Richard Bona Band (Early show)

Cameroonian bassist, singer and multi-instrumentalist Richard Bona brings his band to London on 16 June 2026 at Jazz Cafe. A Grammy-winning musician, he has built a singular sound where melodic electric bass lines, agile vocals and acoustic textures meet the pulse of Central African rhythms and the openness of jazz. On stage, Bona moves with ease between supple grooves and more intimate songs, letting the bass carry the melody as much as the harmony while the voice draws on storytelling and wordless lines.

His repertoire revisits pieces from albums like Scenes from My Life, Reverence, Bonafied or Heritage, alongside fresh arrangements shaped with the band in real time. The music flows between Cameroon, Europe, the Americas and Brazil, folding makings of tradition into a contemporary frame without losing warmth or clarity. Over the years he has traded ideas with artists such as Joe Zawinul, Pat Metheny, Bobby McFerrin or Lionel Loueke; that same dialog spirit guides his live sets, where interplay takes center stage.

Expect a concert grounded in rhythm and song, attentive to culture and lived experience, and designed for close connection with the room. Jazz Cafe, London, 16 June 2026.