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ETIENNE MBAPPÉ - Cameroonian bass player

Just like several other outstanding bass players, Etienne Mbappé comes from Cameroon. The level of his playing is definitely equal to his more well known compatriot Richard Bona. His technique and rhythmic sense are amazing and he has created a great musical genre of his own, transcending the frontiers between African music and other styles such as jazz, fusion, pop and even classical music. 

Best known for his years with the Zawinul Syndicate, Etienne Mbappé has a long track record behind him, where the years with Salif Keita and with the French National Jazz Orchestra (ONJ) under the direction of Antoine Hervé are especially worth mentioning.

His music constitutes a unique fusion between traditional Cameroonian rhythms (Makossa, Bolobo, Sékélé) and more modern music.  His first solo album Misiya (released on O+ in 2004) also reveals a singer whose voice is smooth and deep. In the Cameroonian dialect Douala he sings of love, of friendships, of his son's eyes… and also more upbeat songs that show his unique feel for dance rhythms and his great talent for arrangements and instrumentation, including a string quintet. His next album will be released before the summer of 2006.

Etienne Mbappé has toured extensively in France and abroad with Salif Keita and Manu Dibango (both as bassist and musical director) and the Orchestre National de Jazz, Jacques Higelin, Michel Jonasz, and many others. He also formed the two fusion bands Ultramarine* and Chic Hot. 2000 - 2003 he played with Joe Zawinul, and he can be heard on several of his recordings, for example "Faces And Places". In 2001 Etienne played on Ray Charles' last album.
Listen to samples from MISIYA, solo-debut on O+ (New CD coming soon) Etienne Mbappé and his band Su La Také is booked at many festivals summer 2006, both in Scandinavia and at  the international jazz festivals in Montreux, Montreal, Paris, Nice and Vienne.
Preview of TOUR PLAN HERE
LISTEN 1 LISTEN 2 LISTEN 3 LISTEN 4 LISTEN 5    * Read about and listen to Ultramarine HERE
Listen to interview with Etienne Mbappe HERE
Read CD review of Misiya HERE		 Download press release  HERE (Right-click, Save Target As...)
High-resolution press photos coming soon
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