Joe Porcaro (1930-2020)
The benefit of my years as a manufacturers representative was the ability to see and hear great musicians at the NAMM winter show in Los Angeles. I could also sample different instruments, sticks and cymbals.
Always looking for the perfect cymbal sound, I discovered the drumsticks made by Joe Porcaro. I used Joe’s sticks for many years. I became friends with Joe and his wife Eileen.
The first time I met and spoke to Joe was on the show floor during a PAS event. I was walking the show when he approached, casually walking around. I introduced myself to him, said, I’d been using his sticks. He was very friendly.
I had recently recorded my CD, Zulu Time. I gave him a copy. He looked at the tunes and said, Oh! You’re a Bebop player! I didn’t really think much about that at the time. I guess I was. Considering the tunes were composed by Monk, Miles Davis, Mingus and others.
From that first meeting, I became friends with Joe and ordered his sticks over the telephone. He was great to hand pick and ship them to me at a reduced price.
I saw Joe and his wife Eileen, another year, another PAS show. Somehow, he had heard about my involvement with the AFM, American Federation of Musicians. Maybe, I’ll speak about that another time.
Joe was a great player and educator. He’s the father of Toto drummer, Jeff Porcaro. With drummer-educator Ralph Humphrey, they founded the Los Angeles Music Academy.
As a friend of percussionist Emil Richards, they performed on thousands of film scores and recordings.
Joe recorded film music by composers: James Newton Howard, John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner and Danny Elfman. If it’s a major film with drums and percussion, it was Joe and Emil.
Joe and Emil performed jazz gigs around Los Angeles. I heard their group at NAMM. Joe was also a left-handed drummer. He was a Paiste endorser and made his own sticks, called Diamond Tip. His cymbal stick sound was very clean and articulate. That’s what I loved about his sticks. I still have a few special Diamond Tips, I use for special occasions. (Brilliant Design)