Originally from Cameroon, Richard Bona has awards, performances, and years of expertise under his belt. His seventh album, “Heritage,” presents an exhilarating mix of musical expertise and melodic wisdom. Bona is a multi-talented instrumentalist who primarily plays bass, but this album also includes his guitars, sitar, percussion and keyboards. Along with his band members’ piano, percussion, trombone and trumpet, it’s a tasty blend of Afro-Cuban groove. I don’t fully understand what his stories are about, but Bona’s expressive voice motivates me to learn more about his messages. If anything like his earlier projects, he’s addressing international issues and providing inspirational statements for freedom, peace and optimism. Winning the Victoires du Jazz Awards’ prestigious “Best International Artist of 2004” reinforced his broad appeal to many who enjoy jazz, pop, bossa nova, traditional, afro-beat, funk and blues. His great success in world music evolves from his keen ability to fuse varied genres and cultures to create a rich musical legacy. (Joe Ross, Roots Music Report)