Abraham Laboriel Jr. (born March 23, 1971) is an American
session drummer. He is the son of Mexican bass guitarist
Abraham Laboriel, nephew of Mexican rocker
Johnny Laboriel
Juan José Laboriel López (July 9, 1942 – September 18, 2013), known as Johnny Laboriel, was a Mexican rock and roll singer. His career started in 1958, when at 16 years old he joined the rock and roll group " Los Rebeldes del Rock".
Laboriel ...
, and brother of record producer, songwriter, and film composer Mateo Laboriel. He has been the drummer for
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
's
touring and recording band since 2001, as well as for
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...
among others.
Early life
The son of jazz bass player Abraham Laboriel, Abe grew up playing drums starting at age four.
His mother is a classically trained singer.
Laboriel was mentored by well-known percussionists and drummers, including
Jeff Porcaro
Jeffrey Thomas Porcaro (; April 1, 1954 – August 5, 1992) was an American drummer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his work with the rock band Toto but is one of the most recorded session musicians in history, working on ...
,
Chester Thompson
Chester Cortez Thompson (born December 11, 1948) is an American drummer best known for his tenures with Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, Weather Report, Santana, the progressive rock band Genesis and Phil Collins as a solo artist. Thomp ...
, along with Bill Maxwell and
Alex Acuña, who had formed the band
Koinonia
() is a transliterated form of the Koine Greek, Greek word , which refers to concepts such as fellowship, joint participation, the share which one has in anything, a gift jointly contributed, a collection, a contribution. It identifies the ideal ...
with his father in the 1980s.
He attended the
Dick Grove School of Music, studying with Peter Donald, during his junior year in high school. He also attended the
Hamilton High School Academy of Music in Los Angeles in his senior year. Here he first experienced the use of programming and became a member of a marching band. He formed a jazz trio with
Vernell Brown and
Mike Elizondo.
In 1989, he was honored by the
National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts
YoungArts (previously National YoungArts Foundation and National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, or NFAA) is an American charity established in 1981 by Lin and Ted Arison to help nurture emerging high-school artists. The foundation is bas ...
and ''
Down Beat
' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chi ...
'' magazine. He then enrolled at the
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...
, where he graduated in 1993.
Career
Laboriel's first break as a drummer was a tour with guitarist
Steve Vai. He then toured with
Seal, where he was seen by record producers around Los Angeles which led to session work.
Laboriel next toured with
k.d. lang
Kathryn Dawn Lang (born November 2, 1961), known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop (music), pop and country music, country singer-songwriter and occasional actress. Lang has won Juno Awards and Grammy Awards for her musical perfor ...
where
Sting
Sting may refer to:
* Stinger or sting, a structure of an animal to inject venom, or the injury produced by a stinger
* Irritating hairs or prickles of a stinging plant, or the plant itself
Fictional characters and entities
* Sting (Middle-eart ...
saw him and invited Laboriel to join Sting's touring band. He also toured and recorded in studio with former
Menudo member
Robi Draco Rosa
Draco Cornelius Rosa Suárez (; born Robert Edward Rosa Suárez, June 27, 1969), also known as Draco Rosa, Robi Draco Rosa or simply Robi or Draco, is a Puerto Rican singer, musician, songwriter and entrepreneur.
Rosa originally garnered fame ...
on his album ''Vagabundo''.
Laboriel has also recorded and performed with
Jonatha Brooke,
Crystal Lewis,
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977), professionally known by the mononym Shakira, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been referred to as the " Queen of Latin Music" and is ...
,
B.B. King
Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, shimm ...
,
Steven Curtis Chapman,
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...
,
Johnny Hallyday
Jean-Philippe Léo Smet (; 15 June 1943 – 5 December 2017), better known by his stage name Johnny Hallyday, was a French rock and roll and pop singer and actor, credited for having brought rock and roll to France.
During a career spanning 57 ...
