THE USUAL SUSPECTS

NICO ABONDOLO

CHUCK BERGHOFER

Chuck playing the "Barney Miller" theme with video

BRIAN BROMBERG

WEBSITE: www.brianbromberg.net

DAVE CARPENTER

Dave Carpenter has appeared on hundreds of recordings since coming to Los Angeles. And, he has dozens of television and film themes to his recording credit, as well as soundtracks and countless jingles. Primarily a jazz musician, he left hometown Dayton, Ohio in 1983 to move to New York City where he first toured and recorded with the bands of Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson and Woody Herman. He has worked with major artists of all styles of music, however. The most recent of these touring and recording projects were with Mike Stern, Boz Scaggs, Allan Holdsworth, Randy Travis and Poe.

NATHAN EAST

WEBSITE: www.nathaneast.com

Born one of the seven children of Thomas and Gwendolyn East on December 8, 1955, in Philadelphia, PA, Nathan East and his family moved to San Diego, CA, when he was four years old to accommodate his father's aerodynamic engineering job. As a child, East would peck out familiar melodies on the family piano. He began playing the cello in the junior high school orchestra when he was in the seventh grade. When East was 14, he switched to bass guitar, inspired by his older brother David's mastery of the instrument. He began playing for local church groups and folk masses with his brothers.

East played along with the recordings of jazz bassists Ron Carter, Ray Brown, Charles Mingus, Buster Williams, Scott LaFaro, Motown's James Jamerson, James Brwn, Sly Stone with Larry Graham, Cream, and horn bands like Chicago, Tower of Power, and Blood, Sweat & Tears as they came over the radio or out of his record player. The young bassist began playing in his high school's jazz ensemble, marching band, choir, chorus, and pep band, as well as Top 40 bands. He also listened to Wes Montgomery, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Canonball Adderley, George Benson, Bob James, Harvey Mson, Lee Ritenour, Jimi Hendrix, Santana, session bassist Chuck Rainey, Earth, Wind & Fire's Verdine White, and Rocco Prestia.

East's breakthrough came while he was a member of a band named Power. They were hired as the road band for a Stax revue. The recognition brought the attention of Barry White, who hired the band for a national tour. Still a teenager, East became a member of the Love Unlimited Orchestra ("Love's Theme") playing Madison Square Garden, the Apollo Theater, and other major venues. East earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music from University of California at San Diego. He was starting to work on a master's degree when instructor Bertram Turetzky suggested that he already had enough education and that it was time for him to go to Los Angeles to try and start a lucrative music career.

While getting involved with the San Diego club and studio scene, Barry White contacted him to play on some of his recording projects. In early 1980, veteran writer/arranger Gene Page, whom East had worked with on White's sessions, called the bassist to play on a recording session for a commercial jingle. Impressed with East's ability to read music as well as his diverse playing skills, Page used East on numerous projects (Dionne Warwick, Johnny Mathis).

As East's reputation grew on the L.A. session scene, so did his job calls. From that point on, East worked consistently. He did sessions for Lionel Richie ("Endless Love," Kenny Rogers' "Lady") and Kenny Loggins ("Vox Humana," "Footloose"). He toured with Loggins (appearing with the singer on a late-'90s Live By Request installment on the A&E network) and with keyboardist Greg Phillinganes and drummer Steve Ferrone as part of Eric Clapton's late-'80s band.

Nathan in studio

ARNI EGILSSON

WEBSITE: www.arnaeus-music.com

Highly regarded as a session musician for Hollywood studios, Egilsson has played on thousands of Motion Picture, TV Episodes and Records. Throughout his career Egilsson has worked with most of the leading film composers, and has premiered Soloworks for Double Bass.

JIMMY JOHNSON

Jimmy "Flim" Johnson is a bass player who can be heard with a very wide range of artists, including Allan Holdsworth and James Taylor as well as his own work with Flim & the BB's. He made bass history when, in 1976, he worked with Alembic to create the first 5 string bass with low B string.

Jimmy laying it down on "Tell Me A Bedtime Story" with the Masanori Sasaji L.A. All-Star Big Band 

http://www.lastudiomusicians.net/Tell Me A Bedtime Story.mp3

ABE LABORIEL

Larry Carlton once said,"There are alot of great bass players in this world, but there is one, and only one Abraham Laboriel." This tribute best describes the unique artistry of the Mexico City born virtuoso of the Bass Guitar. To witness Abe play one immediately understands that music is essentially about passion and he is truly one of the most gifted interpreters. Originally a classically trained guitarist, Abraham infused his flamenco style on the bass guitar when he made the transition to four strings at the Berklee School of Music. Since the day that the late Henry Mancini encouraged him to come to Los Angeles, Abe has played on over 3000(!) recordings and soundtracks, prompting Guitar Player to succinctly peg him as "...the most widely used session bassist of our time." You have undoubtedly heard the diversity of his contributions to recordings by music's creme de la creme including:

Stevie Wonder, Robbie Robertson, Joe Zawinul, George Benson, Barbara Streisand, Al Jarreau, Dave & Don Gruisin, Elton John, Joe Sample, Dori Caymmi, Quincy Jones, Justo Almario and Michael Jackson to name a few. He was also a founding member of the internationally acclaimed fusion groups Friendship and Koinonia.

