Translated material
Richard Bona: "My ears hurt from rock"
“A genius is a black man who dreams of snow,” Vladimir Nabokov believed. The bass player and singer Richard Boná -or Richard Bohn, as we call him in the American way, is the genius of modern improvisational music. A native of Cameroon, a talented self -taught, he plays an incredibly bright and attractive mixture of jazz, folk and traditional African music. On the eve of the concert in the Moscow International House of Music on October 8, Richard Bon spoke about Siberia, Cameroon and the dangers of rock music.
About music in Cameroon
In my country, music has a special place - it is like a language. People can say music by music. They play as naturally as they talk about all sorts of nonsense. In general, there are more than 150 “normal” languages in Cameroon. For example, I myself know two from birth: duals (my own father) and Bambil (mothers).
Richard Bona - "Engingilaye" (Live At RTL Jazz Festival)
About childhood without pop
I grew up in a village where there was not even a radio. I was not at all in the know who we have a pop star in Cameroon. And who are these at all-pop stars. In order to understand this, newspapers and television were needed, but we had neither one nor the other. As a child, the only professional musician whom I knew, loved and listened was my dear grandfather. The first “hit” I heard when I was a teenager and hit the city.
I live in New York, and what, in figs, a balaphone in New York, tell me?
About the dangers of rock music
In my childhood, the most popular Cameroon artists were Manu Di Bango, Dina Bell and Francis Bebey. In fact, there were a lot of them, I just forgot already ... All our musicians recorded albums exclusively in France, Europe only influenced them. That is, nothing. We young people were interested in what is happening in Europe. For example, I adored jazz. And I admit rock music. And do not like it - too loud! Of course, such rock as Mahavishnu Orchestra is great. And AC/DC is not mine. My ears hurt from this. Once I played with a French rock group. There, every musician had a bastard in his ears. Pieces of wax type. I can’t play with the Berushas - it’s like sitting in the cinema in the sunglasses, so here I was wary. No wonder: they started playing-and I am: oh, your mother, what a garbage! Such was a roar.
Richard Bon and Bobby McFferrin - "Improvisation"
How to work with stars
In the [American fusion guitarist] T-shirt Stern I improvise a lot! He gives me space. Stevi Uander also has complete freedom of creativity.
Someone else can bring material, carefully prepared, written, precisely arranged. It suits me too. I can do it anyway.
Richard Bona and Trio Peta Meten
About the voice
I did not specifically develop a voice. Just such a upper range, God gave me. I do not drink alcohol at all and never smoked. Maybe that's why I can still easily take the upper notes. Probably, in ten years will become lower. Naturally.
The most vivid memory of my life is the train Krasnoyarsk -Irkutsk. 18 hours of crazy beauty.
How to become a multi -instrumentalist
Since I first in my youth have heard Jaco Pastorius with one Frenchman Portrait of Tracy - I have disappeared. "Your mother, well, and the instrument!" I thought. I fell in love with a bass and did not want to play anything else. And I don't want to. In general, at that moment I was already a professional: I played in the church on the organ. As a child, in the village, of course, I learned to play on the balaphone. But in America I fundamentally do not play folk African instruments. Because each tool has a natural environment. The musician plays as he lives. Everything that surrounds him affects him. I live in New York, and what, in figs, a balaphone in New York, tell me?
About Russia
When I was traveling to Siberia for the first time, I had pictures from Hollywood films in my head. I thought there was only snow and ice - and nothing more. And there is a bunch of interesting musicians. And my music came to the court.
And in general, the most vivid memory of my life is the train Krasnoyarsk -Irkutsk. 18 hours of crazy beauty. And then - Baikal, an amazing sea!