Jeff Porcaro--The Groove Master

Welcome to Jeff Porcaro: Groove Master!

2006-12-14T22:52:00.000-08:00

My first intention was to get the word out! I started this blog years ago in effort to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Jeff’s passing. I was at Jeff’s funeral and that evening went to a Dave Weckl drum clinic. Dave dedicated a shuffle to Jeff…it was moving. I put the following together for the Modern Drummer issue- - August 2002. Much of what was published for that issue by Robyn Flans is similar. I go into much more detail here for those interested.

Reading this Blog
Read the Blog top down as a book or see--Contents (right side of Blog) for particular sections. I update this site frequently. Don't forget to hit F-11 on your keyboard to get a full screen!

Turn off audio track...scroll below to pause video.

Check back often for a "Jeff Hang" If you are interested in the year-by-year chronology of Jeff's sessions I put together, private email me.

Jeff Porcaro "Holiday"

Mari Hamada Session

JUST ADDED: New audio of a rare Jeff track recorded 1978

JUST ADDED: Papa Joe on Jeff's early years: SEGMENT 5: On Jeff Porcaro's Early Drumming Experiences

Recent Interviews About Jeff or Including Jeff:
Bernard Purdie
Steve Lukather
Greg Phillinganes
David Hungate
David Garfield
David Paich: A Tribute to Jeff, Part 1
David Paich: A Tribute to Jeff, Part 2
Greg Mathieson

Pocketplayer:
joeventuraa@gmail.com

The Man:Part 1--The Early Years

2006-12-14T22:24:00.000-08:00

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"Those two nights for me are what I could say started my whole career."--Jeff Porcaro

Jeff’s grandfather was a drummer in an Italian symphonic, those bands that would march in the street playing snare drum. His father Joe was, and still is a percussionist and jazz drummer who didn’t take formal lessons until he was about sixteen years old. Living in Connecticut, Joe wanted to be connected to the music scene and his good friend Emil Richards had moved to Los Angeles and had come back to Connecticut telling him about L.A. To Joe, it just seemed like L.A. was the place to be, especially with the demand for studio work and he moved to California in 1968.

If you’ve ever seen the TV serials Six Million Dollar Man, Bionic Woman, Wonder Woman, Baretta, Hawaii Five-O, and Medical Center...well in the 70’s that was Jeff’s dad, Joe, playing percussion. Guess who else Jeff’s dad Joe worked with? Marty Paich! That’s right, TOTO’s David Paich’s father. Catch an old re-run of the Streets Of San Francisco and notice at the end credits who the music was arranged by. The Paich-Porcaro connection was all over the place! Talk about musical roots and making deep connections. That’s what is so great about TOTO- this group of guys are as strong as they come. No wonder their music is so tight.

As a kid, Jeff began playing seriously at age seven, though he is sure "I was playing even earlier than that. Only my father would actually know when I got started" Jeff explains. He eventually had formal lessons with his dad and a few others. Jeff said, "My dad was doing the Hartford Symphony and all of us...actually, all the Porcaro boys started out on drums. My other two brothers, Mike and Steve, were taking lessons from him at the same time. We would go down with him on the weekends to the drum shop in Connecticut and he would find some free time from his regular students and give us lessons. My brother Mike was much better on the drums than I was, who switched to bass and Steve took up piano prior to our move to California."

An average Sunday would find the Porcaro kids Jeff, Steve, and Mike gathered in the family room, drum sticks in hand, reverberating in cadence. "As far back as I can remember," says Jeff, "I wanted to be a musician. The players I listened to as a kid were studio players, and in my opinion some of the best all-around musicians happening. I remember hearing my uncle Emil Richards playing micro-tonal music with the Harry Partch Orchestra. I'm very thankful for that environment and for the experience of hearing so many talented players.”

Jeff remembers early on using his father's drums, and when he was thirteen he got into a rock band. Walking home from school one day a friend came running down the street and told him he got a new drum set. Some kid had won a Slingerland champagne sparkle set in a poker game and he sold it to Jeff’s father with cases and cymbals for something like $250.

Sticking with the drums with his dad teaching him from age eight to eleven, and aside from a couple of private instructors and those in school, Jeff taught himself, either by playing with records or playing with bands. "I used to practice in junior high and every day, after school, I'd go into the den, put on headphones and play to 'Boogaloo Down Broadway.' The drums were cool on that and I used to dig that feel. I used to play with all the Beatle records, all the Hendrix records and that's where I think I got a lot of the versatility as far as being able to play authentically one kind of music as opposed to the complete opposite. It's copying what every other drummer did on records” says Jeff.

As for influences, "It was Jimi Hendrix," says Jeff, "who was then, and continues to be, my greatest influence -both musically and spiritually. It's difficult to put into words the magic and majesty I feel in his playing. He remains a vital force, as influential on his instrument as was John Coltrane on sax. It's funny, people have yet to really equal either man." With a sense of sadness in his voice Jeff says, "I'm sure if he had lived I would have had the opportunity to play drums with him. We'll never know what kinds of things he could have done had he lived."

Jeff recorded his first album right around the time of his seventeenth birthday. As a youngster Jeff would accompany his father on gigs, listening to and watching many of Hollywood's top studio and session musicians. His first record date grew out of a rehearsal band headed by Jack Daugherty. Jeff reflects: "When it came time to record I thought Jack was going to go out and hire a professional player like Hal Blaine or Jim Gordon. It surprised me when he called and told me to be at the studio the next day.

"Soon after came a job with Sonny and Cher, then Seals and Crofts, then Steely Dan. Jeff's next gig came when players from the Daugherty band were hired for a summer replacement show starring Sonny and Cher. Few thought the show would last out the summer. Jeff would continue with the show for four years, during which time his career would continue to accelerate. Eventually his strong desire for live group playing forced him to leave.

Jeff states, “Imagine some 18-year-old kid in 1972 who listens to Jimi Hendrix and then gets a gig with Sonny & Cher. I kind of approached it like a circus more than a serious gig." Jeff might have actually gone off to art school had he not gone to Leon Russell's house one night, where David Hungate happened to be. About eight months later, Hungate, who was playing with Sonny & Cher, suggested they audition the 17-year-old Porcaro, and in May, 1972, right before his high school graduation, Jeff left school to go on the road with them. "When you're 18 and you're away from home, as I was on the road with Sonny & Cher, you're sitting there going, 'Well, what am I going to do with my life? Is it always going to be a party like this or what?' I dug art, but the reality of getting into art is real ugly. So it was the kind of thing where I said, like with Sonny & Cher, if I played my cards right, it was a steady gig, plus they did a TV show which I did for their last two seasons. So I figured if I stayed legitimate here, at least I'd know there's some security if I kept my head together and did the gig right. And I could put some money away if I played Mr. Straight for a while."

Jeff comments on this early period, “When I left high school I didn't actually graduate, but I did get a diploma. I got this gig with Sony and Cher and I left a week or two before finals. I never took the finals, but they gave me a diploma anyway. I had to tell them how much I'd be making, and why I wanted to leave and what it meant as far as my future was concerned. They were quite pleased. They let me go without any quarrel.” Though he left school early in return for a drumming career, he doesn't necessarily suggest that high school age drummers in search of musical fame and fortune follow the same path.

