Abraham Laboriel López (born July 17, 1947, in Mexico City, Mexico) is a Mexican-American bassist and founding member of the Christian jazz-fusion band Koinonia.
He is widely regarded as one of the greatest session musicians in recorded music history, having played on over 4,000 recordings across jazz, pop, rock, gospel, and contemporary Christian music.
Guitar Player magazine has called him “the most widely used session bassist of our time.” He is the father of Abe Laboriel Jr., the drummer and backing vocalist who has toured with Paul McCartney since 2001, and of producer-composer Mateo Laboriel. A man of deep Christian faith, Laboriel’s music has always been inseparable from his spirituality.
Abraham Laboriel at a Glance
| Personal | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Abraham Laboriel López |
| Born | July 17, 1947, Mexico City, Mexico |
| Age | 78 (as of 2026) |
| Nationality | Mexican-American |
| Ethnicity | Garifuna (parents immigrated from Honduras) |
| Religion | Christian |
| Children | Abe Laboriel Jr. (drummer); Mateo Laboriel (composer/producer) |
| Brother | Johnny Laboriel (1942–2013), Mexican rock & roll singer |
| Sister | Ella Laboriel, Mexican singer and actress |
| Education | |
| School | Berklee College of Music, Boston (Bachelor of Music, Composition, 1972) |
| Honorary Degree | Honorary Doctorate of Music, Berklee College of Music (2005) |
| Career | |
| Instrument | Bass guitar (originally classical guitar) |
| Recordings | 4,000+ recordings and soundtracks |
| Bands | Koinonia (co-founder); Friendship (co-founder); Open Hands |
| Bass Player ranking | No. 42 — “100 Greatest Bass Players of All Time” |
| Years active | 1957–present |
| Net Worth | Estimated $3–5 million |
Early Life: Mexico City to Berklee
Abraham Laboriel was born in Mexico City on July 17, 1947, into an artistic family with roots that stretch back to the Garifuna coast of Honduras. His parents were Garifuna immigrants — a people of mixed African and Caribbean Indigenous heritage — who built their lives in Mexico.
His father, Juan José Laboriel, began as a cab driver before becoming a significant figure in Mexican entertainment, eventually participating in over 200 films.His older brother Johnny Laboriel became a beloved Mexican rock and roll singer. His sister Ella Laboriel became a singer and actress.
The family was devoutly Catholic, and music was everywhere. Abraham started learning classical guitar at age six under his father’s guidance. By age 10, he had already made his first recording, with a rock and roll group called Los Traviesos. He spent his teenage years performing as both a musician and an actor in Mexico.
In the late 1960s, Abraham moved to Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music. He enrolled as a guitarist, but everything changed when he discovered the bass.
His aptitude for the instrument was immediate and undeniable. He switched his primary instrument and graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Composition in 1972. During his Berklee years, he recorded with the acclaimed vibraphonist Gary Burton.
Moving to Los Angeles: The Session Career Begins
After Berklee, Laboriel traveled extensively with artists including Johnny Mathis, Michel Legrand, and Henry Mancini. It was Mancini who encouraged him to relocate to Los Angeles and build a recording career there. Laboriel arrived in LA in 1976 and began one of the most extraordinary runs in session music history.
The list of artists he has recorded with reads like a directory of 20th-century music: Al Jarreau, George Benson, Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Paul Simon, Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, Dolly Parton, Madonna, Herbie Hancock, and Andraé Crouch — among hundreds of others.
He has played on pop classics, film soundtracks, jazz standards, and contemporary Christian recordings, often multiple in the same week.
Abraham Laboriel and Michael Jackson
Among the most notable mainstream sessions in Abraham Laboriel’s career was his work on recordings tied to Michael Jackson‘s world.
He played on tracks connected to Jackson’s collaborators and the broader orbit of Quincy Jones-produced projects. His bass was part of the sonic landscape that defined American pop at its commercial peak in the 1980s, including the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack that won a Grammy for Album of the Year and sold over 40 million copies.
Abraham Laboriel’s Faith and Christian Music Ministry
Abraham Laboriel has always been clear about what drives him. He has said that music comes from a spiritual realm — that the moment a musician starts playing, they connect to a force meant to bless people and point them toward something higher. This is not background theology for him. It shapes every session he walks into.
His Christian faith found a natural home in contemporary Christian music. He worked with producers and worship leaders including Don Moen, Ron Kenoly, Andraé Crouch, Keith Green, and many others.
For those building a serious Christian music career, Laboriel’s session work across the sacred and secular demonstrates that musical excellence is itself a form of ministry.[IMAGE: Abraham Laboriel performing with Koinonia Christian jazz band]
Koinonia: The Band That Combined Jazz and Worship
In the early 1980s, Laboriel co-founded Koinonia, a Christian jazz-fusion band that became one of the most respected ensembles in contemporary Christian music. The band recorded four albums and brought together some of the finest session musicians in Los Angeles.
The word koinonia — the Greek New Testament term for deep fellowship and community, reflected the band’s spiritual ethos.
Koinonia was not simply a Christian band that played jazz. It was a ministry, a group of elite musicians who believed that the highest expression of their craft was in service of something eternal. That conviction has marked everything Laboriel has done in the decades since.
