While still a teenager he began playing with sonny and cher, and during the next two decades he played behind acts ranging from barbra streisand to warren zevon. He began playing seriously at age seven though he is sure i was playing even earlier than that. To those who knew him, the pain of his loss is excruciating. Jeff porcaros drumming and drum career, not unlike steve gadds career, speak for themselves. Jeff porcaros work in the studio was prodigious and wideranging. Steely dan replaced hodder with jeff porcaro and added keyboardistbackup vocalist michael mcdonald prior to recording their third album, pretzel logic.
Jeff porcaro biography, albums, streaming links allmusic. By robyn flans modern drummer on august 5,1992, incredibly, we lost drummer jeffrey porcaro to a heart attack. Mike porcaro, who at 59 years of age, passed away in 2015 as result of amyotrophic. Totos 1982 hit was probably jeff porcaros finest five minutes and 30. Jeff and i groove at hester session by marty walsh. Jeff porcaro s work in the studio was prodigious and wideranging. From his first recorded appearance on jack daugherty and the class of nineteen hundred and seventy one to his tragic death in 1992 he played on hundreds of recordings of an amazing variety. Thanks to mary oxborrow and noriko koshikawa, jacques descombes, axel reimann. Jeff was one of the most vibrant, vital people on the face of the earth.
The entries that are not in bold type include albums on which jeff s specific contribution is not known to me, albums with incomplete information, and a few that may not even belong here at all. You might not know the name, but if youre a fan of rock and pop from the 70s and 80s, youve heard his drumming. Im driving in my car, thinking about what im going to write about jeff porcaro. American jazz drummer, percussionist and educator born april 29, 1930 in hartford, connecticut. Whether listening to jeff porcaro on vinyl or watching him in the studio or on a live gig, a multitude of adjectives come to mind. Jeff porcaro and david hungate provide a solid and relatively straightforward back beat. Music profile for steve porcaro, born 2 september 1957. In addition to being the drummer in the grammy winning, platinumselling rock band toto, jeff porcaro was arguably the most highly regarded studio drummer in. The liner story is worth the price of the cd alone. Steve porcaro keyboards, synthesizers 19771988 joseph williams vocals 19861988 jeff porcaro drums, percussion 19771992. Currently we can match this brandnew union with a unity cross ceremony presently alan along with tonya will most definitely most definitely most definitely. He had his own regaltip jeff porcaro signature drumsticks, which are still made by the company as of 2018.
Oct 21, 20 toto was preparing for its first major u. Jeff porcaro discography on toto official website 3 porcaro is thought of today as one of the most innovative drummers of his generation, and an example to other musicians who seek to absorb and blend a wide array of musical styles. I had this video on vhs and it lasts about an hour. Jeff was not only a respected studio musician within the recording industry, but was a founding member of the 1980s rock band toto, which continues to write, record and tour. He used other brands of drums until joining pearl in 1982, notably ludwigmusser, gretsch, camco, and yamaha drums. During his twenties, porcaro played on hundreds of albums, including several for steely dan. In october of 2009, totos founding members were inducted into the musicians hall of fame. He is known for his work on dune 1984, the color purple 1985 and pink floyd.
A tribute since 1977, the worlds most widely read drum magazine. Complete discography with pictures, lyrics and samples. Biography in addition to being a founding member of toto, jeff porcaro was one of the best booked session drummers of the us from the 1970s to the 1990s. He had his own regaltip jeff porcaro signature drumsticks, which are still made by the company as of 2020. Incredibly, its been 21 years since steve lukather and co. This is the best information that i have at this time. Jeff porcaro read more about this and other grammys news at. Jeff porcaro biography birthday, trivia american rock. Join facebook to connect with jeff porcaro and others you may know. See more ideas about jeff porcaro, rock bands and cool bands. The volume of the radio is nearly off while my mind is preoccupied, but suddenly im prompted to turn the music up. Jeff porcaro was born on april 1, 1954 in hartford, connecticut, usa as jeffrey thomas porcaro. Mike porcaro, the longtime bass player for grammywinning rock band toto, died early sunday morning at 59 following a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis lou gehrigs disease.
Thanks to thanks to mary oxborrow and noriko koshikawa, marten larsson, daniel stenvall, jeanphillipe rejou, jay okubo, henry potts, christian pfau, robert sall, jerome gaydon. He used other brands of drums until joining pearl in 1982, notably ludwig, gretsch, camco, and yamaha drums. This month in rhythm we celebrate the life and work of jeff porcaro. What ive heard, almost subliminally, is a groove that feels so good.
Steve lukather, jeff porcaro, mike porcaro studio jam. Another sad loss within the porcaro family was jeff s younger brother and miles uncle. Ten great tracks featuring jeff porcaro musicradar. Kingdom of desire was released after jeff porcaros untimely death of a heart attack on august 5, 1992. Jeff porcaro was one of the top studio drummers in pop music during the 1970s and 1980s. The band endured some major personnel shakeups over the years, and in 1992, founding drummer jeff porcaro died unexpectedly, but toto continued working, even as the individual members kept their lucrative session careers going. But he really separated his studio and family life. Toto founding member jeff porcaro was one of if not the mostrecorded. Jeff porcaro was a much sought after studio session drummer and his generosity with pro artists as well as those who were just putting together a homemade demo is pretty amazing, considering how in demand he was. Steven maxwell porcaro born september 2, 1957 is an american keyboardist, singer and songwriter known as one of the founding members of the rock band toto and the last surviving porcaro brother after the deaths of jeff and mike in 1992 and 2015, respectively.
Jeff porcaro musician music database radio swiss jazz. Son of famed drummer of toto passes away spin that 45. In addition to being the drummer in the grammy winning, platinumselling rock band toto, jeff porcaro was arguably the most highly regarded studio drummer in rock from the mid70s to the early 90s. Jeff porcaro died on that day, but his grooves and music will live on forever.
Musical instrument sales and software downloads surge during coronavirus lockdown. I spoke to him the day he passed for a long time, actually, lukather says in this clip. Remembering toto drummer jeff porcaro best classic bands. Another sad loss within the porcaro family was jeffs younger brother and miles uncle. Discography 19722007 flac download verified torrents on. Steve porcaro quit in 1988, prior to the release of the seventh one. Top 5 jeff porcaro drum beats every drummer should know. Jeff porcaros funeral was attended by around 1500 people. Apr 25, 20 the commodores smoothies second single from his 1983 album was a toto collaboration, featuring a guitar solo by steve lukather, and some fantastic drumming from jeff porcaro, who lays down a tasty and typically80s popfunk groove throughout. Porcaro endorsed pearl drums, pedals, racks and hardware, paiste cymbals, remo drumheads and regaltip drumsticks. The list of acts he played for is almost too long to be reproduced and include names such as boz scaggs, paul anka, steely dan, george benson, cher, the manhattan transfer, jimmy messina, michael mcdonald, and al jarreau. Totos steve lukather furiously defends jeff porcaro. The entries that are not in bold type include albums on which jeffs specific contribution is not known to me, albums with incomplete information, and a few that may not even belong here at all. Released in the spring of 1974, pretzel logic returned steely dan to the top ten on the strength of the single rikki dont lose that number.
Jeff porcaro was born on april 1, 1954, in hartford, connecticut and first got interested in drumming due to the influence of his father. Toto bassist mike porcaro dead at 59 rolling stone. Top 5 jeff porcaro drum beats every drummer should know duration. Dec 05, 2015 top 5 jeff porcaro drum beats every drummer should know duration.
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