"In general, I wouldn't recommend that an individual drop out of school at say his junior year for an opportunity like mine. I don't think my parents would have allowed me to leave if I was any younger. If it was totally up to me I probably would have, because I was a shlock in school. Yet, if I hadn't tripped off into the hills to Leon Russell's house one night, I would never have met Dave Hungate for him to say to Sonny Bono, 'Why don't you call this kid up to audition?' Now, also, if I hadn't played at Dantes one night I, Fagen and Becker [Steely Dan] would never have seen me play when they happened to walk into that club that night to get a drink. Those two nights, for me, are what I could say started my whole career.” And indeed, it was the end of 1973, when, while still with Sonny & Cher and doing an occasional stint with Seals & Crofts, Porcaro was playing at Dantes, a small L.A. club. He had just turned 19 and was earning $1,500 a week. But he quit Sonny & Cher without a moment's hesitation when Steely Dan offered him only $400.”

The Kid', as his cohorts dubbed him, was definitely on his way. Jeff reflects on that early period of his career: "There's a chain reaction that happens. I started to get calls to do record dates, and played on some things that became hits. Pretty soon I was getting more calls than I could handle. I felt that I had to live up to people's expectations, musically. There's a commercial style, a disco-apocalypse that's very easy to play, requiring no thought whatsoever. Yet as far as my own evaluation of my playing, I felt that there were many talented drummers that could provide a more authentic feeling...I mean if someone wants a shuffle drummer I can name ten cats who can play with authenticity and feeling in that groove. The late Al Jackson was beautiful (Stax session drummer who played with Booker T. and the MGs), but I'm not Jackson.”

After the first tour with Steely Dan and recording the Katy Lied album, doors continued to open for Porcaro, who, along with a cast of characters, were considered to be quite revolutionary. "Paich, Hungate, myself and a few other guys like David Foster and Jay Winding, all started getting into the studio thing at the same time. At that time -I'm talking about '72, '73 and '74 -there was a real echelon of older guys like your Gordons, Keltners and even Hal Blaine. The other pressure was always being the youngest guys being studio players in this town, doing sessions. We were real radical. I mean, I know myself, we hated contractors. I just remember a time observing studio sessions when nobody said anything. You didn't speak your mind; it was 'yes sir' and 'no sir' and you just did your stuff. We weren't brought up to be studio musicians. We were guys who played in power trios; rock 'n' rollers who happened to read and play Barbara Streisand dates too, so we were a bit radical and outrageous for the times.”

He goes on, “People didn't know how to take 19-year-old cats speaking musical sense. I was never meant to be a legitimate studio drummer and I get irked when people say "studio drummer.' Hey, I just walked in and played and had fun playing. But I always hated the politics and how you're supposed to perform and act as a studio person. I don't have a book and I don't go the phone and call my answering service and say, 'What's next?'"

Jeff continues, “From my personal experience, going on the road at eighteen did a lot more for me than becoming a school musical genius. They're schooled, and they're slick, but there's no soulful feeling from those guys. The school bit doesn't mean anything to me. It's good to look at, and you say, 'Oh yeah, beautiful, I like that, beautiful touch, you've got stick control'...but those guys would fall apart if they had to play with Chuck Raney, or someone like that. If they played anything, they would fall apart."
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Porcaro Lessons: Manipulating Beat Placement (1-2)

2006-12-14T21:41:00.000-08:00

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Porcaro Lessons
Manipulating Beat Placement:
Part I
Perhaps the most important aspect of Jeff Porcaro's drumming was his patience. Jeff let songs and grooves evolve, knowing that a groove doesn't just happen; it is created through repetition and sincerity. Jeff was confident enough to be repetitious, and he never played an insincere note.

I could go on at length about the idea of playing sincerely. Like so many of Jeff’s abilities, they seem to stem inwardly. What he had isn’t what most music school spend much time teaching or what drummers sit around discussing.

To this day, I still struggle with incorporating the idea of ‘less is more’ into my playing. Jeff’s drumming philosophy seemed to be based on this.

So how did Jeff manipulate the beat placement?
Let’s look at a few TOTO cuts to see him at work:
On Toto's self-titled album (1978), which features the hits "Child's Anthem" and "Hold The Line", Jeff's hi-hat approach was evolving.

On "Georgy Porgy" and "I'll Supply The Love", his hi-hat is static, but he applies his trademark "silky" hi-hat on "You Are The Flower" and "Takin' It Back". Compare the in-the-pocket "Rockmaker" to the similar but edgier "I'll SupplyThe Love". Even this early (24 years old) it was apparent that Jeff was becoming a master at manipulating beat placement.

TOTO's Hydra finds Jeff's hi-hat work getting even smoother. Check out the title tune “Hydra” and "99" for Jeff's subtle hi-hat, and the often overlooked "Mama" for yet another variation of the great"Porcaro shuffle".

TOTO’s Turn Back has many highlights. "English Eyes" features some of Jeff's most aggressive drumming, but he doesn't let that affect the tune's laid-back time feel. It also contains one of the first examples of a Porcaro trademark. In the middle of this song, there is a break that he fills in a signature way: The tune has an 8th-note rock feel, but Jeff shifts gears and plays a half-time 16th-note groove as the fill. He did this much more (with other time feels) later in his career.

Manipulating Beat Placement:
Parts II
Jeff let songs and grooves evolve, knowing that a groove doesn't just happen; it is created through repetition and sincerity.

Jeff was confident enough to be repetitious, and he never played an insincere note. Listen to how he paces himself throughout "I Think I Could Stand You Forever" fromTOTO’s Turn Back. Jeff contributes to the song's momentum with his "larger than life" tom fills, but he doesn't complicate the groove. Instead, only his bass drum gets busier- but not until the end of the tune.TOTO IV is recognized as a classic, but it's much more than the legendary "Rosanna" and "Africa". Listen to how Jeff incorporates the parts of the song into his "Good For You" groove. This is more than just a beat; it is one of the greatest examples of orchestrating a drum part around the drumset ever recorded.

Compare "We Made It" to TOTO's earlier "I'll Supply The Love". The main groove is very similar, but notice how Jeff's pocket has developed over time. While closely listening to "We Made It" and "Waiting For Your Love" you'll hear that Jeff by then had mastered his silky hi-hat technique. And upon even closer examination, you'll find that there are many other grace notes (besides his hi-hats) within "Waiting For Your Love". The notes that aren't heard are the ones that can transform a drum beat into a groove. Notice how Jeff's perfectly orchestrated tom fills (yet another trademark) keep the ballad "I Won't Hold You Back" moving.

Jeff knew how to make an entrance. Be it on Boz Scaggs' "Lido Shuffle", TOTO's "Africa", "I Think I Could Stand You Forever", and "Could This Be Love", Michael Bolton's "When A Man Loves A Woman", or Robben Ford's "I Got Over It", Jeff's melodic fills were unpredictable yet precise, dramatic yet musical--and always instantly identifiable as Jeff Porcaro.

