metheny (guitar, acoustic guitar); Oz Noy (guitar, wah-wah guitar); Grace Paradise (harp); Louise Schulman (violin, viola); Shmuel Katz (violin); David Cerutti (viola); Maxine Neuman, Richard Locker (cello); Alan Cox (flute); Sheryl Henze (bass flute); John Moses (bass clarinet); Aaron Heick (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone); Etienne Stadwijk (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards); George Whitty (piano, keyboards); Edsel Gomez (piano); Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Luis Quintero (percussion).

Audio Mixers: Joe Bates; Max Feldman; Rob Eaton.

Recording information: Bonayuma Recording Studio; Sear Sound Studios, New York, NY.

Photographer: Barron Claiborne.

Personnel includes: Richard Bona (vocals, acoustic guitar, flute, keyboards, bass, fretless bass, percussion); Gil Goldstein (arranger, conductor);

Down Beat (11/01, p.57) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...An intimate and nuanced affair...suggesting sunny, white beaches and blue-green waters..."