With Etienne Mbappé, patron of the IMEP classes of 2020 and 2021 One of the few constants in jazz throughout its history is its unfailing link with improvisation. And it’s certainly in the jam sessions that this link is strongest. In this last jam of 2024, we meet Etienne Mbappé Etienne Mbappé has a love affair with this Club, which began when he played every evening at the Caf’Conc on rue Saint Denis, then settled at the top of the stairs whenever he had a few minutes to listen to what was happening on our little stage. Now, almost 40 years on, it’s time to pass on the baton. Etienne has surrounded himself with the younger generation for his new projects: Rido Bayonne, Casino, Ultramarine, Chic’hot, Su La Take, the Prophetes, Nec+ and now COUNTRY SIDE – African Blues Country Folk Pop Music, his brand new group. It was in the heart of the Sawa lands of Cameroon, in the village of Bonendale, that one of the most talented and versatile musicians of his generation was born in 1964. An exceptional musician, Étienne Mbappé plays with gloves, giving his playing a unique texture and expressiveness, making him a rarity in the world of string instruments.