TOTO's Isolation was a different type of recording for TOTO and Jeff. The rhythmic lilt and the manipulation of the beat were absent. All of Jeff's drumming on this record was exactly in the middle of the beat. If you don't hear it at first, compare it toLarry Carlton's Friends , made just the previous year. However, "Lion" (from Isolation) proves that Jeff could make "dead center" groove more than anybody. Also note the big fills on "How Does It Feel", and the overdubbed hi-hat on "Endless".

On TOTO's Fahrenheit, Jeff really shines. "Can't Stand It Any Longer" is a perfect Porcaro cut: very aggressive, silky smooth hi-hat, and a deep pocket. The title track is made especially unusual by the second-line idea at the end of the song. "Without Your Love" is another difficult in-between tempo that Jeff holds perfectly. And "Somewhere Tonight" adds one more chapter to the "Porcaro Encyclopedia Of Shuffles", this time with a strong reggae influence.

From The Seventh One, "Mushanga" is a unique and creative groove. "These Chains" is yet another amazing shuffle, and "A Thousand Years" is yet one more difficult tempo made easy by Mr. Porcaro.

Porcaro Lessons: Manipulating the Time (1-4)

2006-12-14T21:05:00.000-08:00

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Porcaro Lessons
Manipulating the Time Feel:
Part I
Only five years after Jeff entered the recording business, he played on Boz Scaggs' memorable Silk Degrees. Even at that young age Jeff was able to manipulate the time feel in many ways.
1. On "What Can I Say" he lays back, playing well behind the beat.

2. On "Georgia" he's as "on top" as he could be without actually rushing. And in both cases the groove is amazingly comfortable.

3. On "Jumpstreet" Jeff splits the difference, placing the beat absolutely dead center.

4. His cut-time reggae groove on "Love Me Tomorrow" is almost as great as his "Lido Shuffle" beat, a classic groove that every drummer should learn.

By the time of Boz's 1977 recording Down Two, Then Left, Jeff's drumming had changed. Though still young, he had already made many recordings, and, like any great musician, he was constantly evolving and improving. Many people refer to Jeff's "silky" hi-hat work.

Isolate Jeff's hi-hat parts on "A Clue" and "Gimme The Goods", focusing not on the pattern he plays, but on how he varies the part of the stick with which he strikes the cymbals. This technique varies the hi-hat's texture, making it sound more like a maraca, and fills the music with forward motion. Compare this to the more static hi-hat sounds on Silk Degrees, made just the previous year. This is only the beginning of Jeff's unique hi-hat style.

Manipulating the Time Feel:
Part II
Speaking of Jeff's unique hi-hat style on Boz Scaggs’ 1977 recording Down Two, Then Left, notice the absence of it entirely on the shuffle "1993".

In 1980, Jeff recorded Boz Scaggs' Middle Man. On "Angel You" and "JoJo", notice how he places the beat exactly and consistently dead- center, and how on the latter he makes the very difficult hits seem effortless.

On, "You Got Some Imagination" shows Jeff playing more aggressively. Pay special attention to how his busy bass drum locks in perfectly with the bassist.

On, "You Can Have Me Anytime" is one of those "not slow but not fast" in-between tempos. Jeff attacks this difficult gray area, and even gets creative with it. And what can you say about the rockin' "Middle Man" except that it's [perhaps] perfect.

These three great Boz Scaggs tunes provide an ideal study of the evolution of Jeff's style. Jeff also played on Boz's Other Roads, recorded in 1988.

Manipulating the Time Feel:
Part III
A couple notable early recordings Jeff did can be heard from Larry Carlton and Les Dudek . With Carlton Jeff made three recordings:Larry Carlton (check the outstanding Point It Up), Sleepwalk, and Friends. The latter, highly recommended, is a record-long showcase of quintessential Porcaro: wide beat, deep-in-the-pocket drumming.

The three early Les Dudek releases sound similar to Carlton's, but possess more of an edge, like early Little Feat. (You can hear some very distinct Richie Hayward influences both in Jeff's sound and style.) Say No More and Ghost Town Parade are good, but Dudek's self-titled recording is excellent. Jeff shifts beats and sounds very funky on "City Magic", the Zappa-ish "Don't Stop Now" lets him display some early Bernard Purdie influences, and he gets down and swampy with "Take The Time".

Les Dudek's album, Deeper Shades Of Blue, is also outstanding. This recording presents Jeff's many blues shuffle variations and could serve as an encyclopedia of this drumming style.

Manipulating the Time Feel:
Part IV
Steely Dan's entire Katy Lied is a Porcaro masterpiece...and he was only 21 when he recorded that LP in 1975. His uptempo shuffle on "Black Friday" is notable, and the swinging "Your Gold Teeth II" stands out as a drastic departure from the rest of his career. The slower shuffle of "Chain Lightning" is further proof that Jeff owned this style of groove. You can also hear him moving the time feel around from playing on top in "Rose Darling", to slightly behind on "Daddy Don't Live In New York City", to dead center on "Everyone's Gone To The Movies". Sure, Jeff could have played "more" drums on this recording, but that's not what the music called for, and whenever Jeff played, the music came first.

In 1982 Donald Fagen called Jeff to do some of the drumming on his solo debut, The Nightfly, on which Jeff plays yet another shuffle variation on "Ruby Baby". Compare his shuffle approach to Steve Jordan's feel on "Walk Between The Raindrops" on this same album. Also compare Jeff's dead-center time feel on The Nightfly to his earlier, ultra-laid-back groove onSteely Dan's "Gaucho" from the album of the same name. But regardless of his varied treatment of the time feel, Jeff always had full command of the time.

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In & Out of the Studio (1991)

2006-12-14T20:20:00.000-08:00

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DRUM! November/December 1991 Interview by Greg Rule

Kingdom Of Desire Session
It's 2:00 pm, in North Hollywood, California. As the summer sun turns streets into asphalt skillets, residents flock in droves toward the nearest beach, pool, or air-conditioned sanctuary. For those en route to the Power Plant rehearsal complex, however, they're about to discover that the real heat isn't taking place outdoors, but deep within the carpeted walls of Studio #2 where a new, stripped-down incarnation of Toto has taken up temporary residence.

Comprised of Jeff Porcaro on drums, brother Mike on bass, David Paich on keys, and Steve Lukather on guitar/lead vocals, the band is conducting full- blown concert rehearsals and testing new material for their upcoming record. At the far corner of the dimly lit room, just past an on looking Eddie Van Halen and Stuart Hamm, sits Jeff Porcaro, peering at the tribe from behind his glistening set of blue Pearls. Four clicks of his Regal tips ring out, and, like a hammer on the forehead, the band launches into a ferocious instrumental romp. With a cigarette hanging loosely in his mouth, bandanna wrapped around his head, and a menacing Rod Serling lip-grimace on his face, Jeff proceeds to burn like a five-alarm fire. Two hours and ten songs later--capped by a grueling, triple-stroke bass drum workout on the Sly Stone tune, "Higher"--he emerges from behind the pummeled tubs, holding his hip, limping, and laughing. "Man, I'm getting too old for this!" High fives are exchanged and slowly the room clears.

