Just like several other outstanding bass players, Etienne Mbappé comes from Cameroon. 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 funk, rock, jazz and even classical music. Best known for his years with the Zawinul Syndicate, but he has also 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. From 2000 until 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. And right now, his bass playing can be heard on international radio stations on the new CD with Toumani Diabaté Symmetric Orchestra, which has been up to number 4 at the World Music Chart in Europe. On his first solo album Misiya (label: O+) he sings in the Cameroonian language Douala (all the songs are vocal) and his voice is smooth and deep. This is a unique fusion between traditional Cameroonian rhythms (Makossa, Bolobo, Sékélé) and modern music. One of the unique factors, that gives Etienne Mbappé and his band Su La Také standing ovations on every concert, is the strong element of rock in some songs. Powerful and energetic music, but all of a sudden you find yourself listening to a cool ballad with beautiful vocal harmonies. A truly dynamic band, with arrangements that always get plenty of compliments from both audience and press, just like the great soloists and the sensitive interplay within the band. This music appeals to both jazz and world music audiences of all ages. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.