Abraham's solo albums,"Dear Friends", "Guidum" and "Justo & Abraham" are stunning collections of contemporary urban and jazz originals that gather super talents from all over the music industry such as: Steve Gadd, Alex Acuna, Al Jarreau, Jim Keltner, Ernie Watts, Greg Mathieson, Paul Jackson Jr., and Phillip Bailey.

Abe in studio with Freddie Hubbard

BRUCE LETT

Bruce Lett has been part of the Applied Music Faculty at CSULB since fall 1999, teaching String and Electric Bass. He attended the University of Evansville, Indiana and North Texas State University. He has toured with Gerry Mulligan (California, 1987), Alphonse Mouzon (US & Europe, 1989-91), Nancy Wilson (1993-95), and Ernie Watts (1995-96). In 1989 he performed with Bill Holman as part of the Monterey Jazz Festival and with Terry Gibbs at the Playboy Jazz Festival the same year. He played the Cancun Jazz Festival with Tony Guerrero and Bette Midler¡s premiere of For the Boys in 1991.

Bruce has been involved in commercials, television soundtracks and industrial films. He is an active studio musician recording for television series such as Moonlighting and Beverly Hills 90210. He has recorded theme and bumper music for Fox, After Breakfast, source music for the movie, Dear God and for the TV mini series Titanic. Commercial credits include, Ivory Soap, Quasar, Coca Cola, Sports Illustrated, Jack in the Box, Pepsi, Aloha Airlines, and more. His television sound tracks and Industrial films include American Airlines, Miller Beer, Navy Archives, US Marine Corps, California Radio Network, the PBS children¡s show, Wasted, and others.

LEE SKLAR

Lee Sklar has been a prominent figure among Hollywood session bassists dating back to the 1970s and ever since. Sklar (born Leland Bruce Sklar, May 28, 1947, Milwaukee, WI) has more than 2000 albums to his credit (and still counting), and is considered to be one of the "A" players in the highly selective L.A. rock music community where the competition for recording dates is fierce, and where only the strongest will survive. His very recognizable bass playing style has been heard on hits by Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Hall & Oates, Jackson Browne, Phil Collins, Clint Black, Reba McEntire, and George Strait, to name just a few. And never one to remain idle, Sklar has entered the new millennium with a vengeance, taking on new projects with Willie Nelson, Steven Curtis Chapman, Nils Lofgren, Lisa Loeb, and many more....

Over the years Sklar has worked with nearly all of the top session players in Hollywood, but on the backs of album covers his name seems to pop up more frequently alongside drummer Russ Kunkel, guitarist Dan Kortchmar, and keyboardist Craig Doerge. This quartet would come to be known as the Section and they would record three of their own albums between 1972 and 1977 with the participation of additional select sidepersonnel. Occasionally the Section would give a subtly announced live performance, much to the delight of their esoteric followers who would seek them out and feast on their mastery.

Lee with David Foster and Jay Graydon

RICK SHAW

NEIL STUBENHAUS

Neil Stubenhaus has been a first call session bass player in L.A. for the past 25 years. He has played on hundreds of records, feature films, television shows and commercials. He has recorded with many fine artists, including Patti Austin, Anita Baker, Regina Belle, George Benson, Michael Bolton, David Benoit, Larry Carlton, Cher, Jude Cole, Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, Al Jarreau, Elton John, Lala Hathaway, Quincy Jones, Glenn Frey, Rod Stewart, Kenny G, Bonnie Raitt, Barbra Streisand, Bill Labounty or Take 6. Neil has also appeared on hundreds of soundtrack albums and has toured with artists like John Fogerty, Larry Carlton, Tom Scott or Barbra Streisand. Neil won M.V.P. Award from NARAS L.A. Chapter in 1987 and has been nominated for same award every year since 1980. Neil has also been presented with "Outstanding Achievement Award" from Berklee College of Music Played on over 70 songs and albums.

Check out Neil's groove on "Baby You Got What It Takes" with Diane Schuur and Bobby Womack

http://www.lastudiomusicians.net/BabySchuur.mp3