Jeff Porcaro is a vital part of drumming history, shaping how drummers play today. 🙏🏼 You can play along these songs inside Drumeo - Click on the link to get started: https://www.drumeo.com/trial.

The internet seemingly universally loves this man. That's rare

I’m not sure if I’ve shared this before, but I was watching this video tonight and thought I’d share it again.
My Jeff Porcaro story is…1977, I wandered into LA Music, my first couple of days in town, getting ready to go to UCLA as a music major, a totally classically trained baritone horn player by trade, and getting ready to sink myself into music school.
So I happen to wonder into LA Music, and I’m talking to one of the coolest dudes I’ve ever met, and that dude was Jeff, and when I say Jeff, you absolutely know who I am talking about. So I’m telling Jeff my story, my musical journey, and in the middle of the conversation he truly gets excited and introduces me to  Bernard Purdy who just happen to be in LA Music buying drum sticks. So Jeff in the most polite way says, “Hey, I’ve got a session in 30, you should follow me over and hang, I think you’ll dig it”. So of course I follow Jeff, and it’s a Boz Scaggs session, Down 2 and Left, Ray Parker, Luke, and Jeff.
So, after the session Jeff opens up his organizer and asked me if I like Peter Frampton. I said yes, and he hands me two all access passes to see Frampton, Skynyrd, The Outlaws and Santana at A Day on the Green, Oakland Coliseum July 2nd, 1977. So I went, and I hung with all the bands, and I met Ronnie Van Zant, and we had a seriously deep conversations. And at the end of the conversation I told Ronnie that I was gonna move back home to Tucson, Arizona and put a band together, that’s what I wanted to do with my life.
And as they say…the rest is history.
I’m 65 now, and I’ve had the most amazing musical life that could possibly be, and I have zero regrets. It’s gone exactly how it should have gone, and I’m richer for it. Thank you Jeff, and Ronnie, and Henry Paul.

Stoked how this one turned out! Thanks for watching!❤

I was  with the Toto Touring crew in the early 80s , I will never forget Jeff, the craft,skill, power and as a drummer he would  always stop and talk and show his trade .A true gentleman and pure musician 🎶🎵🥁🥁

Toto is iconic and the Porcaro family is a treasure to us all.

It was back in the late 80s (1988). I joined the army (in Finland)…a depressing time ahead. My  band had recently broke  up,and it seemed like I was going nowhere . Then the album “the seventh one “ came out. And as soon as I heard his drumming on Home of the Brave, I decided to continue playing, no matter how bad I felt inside. He was and still is, a special inspiration , an uplift every time I get the same feeling and mental breakdown that I had back in those days.
R.I.P Jeff.

I STILL find songs I grew up listening to (I'm 54) that when I look at the credits, there's Jeff Porcaro. That dude played on damn near everything. I think the one thing that set him apart (other than that cats inhuman playing ability) is how generous he was with his time. There's a very old VHS interview on YT of him doing a clinic at the Musicians Institute. In this clinic he states how he would help other upcoming musicians and not charge them a cent for his playing. This guy is one of the most recorded and in demand session drummers of our time. And he gave of his time and talents. Jeff is the role model our world needs!!! RIP Jeff... you're influence is still felt and heard today as it was when you were in the studio.

Gaucho. The definition of drumming taste.

Jeff's work on 99 made me realize how crucial it is to FEEL THE GROOVE. Those hihat lifts are PERFECT too.

One thing that you missed  from Jeff’s drumming is his time placement. He played  the bass and snare beat all differently section by section and song by song. if extreme is slow down “Rosanna,” you can hear he plays “behind the beat” both on bass and snare in the verse section, he make it lighter in the chorus sectoon by putting the snare drum then he plays still behind the beat, but little close to “on the beat” on purpose in the chorus section. If you slow down “Pamela,” you can hear he puts his best drum “ahead of the beat “ and his sanre “behind the beat,” further to each side, so it makes a deeper groove in the verse section and males the same groove lighter by putting base and the snare drum close to the beat. He even could do it when he was a teenager. He was nust born with his natural talent.  He even could tell when his dad Joe was rushing in studio gigs as a little boy. What a legend he was.

This was the best all-encompassing video on Jeff's life and career I've ever seen!  You did a phenomenal job providing great insight into his life!  
I'd like to share a story I have of Jeff. I met him at an autograph session when they toured for Toto IV.  I told him how much I admired their session work as well as being an avid fan and he was so gracious and humble in his response.  To show my dedication to the band, I actually brought my "Turn Back" album for them to sign!  Luke said to the guys... "Hey we did sell one of them!"
But the best part was they were drinking beers from the signing table and my brother and I were the last in line to get their autographs.  It was a hot day and I said to Jeff "that beer looked good" and he replie, "You want one?" and gave me a beer!!!  (That would never happen in the PC world today.)  This is what makes him special.  We all know the incredible talent and God given gift he had as a drummer, but you also hear all the time how he gave back and helped others... and I got to experience that for myself!  RIP, Jeff.  Gone but never forgotten!

8:14 the opening drum fill to motorbreath

Jeff is the definition of “Genius” I still remember the day he died. The Greatest of all time!

His 16th’s, ghostnotes and sense of time and groove (shuffle, swing etc.). One of my idols. ❤

One of my favorite drummers. Even when I mostly listened to Metal and hard rock only, I always listened to ToTo and Jeff's drumming. Gone way to early

We are thankful for Jeff's time on the planet and for all the great beats he played.
He was a time master, with a very engaging smile, and articulate , besides everything else.

This is beautiful. I'm not even a drummer. He was indeed a real legend and a master of his instrument. His legacy on Toto and pop music will live forever. Almighty Groove Master, Jeff Porcaro! Greatly missed.

Videos like this - which introduce me to someone I never realized was such a force in shaping my young life through their music.- are hands-down my favorite. Legendary musicians like this don't get near enough credit or attention imo.

Legendary. As an adult  I was blown away to find that Jeff was the feel behind so many of the songs I loved as a kid in the 70s and 80s. Simply one the greatest drummers of all time. And an outstanding human being from all that I’ve read and heard. Sad he left this earth so young. Thank you for this fantastic video @DrumeoOfficial