For Jeff, the next stop is Chuck E. Cheese's pizza parlor for his son's five-year birthday party. "See you tomorrow," and off he goes. The next day is, if anything, more intense. With the deadline of an upcoming Ventura Theater warm-up show (I saw this show!) looming nearer, the boys are buckling down.

While Jeff finalizes the art design for the concert tee-shirts, Paich grills the backup vocalists. Lukather, on the other hand, fiendishly recites lewd prose from a tattered paperback (which elicits a chorus of belly-laughter and jeers). Minutes later though, it's back to the grindstone. The band cruises through their monster hits "Hold The Line," "Rosanna," and Africa" before Jeff and percussionist Chris Trujillo rip into a dizzying, syncopated duet. Next come the new tunes, the dark and moody "Kingdom Of Desire" and "On The Run," an up-tempo shuffle.

As the day wears on, the band- members grow increasingly confident with the arrangements and performances. In less than a week the gear will be packed up, loaded onto the trucks, and the tour will officially begin. And so goes the brilliant and ever-blossoming career of L.A.'s top-gun drummer. His chops have never been tastier, as those fortunate enough to catch the '91 tour will attest. For others, however, they can check out Jeff's latest by picking up new discs from Toto, Bruce Springsteen, Dire Straits, Richard Marx, and 10CC--not to mention the hundreds of other cuts he's graced.

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DRUM! caught up with Jeff amid the rehearsal madness and compiled the following report. DRUM!: What changes, if any, has your drumming gone through over the past couple of years?Jeff: I just keep getting worse. [laughs]

DRUM!: Seriously, at one point you said that you were focusing on developing your left foot.
Jeff: And I still don't have it together, man. It's so hard to find the time. First of all, I'm 37 years old now. I have two kids, another on the way, and I enjoy being a father and a husband. I mean, I could shine all this on and be a farmer--and enjoy life that way. But, don't get me wrong, I do like playing the drums. It's just that I don't get much time to woodshed. Any free time I have away from the family is wrapped up in doing sessions or working with Toto. So I'm finding myself trying to sneak into sessions early so I can have an hour by myself to work on new things, new ideas. But, basically, I'm still trying to refine my time. That's all I think about, still, is time and groove. And I'm still trying to get it right. Really! It's a hard thing.

DRUM!: Listening to some of your earliest tracks, and following through to the present, there's never appeared to be a period when your time wasn't happening.
Jeff: You know, I think I was real fortunate to have been exposed to time at a very early age--especially with my Dad [Joe Porcaro] playing all the time. When I was young and listening to music, I REALLY listened to music. I mean, I wasn't listening to music for the party of it, but for the groove. I was heavy into bebop. It was that cymbal beat "ding ding da-ding, ding da-ding." When that was grooving, when guys like Elvin Jones were walking, that, to me, was time. And so, I find it frustrating because people say, "Yeah man, your time is good." And I go, "Look, I appreciate it." But my ears, over time, have gotten so in tune to listening to time and groove that I get real critical of myself. I can honestly say that, out of all the sessions I've done, there's probably only one where I was satisfied with the way it felt.

DRUM!: Which record are you talking about?
Jeff: The Steely Dan tune "FM," which was just an overdub to a click track. That tune, for whatever reason, just felt the best to me. But I've never been happy, man. It's just so hard for me to listen to stuff I've played on. It just frustrates me.

DRUM!: You've said that you don't consider yourself to be a real drum enthusiast. No drums around the house or anything?
Jeff: Yeah, it's true. A lot of students ask my Dad about me, how often I practice, how I play things and so forth. And, I've got to be honest, my Dad calls me a "street drummer." He taught me when I was about nine years old for two years on and off and that was it. I mean, I never even made it through that first Buddy Rich rudiment book, or whatever. My technique is the worst. People might look at me and say, "You've got good technique," and yeah, okay, if you get to play ten hours a day, six days a week, for the past 20 years like I have then, yeah, you develop some sort of technique. But it's nothing really.

DRUM!: Nonetheless, you've developed some hand and foot things that are definitely worth talking about. For instance, your ability to play double and triple strokes on the bass drum pedal. How did you get it happening?
Jeff: I tried to copy a beat that I heard a guy do on a record and the only way to do it was to figure out how he was getting a double beat on the bass drum. And I couldn't make it happen by doing two separate beats on the pedal. You can't do that. So the way I made it work was by sliding my foot up the pedal. And it maybe took two years to get it where that action felt natural. [The following fill requires clean double strokes on the bass drum. You can hear Jeff unleash a blazing version on "Animal" from the Toto, Past To Present album.]

DRUM!: How did you get your one-handed, sixteenth note hi-hat technique together?
Jeff: It's something that I learned by watching and listening to other drummers. If you play an R&B thing with sixteenth notes and you switch over to a two-handed thing after a certain tempo, then to me, it becomes a completely different feel. I was used to listening to James Gadson and Ed Green, Marvin Gaye records, all those Motown records. Those grooves sounded like silk, and all those guys did it one-handed. So when I was young and started doing sessions, if someone asked for a sixteenth note groove, then that's the they way I did it. But I used to go nuts because keeping those sixteenth's going without fatigue isn't an easy thing to do. It's just a thing where the more you do it, the better you get at it. Same with shuffles, same with everything. See, I've never played one original thing, ever! And if I did play an orignal thing, I would tell you. But what I like to do when I copy something is to experiment with different accents. Like, when I play a regular dotted-eighth shuffle, for instance, I try to find all the different ways to make it lope.

DRUM!: On the subject of shuffles and lopes, your name seems to have become synonymous with a certain half-time shuffle groove.
Jeff: Sometimes that hurts my feelings, and I'm very serious about this. I've heard it now for too many years where people will say, "Yeah that 'Rosanna' groove, that's the Jeff Porcaro feel." "Rosanna"

DRUM!: But "Rosanna" is just one of many notable grooves you've played. Take "Mushanga" [The Seventh One] for instance.
Jeff: Well, Steve Gadd had made a trip to PIT to give a clinic, and my father happened to be there. Then, later, my father showed me this fast samba that Steve played for the class. It had to do with an inverted paradiddle. "Mushanga" is basically the sticking from that same thing. Then I added some stuff to it. The tom pattern came from listening to Floyd Sneed of Three Dog Night on the tune "King Solomon's Mines." There were all of these toms going on and that's what I wanted to hear. So that was in my head when I was working on "Mushanga." I'm still waiting for that original idea. "Mushanga"

DRUM!: You've said that when you were cutting "Africa" you made a tape loop. Have you experimented with loops since then? "Africa"
Jeff: Lots of times. I did a 10CC record in New York several months ago that had this really nice hypnotic thing and I said, "Let's make a loop." And they were like, "What, a loop?" And I said, "Yeah, like the old days." And the problem was that we couldn't find an analog machine that didn't have all these computer things on it. Most of these new analog machines now can't do tape loops unless you disconnect a bunch of electronics. So they said, "How do you do it?" And I said, "Let me go out there, play to a click, and I'm just going to play bass drum, cross stick, and hi-hat for 16 bars. Then I'll pick my best two bars. We'll rewind the tape and start it four bars before that section. I'll start overdubbing some percussion, some cowbell, shaker, a little tom part, a conga part and then loop it all." Then, on the downbeat of the loop, I played this big revolutionary-type rope drum. It was a huge, like 20" x 20" drum. And the room at Bearsville was just big enough for us to place the room mics just right so that we got a natural sixteenth note delay happening, without using digital effects. It was almost the way Bonham used to do it--that stone hallway he used to record in.

