Etienne Mbappe is a musician’s musician, a Paris based bass player, originally from Cameroon. He began his musical career in Paris in the 80s, playing with the leading names on the African music scene. He was part of Ultramarine, a groundbreaking world music fusion band, and was eventually recruited by the jazz legend Joe Zawinul to join his band, and later by another music icon, John McLaughlin, with whom he still tours and records.

This year he joined Jimmy Herring, Wayne Krantz, Keith Carlock, and Michael Landau in a new super group — The Ringers. Fresh off their first tour, and just before the upcoming tour with John McLaughlin, this seemed like a perfect time to talk with Etienne( aka ATN to friends & fans.)

file: https://talking2musicians.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/t2m-podcast-etienne-mbappe.mp3

Bonus audio, a short follow-up proof of concept interview with the founder of the Abstract Logix label, Souvik Dutta along with some soundboard audio from the Ringers tour.

file: https://talking2musicians.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/t2m-abstract-logix-p-o-c-interview-ringers.mp3

Clip from Bela Fleck’s film of Africa (mentioned in the interview)

Sorry the original Wamba by Salif Keita (which Etienne sings during the interview) isn’t available on video.

Here’s another version of Wamba interpreted by: Flora Purim, Airto Moreira, Tito Puente, Dizzy gillespie, Anthony Jackson, John Scofield, Art Pharmer, Phil Woods, Bob Berg, Charlie Haden,.  Arranged by Benny Golson from 1989

Here is a very “retro” video of Kante Manfila -Ntesse (mentioned in the interview)

Below is Toure Kunda, also mentioned in the interview

Joe Zawinul with Etienne