,
Jenifer
Jennifer or Jenifer may refer to:
People
*Jennifer (given name)
* Jenifer (singer), French pop singer
* Jennifer Warnes, American singer who formerly used the stage name Jennifer
* Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer
* Daniel Jenifer
Film and televis ...
,
Steve Winwood
Stephen Lawrence Winwood (born 12 May 1948) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter whose genres include blue-eyed soul, rhythm and blues, blues rock, and pop rock. Though primarily a keyboard player and vocalist prominent for his disti ...
,
Les Paul
Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009), known as Les Paul, was an American jazz, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier, and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid-body electric guitar, and his prototype ...
,
Ashlee Simpson,
LeAnn Rimes
Margaret LeAnn Rimes Cibrian (born August 28, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She originally rose to success as a country music artist at age 13 with 1996's "Blue". She has since crossed over into pop, contemporary Chris ...
,
Mylène Farmer
Mylène Jeanne Gautier (; born 12 September 1961), known professionally as Mylène Farmer (), is a Canadian-born French singer, songwriter, occasional actress, writer, and entrepreneur. Having sold more than 30 million records in France, she is ...
,
Letters to Cleo
Letters to Cleo is an American alternative rock band originating from Boston, Massachusetts, best known for the 1994 single, "Here & Now", from their full-length debut album, '' Aurora Gory Alice''. The band's members are Kay Hanley, Greg McKe ...
,
Vanessa Carlton
Vanessa Lee Carlton (born August 16, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. Upon completion of her education at the School of American Ballet, Carlton chose to pursue singing instead, performing in New York City bars and clubs while ...
,
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter, author, and television personality. She rose to fame after winning the first season of ''American Idol'' in 2002, which earned her a record deal with RCA. Her debu ...
,
Lady Gaga
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...
,
Tyler Bryant
Tyler Dow Bryant (born February 24, 1991) is an American guitarist from Paris, Texas. He is best known as the lead guitarist and vocalist of the rock band Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown.
Early and personal life
Tyler got his first guitar at the ...
,
Steve Lukather
Steven Lee Lukather (born October 21, 1957) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger and record producer, best known as the sole continuous founding member of the rock band Toto. His reputation as a skilled guitarist led to a stea ...
,
Jerry Cantrell and others.
Lewis and Laboriel were also both a part of the Nickelodeon television series, ''
Roundhouse'' in the 1990s.
For his 2001 album, ''
Driving Rain
''Driving Rain'' is the twelfth studio album by English musician Paul McCartney, released on 12 November 2001 as a double LP, a single cassette, and single CD.
Background
Following the example of ''Run Devil Run (album), Run Devil Run'' brisk pr ...
'', Paul McCartney told producer
David Kahne he wanted to return to the spontaneity he remembered when working with
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
. He recalled that his bandmates and producer would often be hearing the songs he had written for the first time at the start of the recording session, having had no time to learn or rehearse. McCartney felt this made the recordings sound "fresh," and told Kahne he wanted to record this album the same way. To achieve this, Kahne assembled a band of session musicians, Laboriel included, who had never met McCartney until their first day in the studio together. Laboriel has been part of McCartney's recording and touring band ever since.
Laboriel was part of a
power trio
A power trio is a rock and roll band format having a lineup of electric guitar, bass guitar and drum kit (drums and cymbals), leaving out a second rhythm guitar or keyboard instrument that are often used in other rock music bands that are quartet ...
called ''The Raging Honkies'', together with
Michael Landau
Michael Christopher Landau (born June 1, 1958) is an American musician, audio engineer, and record producer. He is a session musician and guitarist who has played on many albums since the early 1980s with Boz Scaggs, Minoru Niihara, Joni Mitch ...
. He is part of the collective that is
Chocolate Genius, Inc.
In 2006 during the show "Avant que l'ombre... à Bercy" ("Before the shadow... at Bercy"), Laboriel sang a duet "Les Mots" ("The words") with
Mylène Farmer
Mylène Jeanne Gautier (; born 12 September 1961), known professionally as Mylène Farmer (), is a Canadian-born French singer, songwriter, occasional actress, writer, and entrepreneur. Having sold more than 30 million records in France, she is ...
