SERIOUS FUNK ALERT!!!! Finally some great ABE on youtube...

[Bassflute]

My favorite electric bassist of all time next to Jaco...

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=CWhJKNzUYJU

A force of nature. Heavy funk with deep thought, cool changes, amazing technique, grace, dignity and absolute hilarity all at the same time! And he's no spring chicken!

Bless this guy, man, he's THE coolest - I hope he's around for another 100 years or so! I saw him in clinic a few years back, played a solo for about an hour or so, and it was simply transcendant.



Cheers,
Cameron

[Psychicpet]

CAM!!!!! Great post!

Some friends of mine just got me the DVD of his '90s instructional DVD and man... so much fun just to watch. Got to see him a few years ago at the Baked Potato and it was an astounding stellar gig. Never been to one like it since. Abraham is absolutely one of the best.

ps. gotta give you a call and hook up soon!!... well, at least before Christmas

[Poor Tom]

I never heard of this guy, but got damn! That was some sweet playing, this cat knows how to have a good time. Why do black guys always get to have that funky rhythm? I want some too.... ;_;

[DWBass]

Not only is he a great player, he's also a very spiritual man and when you see him start to jump around it's because he's feeling the spirit! He's very involved in Gospel music and was a founding member of Koinonia, a gospel based jazz band back in the 80's!

[Psychicpet]

Originally Posted by Poor Tom

I never heard of this guy, but got damn! That was some sweet playing, this cat knows how to have a good time. Why do black guys always get to have that funky rhythm? I want some too.... ;_;

Abraham Laboriel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Abraham Laboriel, Sr. (born July 17, 1947) is a Mexican bassist who has played on over 4,000 recordings and soundtracks. Guitar Player Magazine described him as: "the most widely used session bassist of our time". Laboriel is the father of drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. and of producer, songwriter,and film composer Mateo Laboriel.

Laboriel was born in Mexico City. Originally a classically trained guitarist, he switched to bass guitar while studying at the Berklee School of Music. Henry Mancini encouraged Laboriel to move to Los Angeles, California and pursue a recording career.[1] Since then, he has worked with artists as diverse as Donald Fagen, Lee Ritenour, Larry Carlton, Dave Grusin, Andy Pratt, Stevie Wonder, Barbra Streisand, Al Jarreau, Billy Cobham, Dolly Parton, Elton John, Ray Charles, Madonna, Paul Simon, Keith Green, Alvaro Lopez and Res-Q Band, Lisa Loeb, Quincy Jones, Russ Taff, Engelbert Humperdinck, Umberto Tozzi,Ron Kenoly, Rabito, Mylène Farmer, Crystal Lewis, Chris Isaak, Paul Jackson Jr. and Michael Jackson. When Laboriel recorded his three solo albums (Dear Friends, Guidum ,and Justo & Abraham), he recruited a cast of musicians that included Alex Acuña, Al Jarreau, Jim Keltner, Phillip Bailey, and others.

Laboriel was a founding member of the bands, Friendship and Koinonia. He plays live regularly with Greg Mathieson, drummer Abe Laboriel Jr.,and Justo Almario.

In 2005, Abraham was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music by the Berklee College of Music.

[Bassflute]

Originally Posted by Poor Tom

I never heard of this guy, but got damn! That was some sweet playing, this cat knows how to have a good time. Why do black guys always get to have that funky rhythm? I want some too.... ;_;

Practice and work as hard as he has, with the sincerity and dedication he has put into it, and ye shall have it too, my brother, if you want it and feel it badly enough. Skin colour has nothing to do with it.

And as far as never hearing of him, you have UNDOUBTEDLY heard him, whether you know it or not. He is on over 3,000 cd's, with some of the biggest names in the music industry: to put that into perspective, if you recorded one CD a day, that would take you 10 years...

Originally Posted by DWBass

Not only is he a great player, he's also a very spiritual man and when you see him start to jump around it's because he's feeling the spirit! He's very involved in Gospel music and was a founding member of Koinonia, a gospel based jazz band back in the 80's!

I saw him at a bass clinic a few years back; he started out with a benediction, blessed the crowd, and came on and did over an hour and a half unaccompanied improvised bass solo (on a six string) that culminated in the whole crowd cheering, standing, dancing, and just totally rocking out. We were all taken over by whatever that was, Abe, God, both, or whatever you believe in. It was positively a transcendant moment, and one of the most powerful performances I have ever seen by ANY solo musician, bass player or not (and I've seen a LOT).

[Bassflute]

Originally Posted by Psychicpet

CAM!!!!! Great post!

Some friends of mine just got me the DVD of his '90s instructional DVD and man... so much fun just to watch. Got to see him a few years ago at the Baked Potato and it was an astounding stellar gig. Never been to one like it since. Abraham is absolutely one of the best.

ps. gotta give you a call and hook up soon!!... well, at least before Christmas

didn't we used to be friends at one point...



