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Abraham Laboriel

superbassman2000

superbassman2000

Dec 20, 2000
11,338
56
Minnesota
#1
hello,
i was just looknig through the second hand store, and i came across a Laboriel CD. I have never heard of him outside of what i hear everyone here says about him. the CD is called Guidum, and i got it for 3 bucks! as it turns out, this guy is pretty good, so, thanks for talking about him, and making me aware of him!!


Charlie
 
#6
Abe has been a first call sesion player in LA for 25 years or more. He is a world class player. His resume is a who's who's in contemporary music and he's also very well known in the contemporary Christian music scene. His son plays drums on the Guidum CD. There's another solo album available, Dear Friends I believe it's titled. You can check out his website.
 
#12
peteroberts said:
I just noticed he played on 'The New Frontier' also...the Fagen song.
Click to expand...
Man, I was screwing around with that tune a couple months back...totally forgot Abe played on that album.
I was thinking there was something wrong with one of his hands, like he was missing a finger or something, but maybe I'm thinking of the wrong guy?
Click to expand...
You have the right guy; IIRC, he's missing part of the tip to his right index finger.

Something that floored me back in the day was Laboriel's slapped/popped fill on The Crusaders' "Soul Shadows".
 
#13
The two best Laboriel cd's:

Laboriel Mathieson - Bass and piano duets. Amazing album, my favorite Laboriel playing.

Baked Potato 2000 - The Dyno Four live! Vinnie Colaiuta, Michael Landau, Greg Mathieson, and Abe Laboriel. Four of the best musicians to ever walk the face of the earth.
 
#16
I saw him live with Koinonia in Zaandam (near Amsterdam), must have been early 80's. One big guy jumping all over the stage and slapping the fretboard with both hands. It was the first time I saw a bass player who slapped and thumped his instrument, I hadn't ever considered that this was possible, I was shocked. But it sounded so good and funky, and he got the whole audience into a frenzy. I think he played an Alembic then. Doesn't surprise me that his son became a drummer.

Steven
 
#17
We talk much about Victor around here as we should, but if I were asked to choose to have the skill of either Victor or Abe I'll take Abe's.

Not only can Abe groove, improve, walk, slap and solo but he can SIGHT READ like CRAZY!!! He graduated from Berkley back in the early 70's. He has a reputation in the studio for getting it right the FIRST take.

I used to play with a fantastic pianist named Steve Kenny who used to play with the Honolulu Symphony, Jazz bands, etc. When an artist would come to Honolulu many times Steve would get the call to be the MD (Music Director).
He had a chance to work with Abe many times on heavy reading gigs. I was told that very often Abe would suggest complex chord substitutions, inversions and rythms to enhance or segue songs together. Many times this was done during the first run through of an unfamilar tune (he knows his theory is my point). That my friends is called being a complete bassist, no wait..., a complete MUSICIAN!!
Check Abe out on Ron Kenoly's live albums and instructional videos. Victor who??? :-)

Thanks,

KT
 
#19
Ab Laborial was originally with a group in LA called Quininia (my spelling is no good). The original group was Ab, Alex Accunia, and I can't remember the guitar player. This is a great album if you can get your hands on this one. I have cassets only. It is all intrumental for the most part. Also the CD that Ab and his son (plays drums) put out is good too.
 
#20
I used to have an album by Al Jarreau back in the 70's before he crossed over into pop music. I think it was "Al Jarreau Live." Abe played on it. I had just started playing bass and I remember thinking, damn, that guy is good!
 

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