Larry Aberman

Larry Aberman is a drummer whose career has taken him from the stage of Avery Fisher Hall as a percussion soloist with the NY Philharmonic to the studios of Memphis to record the Grammy winning CD “Family Style” with Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan.

As an eleven-year-old student of Armand Santarelli in Philadelphia, PA, Larry decided immediately a career in music was what he aspired to. Upon moving to New York City at 15 he enrolled in The High School of Music and Art and began a life long study with jazz and percussion educator Justin DiCioccio.

It was off to The Eastman School of Music for college where he studied percussion with John Beck. At Eastman, Larry recorded the Grammy Nominated CD “Carnival” with Wynton Marsalis and the Eastman Wind Ensemble. In addition to his orchestral studies, Larry was the drummer in the Eastman Jazz Ensemble, with whom he won best jazz soloist awards from Downbeat Magazine.

When he got back to NY he was prepared for “whatever.” Be it performing with the Mark Morris Dance Company, recording CD’s with David Mann and Jeff Beal, playing Broadway shows or touring with rock artists Pierce Turner and Grayson Hugh, Larry got to work.

Next up were associations with producers Nile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards and Russ Titelman which led to album work with The Vaughan Brothers, Ric Ocasek, David Lee Roth, Lionel Richie, Adam Ant, Grayson Hugh as well as performances with Nile, Howard Hewitt, Miki Howard, Dianne Reeves, Nick Lowe and John Hiatt.

After a tour with the classic rock group Foreigner Larry realized he’d been “dialing the 213 area code far too much and decided to check out LA.” A year later he moved.

In LA Larry enjoyed the weather as well as his diverse career. In addition to composing and recording music for jingles, movie soundtracks and television, he recorded with Ben Harper, Daniel Lanios, Aaron Neville, Paul Williams, Wil Jennings, Joe Sample, Wild Orchid, Jennifer Paige, Danielle Brisebois, New Radicals, John Taylor (Duran Duran), Micheal Sembello, Kelly Willis and Bob Clearmountain. Some recent live performances include Hiram Bullock, Ivan Neville, Simon Lebon and John Taylor of Duran Duran and in the studios with Marcus Miller, Dean Parks, Lenny Castro and others.

Throughout 2000 to 2003 Larry toured extensively with legendary pianist Joe Sample and recorded Joe’s critically acclaimed solo effort “The Pecan Tree.” He also toured with singer/songwriter Jonatha Brooke and recorded her standout album “Steady Pull.”

Since 2003 Larry has been in Las Vegas performing with Cirque du Soleil in the hit show Zumanity at the New York New York Hotel and Casino. He is an adjunct professor of applied drum set at UNLV as well as a sub percussionist for the Las Vegas Philharmonic. He continues to compose and record drums remotely via the web for numerous album, TV and film projects.

Larry cites Sterling Campbell, Charley Drayton, Brian Blade, Elvin Jones, Stewart Copeland, Steve Jordan, Amir ?Love Thompson and Al Foster among his main drumming influences.