DRUM!: Let's talk about some of your other sessions for a moment. The direct-to-disk record James Newton Howard & Friends must have been an incredible challenge?
Jeff: Those are very high-pressure records because you can't screw up. Say, if you have five songs on one side and you mess up song five, then you have to start all over again. And there's no rest in between tunes. If the first tune is a burner in 7/8, then you've got the amount of time between songs on an album to A, change your music if you're reading, and B, just get yourself psyched up for the next tune which is a waltz with brushes. You know what it's like when you're playing real hard to make a quick switch to a slower tempo-- your hands are still shaking from the intensity from the track before. It's tough.

DRUM!: Approximately how many sessions do you think you've done?
Jeff: Last year a British publishing company put out an encyclopedia of music which had a listing of musicians and the records they'd played on. I had quite a few, but it was probably actually only half of what I'd played on. A lot of stuff never even gets released. Probably half the stuff that anybody does never sees the light of day, it's on some shelf somewhere.

DRUM!: Do you try and keep a copy of each record at home for posterity?
Jeff: No. I used to do that, but not any more. I'll be in the car and hear something on the radio and say "Oh, this is cool." And someone will say, "Yeah man, that's you on that track." You forget sometimes. A lot of people think that you spend six months in the studio with an artist. But no, most of the time it's not like that. You walk in one day, see a chart, play the tune, and then split. And lots of times you'll forget what the tune even was.

DRUM!: Have you ever done a session where your drum sounds were later replaced with bad samples or something of that nature?
Jeff: Yeah, not so much where they've raped it, but stuff where they later on triggered other samples or gated everything. I hate gates. You're not hearing the little ghost notes and all the little breathing. It's the in-between stuff, for me, that gives you the groove. You strip that stuff away and you've got nothing. You've got boom-chank-boom-chank. So, that doesn't happen too often, but when it does, I keep it in mind next time I get called to do a project with that person.

DRUM!: What advice would you give to a drummer getting ready for his or her first session?
Jeff: Basically, try not to think too much. Because your playing starts to sound like thinking. It's funny, I've seen some guys get really hung up thinking too much about the music. People should be more honest with themselves. People need to relax and have fun. When you get your first studio call, you'd better not play any of the crap you've been rehearsing or reading out of books. You'd better just play time. Period! Really good time. And make it tasty. And have dynamics, listen to the lyrics of the song, and be there as a timekeeper. If someone calls on you to pull a trick or two out of your hat, then cool. But basically, that producer, that engineer, that arranger, or that singer, they aren't drummers. They're not going, "Wow man, dig how cool that cat's playing." They're saying, "Dig how cool that groove is." They only know groove and time. They don't know that you have a nice wrist or you're doing nice things with your fingers and stuff like that. ! ! ! ! ! ! Two months later, the scene shifts to the posh recording studios of A&M in downtown Hollywood. With the band back from a hugely successful European tour, it's track-cutting time.

Let's Hear A Word from Dad, Joe Porcaro!
Like Father, Like Son
Modern Drummer Interview 1978

MD: Where are you origianlly from?
JOE: I was born in New Britain, Connecticut, which is about fifteen miles from Hartford.

MD: How did you first get interested in drumming?
JOE: My father was a drummer in an Italian symphonic band, those bands that used to march in the street. My father played the snare drum. I used to go along with him, and learned to read music from a friend who played the clarinet. I hadn't studied at all at that point because I was playing and marching with my father, learning by ear. I was just playing snare drum, and when I moved to Hartford I joined the CYO (Catholic Youth Organization). We wanted to get a jazz group going, but I hadn't yet played on a drum set. The first time I played on a set was when a friend of my father's left his set at the house. I set them up one day when my father went to work and started wailing away, but I broke the head. I hid it under the bed, (laughter). I was about 9 years old. Finally, we got the band started and one of the priests played piano. Emil Richards, a well-known percussionist here in L.A. was there and played the xylophone.

MD: What kind of drum equipment were you using back then?
JOE: My first set consisted of a bass drum from the bugle corps, a field drum mounted on the bass drum acting as a tom-tom, and another field drum for a snare. We also used the cymbals from the drum corps. That was my first set of drums. In fact, Louis Bellson played on that set. Our church was next to the State Theatre in Hartford where all the bands came through. There was a playground next to the theatre where all the neighborhood kids would hang out, and when the name bands came in, they would see us playing softball. All the bands had softball teams back in those days and they'd play us on Saturday or Sunday afternoons. The singer in the CYO band went back stage in the theatre one time, and got Louie to go to the rehearsal hall. He was very young, and had just joined the Tommy Dorsey band. That was a wild experience for me, watching Louie play on that funky old drum set.

MD: Speaking of Tommy Dorsey, I see your name here on his album cover.
JOE: The Dorsey band was the very first band I went on the road with. I was only with him a couple of months. From there I joined Bobby Hackett's quartet. I was also the house drummer in a jazz club in Hartford, so I got a chance to play with a lot of great people. This club would bring in people like Zoot Simms, Freddie Hubbard, and Donald Byrd.

MD: What about formal instruction?
JOE: I was self-taught until I turned sixteen. Then I realized my real ambition was to make it as a drummer, so I took a few lessons. I studied with a guy named Bob Shields, who was the drummer at the State Theatre. We worked strickly on reading, and playing the snare drum. Later, I met Al Lepak, and it was a whole new ball game with him. He had a system of working on rudiments that was very complete. He's the head of the percussion department at the University of Hartford, and turned out a lot of great players. He's responsible for me being here, along with Emil Richards, Bob Zimmitti, Rich Lapore, and a lot of others. Al made musicians out of us. I was with the Hartford Symphony, and played almost every opera that had ever been written. But, my major ambition was drum set. Eventually, that CYO thing developed into a sixteen- piece big band. We'd play all of the big band charts. When I was sixteen and seventeen, I'd rehearse with a lot of the big bands around town, and jam every Sunday afternoon. There were a couple of black clubs where we'd go to jam and sit in during the week. That's where I fist met Horace Silver.

MD: Of all your early musical experiences, where do you think you gained the most?
JOE: I really think I learned a lot as house drummer in that jazz club, working a whole summer with pianist Jaki Byard. He taught me an awful lot. He moved on to play with Maynard Ferguson and did some teaching at Berklee.

