Etienne Mbappé - Su La Také

Unknown to the big audiences but at the same time one of the most skillful and best qualified bass players in African music, Etienne Mbappé has, since moving to Paris from his home country Kamerun in the 70's, played with musicians such as Manu Dibango, Salif Keita, Joe Zawinul and his own fusion bands Chic and Ultramarine. If you didn't know that Mbappé's career was in full bloom while Richard Bona was still home in Kamerun, you might want to call this genre Bona-music. During the years that they both lived in Paris they used to jam together in the clubs there - one could assume that the room was full of amazed listeners when these two enormously talented bass player got started! Su La Take is just beautiful. Whereas Richard Bona has leaned a little more towards the Afro-cuban and American groove-jazz, Etienne still gives us a heavy dose of African grooves and bass playing.

Personnel:

Etienne Mbappe: lead and background vocals, basses, acoustic and electric guitars
Cate Petit: background vocals
Herve Gourdikian: flutes and saxophones
Jim Grandcamp: guitars
Roger Biwandi: drums and percussion
Gerard Cardocci: additional percussion
Christophe Cravero: keyboards
Andy Narrell: steel drums, vibraphone
Harouna Samake: kamala ngoni
Bobby Nguime: acoustic and electric guitars
Stephane Belmondo: trumpet, fugel horn
Valentine Duteil: cello
Daniel Zimmermann: trombone
Manu Dibango: soprano saxophone


Tracks:

01. Dangwa
02. Elimb'a Dikalo
03. Musango
04. Bonendale
05. Su La Také
06. Alane San San Boy
07. Aye (Yen' Etomi)
08. Bolo Bwa Sawa
09. Na Yo Nde
10. Mangledi
11. Misodi
12. Your House
13. Sibise (Mulema Mwam).