Guitarist Mike Stern and bassist/vocalist Richard Bona are not a new formation. They have performed together for many years, together with saxophonist Bob Franceschini and drummer Dave Weckl. And Bona played an emphatic role on Stern's most recent album Big Neighborhood. Mike Stern (1953) has played with greats like Miles Davis, Jaco Pastorius, Tom Harrell and David Sanborn, and he has been a member of bands like Blood, Sweat & Tears and Steps Ahead. Quite a reputation. But Richard Bona (born in Cameroon in 1967 and living in New York since 1995) is also someone who easily captivates an audience with his stage presence, his transparent songs and hypnotic playing. On his latest album The Ten Shades Of Blues (2009) he plays music derived from the blues. "Its key notes can be recognized in all cultures," says this versatile bassist. Musicians who are in perfect harmony with the spirit of our times.