MD: What brought you out to Los Angeles?
JOE: I wanted to go further musically. I knew Emil Richards was living and working out here. He had come back to Connecticut and rapped to me about L.A. Of course, when you're a musician and you keep working at it, you try to become the best you can and you want to be where it's happening musically. The way Emil talked, it just seemed like L.A. was the place to be especially with the demand for studio work. We came here in 1968. The guy upstairs must have really been taking care of me, because when I got here I had no trouble getting work. The first year I was in L.A. I made more money than I'd made in five years back in Connecticut. But it stemmed back to the experience I'd had back there; playing jazz, symphonic, operas, summer music theaters, everything. I wouldn't have had the chance to develop that much in the big city with all the competition.

MD: Do your current experiences require you to read a lot of music?
JOE: Sure. Having played all sorts of repertoire as a member of the Hartford Symphony for severnteen years I feel confident reading. When I came here I was ready for just about anything. But let's face it, you never learn everything. I still come across things that are mind boggling. I remember Emil showing me some figures that Frank Zappa layed on them for a record session. Figures I had never seen before. And I thought I had seen it all. We learn every day.

MD: Do you still manage to find time for practice?
JOE: Oh sure. It's hard to do it every day because of the studio demands, but certainly when I have a day off. I have some hand warm-up exercises that I do, and I try to listen a lot. I try to get to the clubs where my kids are playing, as well as others. I think it's very important to keep up with what's happening.

MD: Any preferences in drum equipment?
JOE: No, I just use whatever equipment comes through the house here. I use Ludwig drums in the studios. Of the new equipment I've seen, fiberflass is great for live playing. It really projects. I even like the sound it produces in the studios. But, I prefer wood drums. It's a warmer sound. I don't really make too much out of drums. I hear of companies making 4-ply shells and 6-ply shells. Truthfully, it doesn't make that much difference to me. Oh, I suppose the trend toward multiple drum set-ups is OK for the contemporary rock stuff, but for jazz playing, I don't think it makes any difference.

MD: You use the matched grip?
JOE: Yeah. I started out with the traditional grip, but changed over because I play mallets a lot. Since I hold the sticks matched for mallets, I decided to go all one way. I try to influence my students that way, but I don't force them. I can teach either way.

MD: Have you gotten into the electronic thing at all?
JOE: No, not at all. Jeff has, but I haven't. I'm not really that interested, plus it's much too complicated for me. But I'll tell you, the more I see it, the more I'm beginning to understand it. Who knows, someday I may give it a try.

MD: How do you view the drummer's role in any musical setting, solo or ensemble?
JOE: I'm not really wild about solos, but if a drum solo is musical, it can be beautiful. People say a particular solo was "too technical", but I like to see the virtuosity of the player. At the same time, I like to hear solos that are musical. One of the best solos I ever heard was by Philly Jo Jones, who is one of my favorite drummers. He did a tune on his own album called Salt Peanuts, which I thought was a gem. Max Roach did a gorgeous solo on the same tune recorded live in Canada with Charlie Parker. I've also heard some beautiful solos by Buddy and Louie, too. In regards to ensemble playing, I like to feel I'm the backbone of the rhythm section but I don't want to be a drummer who just keeps time for everybody. It all depends on what the rest of the rhythm section is like. When everybody is playing time the same way, I like to get loose and stretch out a little bit.

MD: Are there any new young drummers you particularly enjoy listening to?
JOE: Harvey Mason, for what's going on today. And Steve Gadd is really way up there for me. I love what he does. John Guerin. And, my son Jeff. I really like to hear him live. He's very exciting to watch. He gets into a little show thing sometimes, but he's got a lot happening for him musically.

MD: Have you been doing any clinics?
JOE: I've done a few clinics, but I really don't like to do them. I try to get into basic things for the kids. So many guys are doing clinics nowadays. I try to show them the things they don't get from the others. Mostly basic stuff. We have an educational project that might be happening here in correlation with the Guitar Institute of Technology run by Howard Roberts and Pat Hicks. They've approached Emil Richards to come up with a staff for a west coast percussion school with the same type of format they have with students going to college. Emil and I are trying to make it happen, and if it does, it will be one of the best schools anywhere. We're going to go all out. It will be a complete percussion school where a drummer will be able to get the best education possible. It's essential that young students study with a teacher who will show him the basics. It's important to be in an environment where you have to play everything.

MD: What else are you involved in musically at the present?
JOE: Mostly TV serials. Six Million Dollar Man, Bionic Woman, Wonder Woman, Baretta. There's a Movie of the Week with the Fonz coming out that I'm playing on. I also did Hawaii Five-O, and Medical Center last year. I'm very happy with the work in the studios out here. I think I've reached the plateau. As far as I'm concerned, I'm doing everything I've ever wanted to do in music.

..

Kingdom of Desire Recording Session

2006-12-14T19:50:00.002-08:00

The Man with the Golden Groove!
DRUM! Magazine was on the scene, and it went something like this:

Day One, 10:00 A.M.
Matt Luneau and Paul Hurd of the Drum Doctor arrive at Studio A with Jeff's equipment. They wheel in several different drum sets, an array of Paiste cymbals (including a couple of unidentified prototypes) and an Anvil case full of snare drums. The kit is set up in the main room of the studio--a large, ambient room with wooden floors and a high ceiling.

By 10:15 A.M.
The drums are locked into place and the process of changing heads begins. Coated Remo Ambassadors are installed on the top sides of the snare and toms while a Remo PowerStroke 3 is the choice for the bass drum. Jeff's snare is cranked tightly while the toms are a bit looser--with the bottom heads tuned slightly lower than the top heads to produce a subtle pitch bend effect. A packing blanket is placed inside the bass drum and secured with a sandbag.

10:40 A.M.
After tuning the kit, Matt and Paul depart and the engineers from A&M begin placing microphones. The selection includes an AKG D12 and a Neumann 47FET on the bass drum, AKG 414's on the toms, a Shure SM57 on the top of the snare and a Sennheiser 441 on the bottom, a 452-10 condenser on the hi-hat, and six AKG C12's as overheads--two directly over the kit, two approximately six feet in front of the kit, and another two at approximately 12 feet in front.

11:00 A.M.
Jeff arrives, tells a hilarious Ike Turner session story, grabs a pair of sticks, and starts to warm up behind the kit. After 15 minutes, Ross Garfield "The Drum Doctor" arrives with a snare drum for Jeff to try out. It's a 5" x 14" Solid/Select maple shell, Tama die-cast hoops, a Sonor throw-off, and a 42-strand snare. Jeff loves it. According to Ross, "Jeff's got the tuning thing down, but he likes to have a second set of ears sometimes."

11:30 A.M.
Engineer Greg Ladanyi wheels a pair of bass cabinets into the studio and positions them on each side of Jeff's bass drum. His plan is to route the bass drum signal through the speakers and mike them for additional ambiance.