.
He also played with Sting at the
Montreux Jazz Festival
The Montreux Jazz Festival (formerly Festival de Jazz Montreux and Festival International de Jazz Montreux) is a music festival in Switzerland, held annually in early July in Montreux on the Lake Geneva shoreline. It is the second-largest annual ...
that year. Laboriel toured with Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood on their 14-date American Tour in 2009 following their Japanese tour the year before. He made his live debut with Paul McCartney at
The Concert for New York City
The Concert for New York City was a benefit concert, featuring many famous musicians, that took place on October 20, 2001 at Madison Square Garden in New York City in response to the September 11 attacks. Aside from performing for charity, the co ...
in 2001, and has played on every McCartney tour since then.
In addition to drums, Laboriel also sings and plays bass, guitar and keyboards. When touring with McCartney, he will occasionally switch to one of these instruments to accommodate certain songs and on his 2013 solo album ''Naked'', he played every instrument.
In 2021, Laboriel played drums on
Jerry Cantrell's album ''
Brighten
''Brighten'' is the third solo album by Alice in Chains guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell. It was released on October 29, 2021, and it is Cantrell's first independent album. The first single, " Atone", was released on July 29, 2021. The second ...
''.
In 2022, he contributed drums and percussion to "Mrs. Mills" on the new solo album ''
Earthling
Earthling or Earthlings may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Earthling'' (film), a 2010 sci-fi film
* ''Earthlings'' (film), a 2005 animal rights documentary
* ''The Earthling'', a 1980 drama film
* "Earthling" (''Fringe''), a 2009 TV episode ...
'' from
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. The band's lineup consists of founding members Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar), and Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, guita ...
singer
Eddie Vedder
Eddie Jerome Vedder (born Edward Louis Severson III; December 23, 1964) is an American singer, musician, and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and one of four guitarists of the rock band Pearl Jam. He also appeared as a guest vocalist i ...
.
Style
About his playing he noted: "As much as I would love to say I have an original sound, I think the truth is I have an original filter. I'd listen so much and so hard to so many different people that what's original about me is not necessarily what I play but how I play it, how I interpret it hasn't already been done. It's more about the energy and the intensity, it's not about the specific fills, it's more about the intention."
Equipment
Laboriel endorses
Drum Workshop
Drum Workshop, Inc. (also known as DW Drums or DW) is an American drum kit and hardware manufacturing company based in Oxnard, California. Current products by DW include drum sets, snare drums, and hardware.
History
Drum Workshop was founded ...
drums,
Paiste cymbals
Paiste (English pronunciation: , ) is a Swiss musical instrument manufacturing company. It is the world's third largest manufacturer of cymbals, gongs, and metal percussion. is an Estonian word that means "shine".
Apart from cymbals and go ...
, Remo drumheads and
Vic Firth drumsticks.
DW Collector's series drums:
*26x14" or 28x20" kick drum
*14x10" or 15x12" rack tom
*16x14" or 18x16" floor tom
*18x16" or 20x16" floor tom
*14x7" or 14x8" snare drum
Paiste cymbals:
*15" 2002 Sound Edge Hi Hats
*20" 2002 Crash
*22" 2002 Crash
*24" 2002 Ride
*24" Giant Beat Crash
*24" 2002 Crash
Laboriel has his own signature Vic Firth drumstick which is similar to a regular 2B wood tip drumstick but in 17" length.
Discography
References
External links
*
Abe Laboriel Jr.at
Squarespace
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laboriel Jr., Abe
1971 births
Living people
20th-century American drummers
20th-century American male musicians
21st-century American drummers
21st-century American male musicians
American male drummers
American musicians of Mexican descent
American rock drummers
American session musicians
Berklee College of Music alumni
Hispanic and Latino American musicians
Musicians from Los Angeles
Paul McCartney Band members