Solo Albums
Laboriel has recorded three solo albums: Dear Friends, Guidum, and Justo & Abraham (with saxophonist Justo Almario). Each album drew from his extraordinary network, musicians like Alex Acuña, Al Jarreau, Jim Keltner, Phillip Bailey, and Ron Kenoly all appeared. His son Abe Laboriel Jr. played drums on these recordings, making them a genuine family affair.
Abraham Laboriel Jr.: The Famous Son
Abraham Laboriel Jr. (born March 23, 1971, in Boston) is one of the world’s most recognizable touring drummers. He has served as Paul McCartney’s drummer and backing vocalist since 2001, playing on McCartney’s world tours and recordings for over two decades. Abe Jr. grew up playing drums from age four, raised in a household where extraordinary musicianship was simply daily life.
It’s a natural point of confusion in search results: when people search “Abraham Laboriel,” they may be looking for either the father or the son. This article is specifically about Abraham Laboriel Sr., the bassist. For Abe Jr., the drummer, his most notable association is with Paul McCartney.
Honors and Recognition
- Ranked No. 42 on Bass Player magazine’s “100 Greatest Bass Players of All Time”
- Named “the most widely used session bassist of our time” by Guitar Player magazine
- Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music (2005)
- Over 4,000 recordings spanning six decades of active session work
Open Hands: Still Playing
Abraham Laboriel continues to perform actively. He is currently a member of the band Open Hands, alongside longtime musical partners Justo Almario (saxophone), Greg Mathieson (keyboards), and Bill Maxwell (drums). The group continues to perform live and record. In November 2024, Laboriel met backstage with Paul McCartney during McCartney’s concert in Mexico City — a meeting that connected two of the most storied figures in contemporary music, and connected directly through Abe Jr.’s relationship with McCartney.
Discography (Selected)
| Album | Type |
|---|---|
| Dear Friends | Solo album |
| Guidum | Solo album |
| Justo & Abraham | Collaborative album (with Justo Almario) |
| Koinonia (four albums) | Band recordings |
Career Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1947 | Born July 17 in Mexico City, Mexico |
| 1957 | First recording at age 10 with Los Traviesos |
| 1972 | Graduates from Berklee College of Music (Bachelor of Music) |
| 1976 | Moves to Los Angeles; begins session career |
| c. 1981 | Co-founds Koinonia with other LA session musicians |
| 1980s–90s | Peak of session career — thousands of recordings across all genres |
| 2005 | Receives Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music |
| 2026 | Active with Open Hands; continues session and live work at age 78 |
Interesting Facts About Abraham Laboriel
- He made his first recording at age 10 with a rock and roll group in Mexico City.
- He originally trained as a classical guitarist before switching to bass at Berklee.
- His parents were Garifuna immigrants from Honduras — a heritage almost never mentioned in mainstream coverage.
- His brother Johnny Laboriel (1942–2013) was a celebrated Mexican rock and roll singer.
- He has played on over 4,000 recordings — a number most working musicians cannot imagine.
- He is ranked No. 42 on Bass Player magazine’s all-time greatest bassists list.
- Henry Mancini personally encouraged him to relocate to Los Angeles and pursue a session career.
- His son Abe Laboriel Jr. has been Paul McCartney’s touring drummer since 2001.
- He received an Honorary Doctorate from Berklee in 2005 — the same school where he switched from guitar to bass.
Net Worth
Abraham Laboriel’s net worth is estimated between $3 million and $5 million, built through decades of session fees, touring, album royalties, and teaching. No verified public figure exists. Session musicians of his stature typically earn substantial income through recording fees, but these are rarely disclosed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Abraham Laboriel
What is Abraham Laboriel’s nationality?
Abraham Laboriel is Mexican-American. He was born in Mexico City, Mexico, to Garifuna parents who emigrated from Honduras. He later moved to the United States to study at Berklee and built his career in Los Angeles.
Is Abraham Laboriel still alive?
Yes. As of 2026, Abraham Laboriel is alive and active. He is 78 years old and continues to perform with his band Open Hands.
Where is Abraham Laboriel now?
Abraham Laboriel is based in the Los Angeles, California area, where he has lived and worked since the mid-1970s. He continues to perform live and record with Open Hands.
Who is Abraham Laboriel Jr.?
Abraham Laboriel Jr. (born March 23, 1971) is Abraham Laboriel’s son. He is a drummer and backing vocalist best known as Paul McCartney’s touring drummer since 2001. He is a different person from his father — the father is a bassist, the son is a drummer.
What is Abraham Laboriel’s religion?
Abraham Laboriel is a Christian. His faith is central to his identity and his music. He co-founded the Christian jazz-fusion band Koinonia and has recorded extensively with Christian artists. He has spoken of music as coming from a spiritual realm designed to bless people.
Did Abraham Laboriel play with Michael Jackson?
Yes. Abraham Laboriel was one of Los Angeles’s most in-demand session bassists during Michael Jackson’s commercial peak in the 1980s. He played on recordings within the broader orbit of Quincy Jones-produced projects that defined that era, as well as on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.
What is Abraham Laboriel’s net worth?
His net worth is estimated at $3–5 million. This is based on decades of session work, touring, and solo recordings. No official figure has been published.
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