I bought Gary Burton's The New Quartet a while back and hadn't listened to it in a while. I have it on right now: holy balls, Abe Laboriel is an amazing bassist! Anyone else like this album? I actually prefer this one to the Steve Swallow/Eberhard Weber albums with Burton, and I especially dig Weber's work.
Abe performs here with "2 Prime" - Bass & piano with Greg Mathieson- excellent stuff, I don't think they've recorded. When they played a free show at the LABX, Abe's performance ranks as one of the best examples of Fender bass virtuosity I've ever seen- and I've seen a lot.
I've got the second "Koinonea" album which is live, and Abe's playing is downright inspirational. One of the masters, for sure. His son is a heck of a great drummer, too. I have one 80s Burton GRP album which I can't rember the name of... Hey if you like Gary Burton pick up Bruce Cockburn's "The Charity Of Night" CD, it is amazing and Burton is all over it. Great upright work from Rob Wasserman also, as well as Cockburn's incredible songwriting and lyrics.
Laboriel and Cockburn in the same thread? how cool is that! Are Abe and Greg calling their duo '2 Prime' now? I know that Abe has a trio called 3 Prime, with Peter Donald and Tom Rainer - their album is outstanding. I've also got the unrelease Abe 'n' Greg duo album, which is, perversely, the best thing I've ever heard either of them do, and it's been finished for about three years, they just haven't released it! Other favourite Laboriel album is 'live at the Baked Potato' with Greg Mathieson, Vinnie Coliauta (sp?) and Michael Landau - a double CD of marvellous playing and great tunes. As for Charity Of Night by Bruce Cockburn - one of the three greatest albums ever made, methinks. And Wasserman even plays in tune throughout the whole album! - his solo on 'Pacing The Cage' is beautiful. And the chorus of 'Live On My Mind' is possibly the greatest moment in the history of recorded music... I'm a bit of a Cockburn fantatic, and that's my favourite album of his. Gary Burton is wonderful on it. cheers Steve www.steve-lawson.co.uk
I wish I knew more about him. I picked up a video on right hand technique featuring Abe, Chuck Rainey, Nathan East, Luois Johnson, and a bunch of others. IMHO, I thought Abes technique was the best. He is a machine.....
On the album credits for Guidum, Abe says he plays Yamaha, Tyler, Leduc basses. Anyone know what brand bass(es) he specifically used to record this album?