Jeff Porcaro (1954-1992)
Jeff Porcaro is another drummer I saw and heard at NAMM. It was a unique moment to see him play. If you’ve been to a NAMM show, many endorsing artist appear in different manufacturers booth.
I don’t remember what booth Jeff was playing in. It was one of those small glass-plastic 4-sided, soundproof booths. The artist experience at NAMM can be overwhelming. (Casually - Seeing so many well-known legendary musician – artist)
I was walking around the NAMM floor when I came upon Jeff’s group. The band was playing the jazz standard Green Dolphin Street. I stood watching as the tune came to the bridge, in anticipation…Jeff looked at me…smiled…as he swung the bridge. He knew the tune and the form.
Jeff Porcaro’s recording discography is lengthy. He played on hundreds of albums. At the age of seventeen he was playing in Sonny and Cher’s touring band. He recorded and toured with Boz Scaggs, before co-founding Toto with his brother Steve.
One of Jeff Porcaro’s famous drum patterns was played on the Grammy Award winning Toto song, Rosanna. It’s a combination half-time shuffle groove created by Bernard Purdie and John Bonham.
Years later, after his death, I met his father and mother. Joe and Eileen. Joe Porcaro (1930-2020) was one of the great Los Angeles studio drummers and percussionist. He also founded the Los Angeles College of Music with Ralph Humphrey.