Abraham Laboriel is one of the world’s most sought-after session bassists, playing for a roster of top artists that reads like a who’s who of the jazz, crossover and popular music fields. He also has solo albums to his name and was a founding member of the internationally acclaimed fusion groups, Koinonia and Friendship.

Biography:

Though these days a world-renowned bassist, Mexico City-born Abraham Laboriel, 55, originally trained on classical guitar under the tutelage of his father, a gifted guitarist and composer.

Having laid down his first recording at the tender age of 10 with a local rock ‘n’ roll group, and after performing in Mexico during his teenage years as both a musician and actor, Laboriel made the switch to bass when he attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston, attaining a Bachelor of Music degree in Composition in 1972. Whilst there he recorded with fellow faculty member, vibraphonist Gary Burton, and later toured with Johnny Mathis and Michel Legrand. He also worked with the famed composer and orchestra leader Henry Mancini who in 1976 persuaded Abraham to move to Los Angeles.

This relocation proved to be the start of an immensely successful and diverse studio career, performing and recording with such jazz and fusion luminaries as George Benson, Ella Fitzgerald, Herbie Hancock  and Joe Pass, and, in the pop and rock field, top names like Aretha Franklin, Dr John, Robbie Robertson, Michael Jackson and countless others. Among his many film soundtrack credits are The Color Purple, Nine to Five and Terms of Endearment.

As well as his work with and founding inspiration for Koinonia and Friendship, the latter featuring guitarist Lee Ritenour, Laboriel has released three critically acclaimed solo albums - Dear Friends, Guidum and Justo & Abraham - that ably showcase his consummate talents. As Larry Carlton once said: “There are a lot of great bass players in this world, but there is one, and only one Abraham Laboriel.”

YAMAHA Equipment: TRB5II bass