Abe Laboriel Jnr Autographed Print
A drum rudiment turned into typography. This limited-edition screen print brings together drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. and graphic artist Anthony Burrill, transforming the sticking pattern of a flam-a-diddle into a bold piece of graphic art.
The flam-a-diddle combines a flam with alternating strokes, and here that movement is expressed entirely through words. LEFT and RIGHT repeat across the page in heavy black type, changing position and alignment as the pattern progresses. The rudiment itself provides the structure of the artwork.
It's a particularly fitting contribution from Abe Laboriel Jr., a drummer whose career has moved easily between studio work and some of the world's biggest stages. His recording and performance credits include artists such as Sting, Eric Clapton and B.B. King, but he's perhaps best known as the drummer and backing vocalist in Paul McCartney's band.
Laboriel joined McCartney's touring lineup when it was formed in 2002, alongside Rusty Anderson, Brian Ray and Paul 'Wix' Wickens. More than two decades later, that core band has become the longest-running lineup of McCartney's career, accompanying him at everything from clubs and arenas to Glastonbury, Red Square and stadium shows around the world.
The artwork is unmistakably Anthony Burrill, using language rather than imagery to make something immediate and graphic. Burrill's bold typography gives the repeated sticking instructions a character of their own, while the changing arrangement of LEFT and RIGHT creates a sense of movement down the print. The result works both as a reference to the mechanics of drumming and as a piece of typography in its own right.
Created for Teenage Cancer Trust's ONE TWO THREE FOUR project, curated by drummer and educator Mike Dolbear, the series invites celebrated drummers and percussionists to turn the patterns and phrases behind their playing into original artworks.
Printed by Harvey Lloyd in East Sussex on 240gsm Shiro Echo stock, the finished piece measures an impressive 50 × 70cm. Only 100 prints have been produced, each individually hand signed by both Abe Laboriel Jr. and Anthony Burrill.
Product details
- Limited edition of 100
- Hand signed by Abe Laboriel Jr. and Anthony Burrill
- Flam-a-Diddle
- Created by Anthony Burrill in collaboration with Abe Laboriel Jr.
- Part of the Teenage Cancer Trust ONE TWO THREE FOUR series
- Curated by Mike Dolbear
- Screen printed on 240gsm Shiro Echo stock
- Measures 50 × 70cm
- Printed by Harvey Lloyd in East Sussex, UK
- Unframed
Every purchase supports Teenage Cancer Trust, helping provide specialist care and support to young people with cancer.
Please note
As each print is individually hand signed, the position and size of the signatures may vary slightly from the product image.
International customers are responsible for any import fees or duties payable on delivery.