1:00 P.M.
The process of getting drum sounds begins. As Jeff hits each drum repeatedly, Ladanyi works the huge Neve console like a mad scientist. With no outboard effects (other than a bit of compression here and there) he quickly achieves a very lively and very powerful drum sound. When he starts bleeding the bass drum throught the cabinets, everyone in the control room seems amazed.

1:45 P.M.
As Jeff lets rip on the kit, Ladanyi rolls tape. Soon after, he invites Jeff into the control room to hear the playback. Jeff returns to the studio to tweak the 14" floor tom and change a crash cymbal. Once done, he's ready to track.

3:00 P.M.
David Paich, the last band member to arrive, enters the studio and takes a seat behind his heaping pile of MIDI gear. The band is set up in a circle, face-to-face, in the same room. Each musician has a remote mixing console which allows them to customize their own headphone/monitor mixes. With the guitar and bass amplifiers isolated in separate booths, they're ready to cut the basic tracks for "I'll Never Hurt You" together, without a click.

3:40 P.M.
After a console problem is fixed, they're once again ready to roll. The first time through is solid, but, unfortunately, Jeff's headphones fly off his head half-way through the take.

4:00 P.M.
As an added precaution, John "JJ" Jessel--Paich's long-time keyboard tech--brings in an Alesis SR-16 drum machine for a click reference. Jeff quickly creates a repetitive eighth-note handclap and cowbell pattern to play along with. A couple of takes later, it's a keeper--with no overdubs necessary.

Day Two, Noon.
With the basic tracks for "I'll Never Hurt You" in the can, today's goal is to cut "Don't Chain My Heart," a mid-tempo shuffle written by Paich.

12:35 P.M.
Jeff arrives and, along with Lukather and Mike Porcaro, starts to warm up in the studio. For this tune, Jeff is laying down a solid four-on-the-floor kick pattern with a tasty offbeat shuffle pattern over the top. He's programmed an eighth-note triplet click pattern on the Alesis SR-16.

1:50 P.M.
Paich finally arrives and the tape starts to roll. After the first time through, Ladanyi calls the band into the control room to hear the playback. Afterwards, everyone is convinced that Jeff's track is a keeper.

2:05 P.M.
After soloing the bass and drums, they indeed decide to keep the drums. The process of singularly overdubbing bass, rhythm guitar, and keyboards begins. Lukather, now behind the board, relates to Ladanyi, "Whatever we do, we've got to make sure that we don't fix the life out of these tunes." Jeff agrees. "If we punch the bass guitar in and out too much, my fills are going to start sounding stiff."

2:30 P.M.
With the bass and drum tracks now complete, the band gives the tune a high-volumed playback. Heads bob, harms flail, and high- fives abound. Lukather turns to Jeff, slaps him on the back and says, "Awesome man. Awesome. This is one of your finest!" And on that note, the control room empties. Just another day in the studio for the man with the golden groove.

Porcaro's Power Tools
Drums: Pearl MLX (maple)
1. Alternates between: 3 1/2" x 14" Pearl Free-Floating brass piccolo, Pearl 5 1/2" x 14" steel, 5" x 14" Solid/Select maple, Ludwig Black Beauty (plus many more)
2. Brady 10" soprano snare drum
3. 18" x 22" bass drum
4. 8" x 10" mounted tom
5. 8" x 12" mounted tom
6. 9" x 13" mounted tom
7. 12" x 14" suspended floor tom
8. 14" x 16" suspended floor tom

Cymbals--Paiste Signature Series:
A. 14" hi-hats
B. 10" cup chime
C. 6" cup chime
D. 18" crash
E. 16" crash
F. 20" ride
G. 17" crash
H. 20" Wuhan China-type

Jeff Porcaro also uses PureCussion RIMS, Drum Workshop DW-5000 pedals, Calato/Regal Tip "Jeff Porcaro" Performer Series drum sticks, Remo coated Ambassadors on batter sides, clear Diplomats on bottoms, and a PowerStroke 3

.

Story Behind "Africa"

2006-12-12T18:36:00.000-08:00

Maybe a good Weekend Chatty post...but a fun read....

Arguably Toto’s most recognizable song, “Africa” hit Number 1 on the Billboard Charts in February 1983. It was almost cut from the Toto IV record prior to its release. Having spent an incredible amount of time producing the tune, the band became so tired of the song that they didn’t want it on the album. The song itself was very different from anything the band had done before, and some members felt that it didn’t sound like Toto.

“I didn’t think it was very good,” said Steve Lukather (Classic Rock Revisited, 2003). “That tells you what can happen when we pick our own singles!”

David Paich, who co-wrote the song with Jeff Porcaro, said that it “could have been the beginning of a solo project [for me] because it was so different. I thought I’d save it…[because] world music
World music

The term world music includes Traditional music of any culture that are created and played by indigenous musicians or that are "closely informed or guided by indigenous music of the regions of their origin," including Western World music.... wasn’t around then.”

Background
The initial idea for the song came from David Paich, playing on his piano. Jeff explains the idea behind the song: "... a white boy is trying to write a song on Africa, but since he's never been there, he can only tell what he's seen on TV or remembers in the past."

Musically the song took quite some time to assemble, as David and Jeff explain:

"On 'Africa' you hear a combination of marimba with GS 1. The kalimba is all done with the GS 1; it's six tracks of GS 1 playing different rhythms. I wrote the song on CS-80, so that plays the main part of the entire tune."

Jeff Porcaro reminisces about how the song's drum track:

I was about 11 when the New York’s World Fair took place, and I went to the African pavilion with my family. I saw the real thing; I don't know what tribe, but there were these drummers playing, and my mind was blown.

The thing that blew my mind was everybody was playing one part. As a little kid in Connecticut, I would see these Puerto Rican and Cuban cats jamming in the park. It was the first time I witnessed someone playing one beat and not straying from it, like a religious experience, where it gets loud, and everyone goes into a trance. I have always dug those kind of orchestras, whether it be a band of all drummers. But I just love a band of guys saying one thing.

That's why I loved marching band, and I said, "Gee, someday there's going to be a little drum orchestra where everybody plays one thing, and you don't stray from it. You do it until you drop. You're banished from that land if you move from that one part.

So when we were doing "Africa", I set up a bass drum, snare drum and a hi-hat, and Lenny Castro set up right in front of me with a conga. We looked at each other and just started playing the basic groove.... The backbeat is on 3, so it's a half-time feel, and it's 16th notes on the hi-hat. Lenny started playing a conga pattern.

We played for five minutes on tape, no click, no nothing. We just played. And I was singing the bass line for "Africa" in my mind, so we had a relative tempo. Lenny and I went into the booth and listened back to the five minutes of that same boring pattern.

We picked out the best two bars that we thought were grooving, and we marked those two bars on tape. We made another mark four bars before those two bars. Lenny and I went back out; I had a cowbell, Lenny had a shaker.

They gave us two new tracks, and they gave us the cue when they saw the first mark go by. Lenny and I started playing to get into the groove, so by the time the that fifth bar came --which was the first bar of the two bars we marked as the cool bars we liked-- we were locked, and we overdubbed shaker and cowbell.

