Abraham Laboriel – Dear Friends (1993)

Dear Friends was one of my first CDs (maybe even the first one). I had just started to play bass and had to make a decision: Either buy this album or the one by Gerald Veasley next to it on the shelf. I haven't bought anything by Gerald Veasley yet (I probably should!). But this album has influenced me a lot: Abraham Laboriel has his own sound that makes you think you're hearing his fingers. That has shaped my concept of an ideal bass sound a lot. His own albums can be hard to get, but he can be discovered on albums by Joe Cocker, Michael Jackson, Lee Ritenour and many others.

I recommend the live album Abe Laboriel & Friends – Live in Switzerland (iTunes-Link) that was recorded a few years ago in - well, Switzerland. His work with Ron Kenoly also was quite influential for me.

You can find out more about Abraham Laboriel on the web page of his current project Open Hands. Overall, Laboriel is probably the bassist that influenced me most – both with his playing and his songwriting The following video is a must-see. It shows what probably is Laboriel's most well-known solo and demonstrates his very expressive style of dancing. (The Bass-Blogger recently posted another video by Koinonia.)

Marcus Miller – The Sun Don't Lie (iTunes)

I probably don't have to explain about Marcus Miller much: He managed to make a name for himself both as an artist with his own songs as well as session musician and producer. As a bassist, he also has a sound of his own that can be recognized instantly. And he writes songs that non-bassists can listen to as well :-).

So maybe I'll mention a few less well-known facts about him: On his first two albums Suddenly and Marcus Miller (that I have as well) he not just plays bass, he also sings. He doesn't do that later on (probably for a reason…). When he was 21, he started playing with Miles Davis' band and continued to produce three albums with him, including the critically acclaimed Amandla (iTunes). His collaboration with David Sanborn was very productive as well. If you hear a Sanborn song that sounds funky, it's probably produced by Miller. Check out The Best of David Sanborn (iTunes), for example. And who played bass for the well-known song Just The Two Of Us? Right: Marcus Miller. The song can be found on Winelight (iTunes) by Grover Washington, Jr. – which I also thoroughly recommend despite the – ahem – “interesting” cover.

I like The Sun Don't Lie not just for the bass playing, but also for the songwriting. A short while later, I also got his next album, Tales (iTunes), which I of course recommend as well.

Tomorrow: An album by the inventor of Neo-Soul (born in Berlin), and one by a bassist who likes to play on detuned basses.