You quit the store, no forwarding email address so I can continue to spam you with gig porn that you never show up to, never said HI or gave me a call during my convalescence...

Nice!

So PM me with your new email or something.

Good to hear from you.

And Abe is something else, man. And that video I think is from the 80's! Whenever anybody asks who my favorite bass player is, he is the FIRST one that springs to mind, ahead of Victor, Stanley, Steve Bailey, or any of them, great though they may be. Abe is like the ocean, a force of nature.

I wonder what video that is from; anybody know? It's the fusion guitar player, what's his name... Larry Carleton, isn't it? I wonder if that's available.

Cheers,
Cameron

[4-string]

Abe Laboriel is an old hero of mine, good to see that he's still going strong.

[Jamarcla]

Originally Posted by Bassflute

I wonder what video that is from; anybody know? It's the fusion guitar player, what's his name... Larry Carleton, isn't it? I wonder if that's available.

Cheers,
Cameron

The name of the guitarist is Larry Carlton

[CapnSev]

I've never seen him before either, but that was a fantastic clip!

[Brim]

Originally Posted by Jamarcla

The name of the guitarist is Larry Carlton

Wrong, that's Lee Ritenour. Abe is da man!

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by Psychicpet

Abraham Laboriel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Abraham Laboriel, Sr. (born July 17, 1947) is a Mexican bassist who has played on over 4,000 recordings and soundtracks. Guitar Player Magazine described him as: "the most widely used session bassist of our time". Laboriel is the father of drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. and of producer, songwriter,and film composer Mateo Laboriel.

Laboriel was born in Mexico City. Originally a classically trained guitarist, he switched to bass guitar while studying at the Berklee School of Music. Henry Mancini encouraged Laboriel to move to Los Angeles, California and pursue a recording career.[1] Since then, he has worked with artists as diverse as Donald Fagen, Lee Ritenour, Larry Carlton, Dave Grusin, Andy Pratt, Stevie Wonder, Barbra Streisand, Al Jarreau, Billy Cobham, Dolly Parton, Elton John, Ray Charles, Madonna, Paul Simon, Keith Green, Alvaro Lopez and Res-Q Band, Lisa Loeb, Quincy Jones, Russ Taff, Engelbert Humperdinck, Umberto Tozzi,Ron Kenoly, Rabito, Mylène Farmer, Crystal Lewis, Chris Isaak, Paul Jackson Jr. and Michael Jackson. When Laboriel recorded his three solo albums (Dear Friends, Guidum ,and Justo & Abraham), he recruited a cast of musicians that included Alex Acuña, Al Jarreau, Jim Keltner, Phillip Bailey, and others.

Laboriel was a founding member of the bands, Friendship and Koinonia. He plays live regularly with Greg Mathieson, drummer Abe Laboriel Jr.,and Justo Almario.

In 2005, Abraham was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music by the Berklee College of Music.

In case anybody is curious, I believe Abraham Laboriel is of Garifuna extraction. The Garifuna are people of mainly African descent who live in Central America. I believe Abe's Dad migrated to Mexico which is why he was born there. BTW, there are some small Black communities in Mexico. Many Africans were brought to Mexico between 1500-1700. They were mainly men and worked in mining primarily. Most married into the indigenous (Indian) community. Although there are still a few Black communities around Veracruz and a few other places.

As for the music, I have been a Laboriel fan for almost thirty years.

[Jamarcla]

Originally Posted by Brim

Wrong, that's Lee Ritenour. Abe is da man!

I'm answering the question from Bassflute , who talks about another video ...

[burk48237]

The first funk lines I ever coped were Abes playing on "Street Life" by the Crusaders. I kept trying to learn thumb playing but that CD was when the light came on. I've loved his playing for years back to the Koinia and Andrea Crouch

[steve66]

Abe is one of my favorites, Thanks for posting

[Joe Nerve]

Originally Posted by Brim

Wrong, that's Lee Ritenour. Abe is da man!

Wrong, that's Art Garfunkle



That was awesome. I don't know how them fat guys do that stuff without dropping dead of a heart attack. Damn. It's gotta be something spiritual. That clip put a freaking huge smile on my face. Thanks.

[DWBass]

Originally Posted by burk48237

The first funk lines I ever coped were Abes playing on "Street Life" by the Crusaders.

You sure? I thought it was Wilton Felder. James Jamerson and Alphonso Johnson are also credited on that album.

[burk48237]

Originally Posted by DWBass

You sure? I thought it was Wilton Felder. James Jamerson and Alphonso Johnson are also credited on that album.

Maybe it was "Rapsody in Blue", it's been a long time.

[ehque]

I have a photo of me and Abe. I didn't know he was so big when i met him at his bass clinic (i was just starting out).

His bass has crazy high action.

[Yvon]

amzing clip!!

Amazing bass player, and such a great human being.
Incredibly nice guy, I met him once and he was so nice.