JEFF PORCARO

'Jeffrey Thomas Porcaro' (April 1, 1954 – August 5, 1992) was a highly regarded session drummer and a founding member of the Grammy Award winning band Toto. In his 38 years of life he played with hundreds of world-class artists and was featured on countless records. His legacy is carried on, as he continues to be one of the most inspiring and heard drummers in history.

Contents

Life

Career

Death

Trivia

External links

Life

Jeff was born on April 1, 1954, in Hartford, Connecticut, the eldest son of a famous Los Angeles session percussionist Joe Porcaro. His brothers Mike Porcaro and Steve Porcaro are both still active session musicians. He also has a younger sister, Joleen.
On October 22, 1983, Jeff married Susan Norris, a Los Angeles television newscaster. They had three sons, Christopher Joseph (born July 3, 1984), Miles Edwin Crawford (born June 12, 1986), and Nico Hendrix (born December 26, 1991).

Career

Jeff began playing seriously at the age of seven. Lessons came from papa Joe Porcaro, followed by further studies with Bob Zimmitti and Rich Lapore. From the start of his career, Jeff Porcaro was viewed as one of the music industry's top drummers. Porcaro possessed an impeccable sense of rhythm as well as a versatility that bridged virtually every style.
Jeff was no stranger to the L.A. music scene growing up, and when he was seventeen, he got his first professional job playing in Sonny and Cher's touring band. From there, he went on to play on several Steely Dan albums before starting Toto with childhood friends Steve Lukather and David Paich.
Jeff was considered to be one of the most innovative drummers of his generation, setting an example for other musicians who sought to absorb and blend a wide array of musical styles. Besides his work with Toto, he also performed with artists such as Bee Gees, Sonny and Cher, Paul McCartney, Steely Dan, Donald Fagen, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Bonnie Raitt, Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler, Pink Floyd, David Gilmour, Boz Scaggs, Roger Waters, Paul Anka, Eric Clapton, Joe Walsh,Lionel Richie, Earth, Wind & Fire, Burton Cummings and Bruce Springsteen, and also had connections to Van Halen.
Richard Marx dedicated the song "One Man" to him and said Jeff was the best drummer he had ever worked with.

Death

Jeff Porcaro suffered a fatal and completely unexpected heart attack on August 5, 1992 at the age of 38. He was using a pesticide in his yard and an allergic reaction to the substance triggered the attack. An autopsy revealed a serious heart condition that had been previously undiagnosed. A report issued by the office of the Los Angeles County Coroner a month later also mentioned that a minute trace of cocaine was found in his body, and this is disputed to this day (many close to him felt he had not used the drug in years, if at all). However, many on both sides of the argument state it was not a big factor in the death of Porcaro.
Jeff's funeral, attended by an estimated 1,500 people, was held August 10 in the Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery, where he was buried. The Jeff Porcaro Memorial Fund was established to benefit the music and art departments of Grant High School in Los Angeles where Jeff was a student in the early 1970s. It also provides four scholarships each year to Grant High School seniors. A memorial concert took place at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles on December 14, with an all-star line up that included Boz Scaggs, Donald Fagen, Don Henley, Michael McDonald, George Harrison, Eddie Van Halen, and, of course, Toto. The proceeds of the concert were used to establish an educational trust fund for Jeff's sons.
Jeff is survived by his wife, Susan, sons, Christopher, Miles, and Nico, parents Joe and Eileen, brothers Mike and Steve, and sister Joleen.

Trivia

★ Although Jeff was proficient in many styles, he is perhaps most remembered for the shuffle pattern in the Toto song "Rosanna". This pattern involved "ghost notes" played by lightly bouncing the stick on the snare between backbeats. This was not an original technique (made famous originally by Bernard Purdie and John Bonham), but Jeff's mastery of it brought it to the forefront.

External links

★ A dedication to Jeff Porcaro

★ Official Toto website (Flash intro) - includes a section dedicated to Jeffrey: memories of Jeff, discography, drum patterns, equipment

★ Jeff Porcaro Session Tracks - A Continuing Project: an attempt to list every released track that Jeff was involved with

★ Find A Grave - see photos, leave "virtual flowers" for Jeff. Includes burial information: map, plot location, cemetery contact

★ Povlab.org, Jeff Porcaro - fan site.

★ http://www.carlocavallini.it/files/jeffporcaro.jpg