Abraham Laboriel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abraham Laboriel Sr.
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Laboriel performing in 1994
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Abraham Laboriel López |
| Born | July 17, 1947 Mexico City, Mexico |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Bass guitar |
| Associated acts | Koinonia |
Abraham Laboriel López (born July 17, 1947) is a talented Mexican-American bassist. He has played on over 4,000 recordings and movie soundtracks! Guitar Player magazine even called him "the most widely used session bassist of our time." This means he's a musician who plays on recordings for many different artists without being a main band member.
Abraham is also the father of Abe Laboriel Jr., who is a famous drummer. His other son, Mateo Laboriel, is a producer and film composer.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Abraham Laboriel was born in Mexico City, Mexico. His family is very musical! His brother was the Mexican rock singer Johnny Laboriel. His sister, Ella Laboriel, is a singer and actress.
Their parents were Garifuna immigrants from Honduras. The Garifuna are a group of people from the Caribbean. Abraham's family was also very Catholic. His father, Juan José Laboriel, worked as a taxi driver. But he also became a big part of the entertainment world in Mexico. He helped start groups for actors, musicians, and film workers. He was involved in over 200 movies!
Learning Music
Abraham first learned to play the classical guitar. But he switched to the bass guitar when he studied at the Berklee College of Music. He graduated in 1972. While at Berklee, he learned how important it is to be good at many different styles of music. This helped him a lot in his career.
Amazing Career
In 1976, a famous musician named Henry Mancini told Abraham to move to Los Angeles, California. This was so he could start a recording career. It was tough at first, and he looked for work for two years. His first big job was playing on a tour with Olivia Newton-John. After that, he toured Europe with Al Jarreau. Then, Abraham started working full-time in recording studios in Los Angeles.
Working with Superstars
Abraham Laboriel has played with so many famous musicians! He has worked with Michael Jackson, Madonna, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Dolly Parton, and Ray Charles. He also played with Barbra Streisand, George Benson, Herbie Hancock, and Quincy Jones. This shows how much his talent is respected in the music world.
He has also played on the soundtracks for popular movies. These include "The Incredibles" and "Frozen" from Disney.
His Own Bands
Abraham Laboriel also helped start his own bands. He was a founding member of a band called Friendship. He also started the band Koinonia. With Koinonia, he recorded four albums.
He has also made several solo albums. For these albums, he invited many talented musicians to play with him. His son, Abe Laboriel Jr., who is a professional drummer, has played on some of these recordings too.
Today, Abraham is a member of the band Open Hands. He plays with Justo Almario, Greg Mathieson, and Bill Maxwell in this group.
Awards and Recognitions
In 2005, Abraham Laboriel received a special honor. His old school, the Berklee College of Music, gave him an Honorary Doctorate of Music. This is a very high award for musicians.
He is also ranked No. 42 on Bass Player magazine's list of "The 100 Greatest Bass Players of All Time." This shows he is considered one of the best bass players ever!
Discography (partial)
Solo Albums
- 1993 Dear Friends
- 1994 Guidum
- 1995 Justo Almario & Abraham Laboriel
- 2001 Laboriel Mathieson
- 2005 Live in Switzerland
With Koinonia
- 1983 More Than a Feelin'
- 1984 Celebration
- 1986 Frontline
- 1989 Koinonia
As a Sideman (selected examples)
Abraham Laboriel has played on countless albums for other artists. Here are a few examples of his work:
- With George Benson: Give Me the Night (1980)
- With Larry Carlton: Friends (1983)
- With Andraé Crouch: I'll Be Thinking Of You (1979)
- With Michael Giacchino (Soundtracks): The Incredibles (2004), Ratatouille (2007), Inside Out (2015), Zootopia (2016), Incredibles 2 (2018)
- With Dave Grusin: Tootsie (1982)
- With Al Jarreau: Breakin' Away (1981)
- With Ron Kenoly: Jesus Is Alive (1991)
- With Henry Mancini: Symphonic Soul (1975)
- With Don Moen: Eternal God (1990)
- With Lee Ritenour: The Captain's Journey (1978)
- With Michael Jackson: Dangerous (1991)
- With Paul Simon: You're the One (2000)
- With Christophe Beck (Soundtrack): Frozen (2013)
See Also
In Spanish: Abraham Laboriel para niños
