In 1989, at age 22, Bona moved to Paris and soon began working with such leading French musicians as violinist Didier Lockwood and bassist Marc Ducret as well as such African stars as Manu Dibango and Salif Keita. During his seven years in Paris, Richard refined his writing skills while further immersing himself in the music of jazz greats like Miles Davis, Chet Baker and Ben Webster.
Since arriving in New York in 1995, bassist-vocalist-composer Richard Bona has been one of the most sought-after talents on the scene.
Invocation
Richard Bona Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
La biso kun yéléla diki
Lôngô natèna kwan
Nèni kourmo kourma
Bébango na matutu muléma
Néni kourmo kourma
Mbéi na matutu na né
Ba num mô jôngô muléma
Nèni kourmo kourma
Miango ma jéngu ma dangwa
Nèni kourmo kourma
Kourou njaka bo
Kourou koukou njaka bo
Na si wusa bè longè ésibè oa Mama
Muyawo na édèmo bé ndé mboa ngô
kourmo
Wé pôn ndé Kiñè
Lambo nèn nô péña péña
Dibongo la bana bodilo ésibè dikana
Lambo nèn nô péña péña
Pipi balu o nana
Mwititi bon bulu
Na wasé kuba lamp
Na na kusé bonam bôngô
Minbu mi timbi o tomba
O timbi sô wôlô soni wumsè wèngè
A kourmo
Ngol é me sèmè i ne ka
Walè iki é bè nsè bè na nsal è
La balalo kina ma chen dèku
La biso kun yéléla diki
The song Invocation by Richard Bona is a beautiful display of Afrobeat and African rhythms. The lyrics in this song speak of spiritual invocations, prayers, and blessings that are commonly found in the African culture. The first verse talks about the act of calling onto different deities and spiritual beings for blessings and protection. This is demonstrated through the use of phrases like 'La balalo kina ma chen dèku' which could be translated to mean, 'Omighty we ask for your blessings upon us'.
The second verse of the song is a mix of French and African languages, and it is used as a prayer for the blessings of the land and protection of the people. 'Nèni kourmo kourma' in the second verse, when translated, means 'May the blessings of the land and spirits be upon us'. The chorus, 'Kourou njaka bo, Kourou koukou njaka bo', is a call for a unifying energy that binds all African people together.
Line by Line Meaning
La balalo kina ma chen dèku
This world is full of chaos and confusion
La biso kun yéléla diki
We cry out loud for help
Lôngô natèna kwan
The universe is calling
Nèni kourmo kourma
And we must listen
Bébango na matutu muléma
The wise men have spoken
Néni kourmo kourma
And we must listen
Mbéi na matutu na né
But the fools remain deaf
Mbémba kourmo munja
Too stubborn to hear
Ba num mô jôngô muléma
Caught up in their own world
Nèni kourmo kourma
And we must listen
Miango ma jéngu ma dangwa
We must come together and unite
Nèni kourmo kourma
And we must listen
Kourou njaka bo
The spirit is speaking
Kourou koukou njaka bo
And we must hear
Na si wusa bè longè ésibè oa Mama
Let us awaken our consciousness and connect to Mother Earth
Muyawo na édèmo bé ndé mboa ngô
So that we may live in peace and harmony with one another
Wé pôn ndé Kiñè
Our ancestors are watching over us
Lambo nèn nô péña péña
Guiding us towards the light
Dibongo la bana bodilo ésibè dikana
Their wisdom is passed down to us
Lambo nèn nô péña péña
Guiding us towards the light
Pipi balu o nana
So let us dance and celebrate
Mwititi bon bulu
The wind is blowing
Na wasé kuba lamp
Creating a rhythm
Na na kusé bonam bôngô
For us to dance and sing
Minbu mi timbi o tomba
Let us shake off our worries
O timbi sô wôlô soni wumsè wèngè
And let our bodies move freely
A kourmo
Let us listen
Ngol é me sèmè i ne ka
For the message is clear
Walè iki é bè nsè bè na nsal è
We must open our hearts and minds
Contributed by Evan B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@victoremeih
Great, Africa , LatinAmerica , in special performance Venezuelan Musicians 🇻🇪
@luispelaeztores
¡Qué privilegio tocar al lado de un dios de la música como el gran Richard Bona!
@noritube1
The best fusion I’ve heard in a long time. This will be looping in my car on the way to work tomorrow morning. BRAVO👏👏👏👏👏👏
@susanacalderon4025
Qué maravillosa fusión: música africana y latina 🌍
Amo este tema, cada mañana lo escucho y me llena el día de alegría
Tony eres lo máximo ❤️
@dize294
El nivel que hay aquí es brutal desde los arreglos .... Vaya Tony si que la rompes ... Arriba Perú...!!!!!
@katiaarroyo4396
Gente no entendí nada, pero sentí todo.
Tremenda Mixtura 😍
@eliraseras1075
Jajaja me encantó tu comentario xD
@joycevanhook3049
I don't speak the language but; my heart feels it and my soul receives it and it is there that it is transliterated. Thank you with much love❤
@kevind.gomezm.8587
Una maquina Richard bona, lo escuché tocando jazz, soul, smooth, funk, pop, bossa, flamenco y ahora salsa, con quién más podría ser, con Tony Succar ps!! simbiosis total!!
@eduardotorrej
Estoy sorprendido gratamente con todo lo que veo y escucho en este video. @Richard Bona tiene una conjunción de increíbles cualidades musicales que raramente se ven en una misma persona. Tiene ritmo, armonía, matices, afinación, síncopas, respiración y ejecución de instrumento (entre otros atributos). En resumen, es una mezcla de musicalidad casi indescriptible. Además en el tema está acompañado de un Dream Team como aquél del baloncesto, pero este es musical: Succar, Quiñonez, Gil, Mesa, Grupo Folklórico Cuba Oasin del Monte y todos esos extraordinarios músicos que interpretan un inmejorable arreglo.