So there was bass drum, snare drum, hi-hat, two congas, a cowbell, and a shaker. We went back in, cut the tape, and made a one-bar tape loop that went 'round and 'round and 'round. The Linn machine was available to us.

Maybe it would have taken two minutes to program that in the Linn, and it took about half an hour to do this. But a Linn machine doesn't feel like that! So we had an analog groove.

We took that tape, transferred it onto another 24-track for six minutes, and David Paich and I went out in the studio. The song started, and I was sitting there with a complete drumset, and Paich was playing. When he got to the fill before the chorus, I started playing the chorus, and when the verse or the intro came back, I stopped playing.

Then we had piano and drums on tape. You have to realize that there are some odd bars in "Africa", so when you have a one-bar loop going, all of a sudden, sometimes Lenny's figure would turn around.

So Lenny went in and played the song again, but this time he changed his pattern a little for the turn-arounds, for the fills, for the bridge, for the solo. We kept the original part and the new one.

Then we had to do bongos, jingle sticks, and big shakers doing quarter notes, maybe stacking two tracks of sleigh bells, two tracks of big jingle sticks, and two tracks of tambourine all down to one track.

I was trying to get the sounds I would hear Milt Holland or Emil Richards have, or the sounds I would hear in a "National Geographic" special, or the ones I heard at the New York World's Fair.

Jeff's Drum Set History

2006-12-11T19:50:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd post a little on Jeff's drum kit history...just a taste of his selections.

As kid, a neighborhood friend had won a Slingerland champagne sparkle set in a poker game and sold it to Jeff’s father with cases and cymbals.

In 1978, Jeff was 24 and I had three Ludwig drum sets. There were two Gretsch sets and a Camco set made for him. Everything was brass plated--all black and brass, with a solid brass 6 1/2" snare drum. His "heavy metal" set was a Slingerland with the 28" bass drum, everything in chrome, 20 X 20 floor tom, and an 11 X 15. The Ludwig was basically his all-around studio set. He got into Gretsch for live performances.

In 1979, Porcaro said his first set was a Ludwig as influenced by Ringo. In the studio, Porcaro played a combination of three different Ludwig sets with several old Slingerland Radio King snare drums. Onstage with Toto, he used Ludwig's new Power Drums, which featured extended shells. Cymbal wise, he used the older A and K Zildjians.

Around 1982, Live with TOTO, Jeff used an 8-ply Pearl Rosewood kit with eight rack toms in graduated sizes and two floor toms and playsed Paiste cymbals. He began endorsing Pearl Drums and felt that most all drums felt good to him stating; “Drums are drums, depending on the kind of head and how you tune them. Sometimes just the look of one will make me partial to that one for two weeks; just because it looks different and it's new. I always set up differently. Sometimes there'll be a lot of tom-toms, sometimes just two, depending on what I'm doing. Or sometimes I'll go into something where usually I'd have a bigger kit and the music kind of demands it, yet I'll go in with completely the opposite, which is kind of interesting. In the studio, my set changes for every tune” On heavier tunes, he used a Gretsch 24" bass drum and a 14 x 12 mounted tom and a 16 x 16 floor tom.

On Toto IV, his drum sizes used to record were 10", 12", and 13" rack toms of standard depth, 16" and 18" floor toms, and a 22 X 16 bass drum. He also used a 6 1/2 X 14 Radio King snare drum. The cymbals were all Paistes, and included a 20" Formula 602 ride, 18", 19" and 20" 2002 crashes, a 16" Formula 602 crash, and 14" Formula 602 hi-hats. Basically, he used the same setup for Isolation and I also used it live.

On, The Seventh One, he used his standard sized Pearl Maple kit. No power toms. 10", 12", 13", 14" and 16" floor toms. His bass drum was oversized, about 18"x22". He used a variety of snare drums--an old Ludwig Black Beauty, a Pearl Piccolo, a Ludwig chrome and a custom Valley Drum Piccolo. The choice of snare changed with the texture and style of each tune. Also, the popular Modern Drummer ad at that time was somewhat bogus. When Jeff went to the photo session, it was with a set of drums that weren't his. The toms seemed deep. Pearl said that in the past couple of years, the power-tom sizes became their standard drum. They have the super power toms, but the standard drums that have been around since the '20s and '30s, they call them jazz drums. So when you see pictures of him behind a drumset in the ad, it's deceiving. It's his setup, but those aren't his sizes. He used Pearl jazz-size toms, 10", 12", 13", and 14" and 16" floor toms, an 18 x 22 bass drum, a Pearl piccolo snare, a Pearl standard-size metal snare, and I have a Ludwig Black Beauty and a 6 1/2" regular Ludwig metal snare drum. His hats were a pair of 602 Paistes and also a pair of 13" Zildjians--a Z on the bottom and a K on top. Another was a pair of an old, old, old A Zildjian 14" on top and an Italian Tosco on the bottom that has four quarter-inch holes drilled around the bell and two sets of rivets on each north, south, east, and west point on the bottom cymbal.

Lastly, on Kingdom of Desire, he used a Pearl MLX (maple), alternating between: 3 1/2" x 14" Pearl Free-Floating brass piccolo, Pearl 5 1/2" x 14" steel, 5" x 14" Solid/Select maple, Ludwig Black, Brady 10" soprano snare drum with his toms.

TOTO Reviews & Commentary

2006-12-10T19:14:00.000-08:00

Dick Grove Music School
Jeff Porcaro states, "I did a clinic a couple or years ago at the Dick Grove School," Porcaro says in his groggy baritone. "The students brought CD of my stuff to play and ask me questions about. I knew what would happen; they'd ask about the 'Rosanna' beat, which is probably the most unoriginal thing I've ever done, yet I got all this credit for it. Stupid. So I brought along the CDs of the records I stole the beat from--"Fool In The Rain" from Led Zeppelin's In Through The Out Door, and Bernard Purdie's 'Home At Last' and 'Babylon Sisters' with Steely. Without saying anything, I put on the CD and played 'Babylon Sisters.' Half the class knew the song, but none of them knew who the drummer was.

This is a class of 18 to 33-year-olds. Then I played 'Home At Last,' which I copped all the shit for 'Rosanna' from. Once again, no one knew the drummer. I said, 'Guys, it's Bernard Purdie. Who in this room has heard of Steve Gadd?' All the hands went up. 'Aja?' All hands up. 'I'm sure you all know Steve won Performance Of The Year for that in Modern Drummer. Well. you're all fucked up! I just played you 'Home At Last' with Bernard Purdie, and that's on the same record. What do you do, listen to 'Aja' and then take the needle off? As musicians you should know everything I just played for you. Some of the best drum shit ever is on that record. Each track has subtleties."

Porcaro, "That's at a point when drum machine technology was just rearing its ugly head. There was a lot of talk about the future of quantizing and sequencing in real time. To a perfectionist, that was all really cool stuff. The title track was done to a Urei click. In fact it was all Urei except 'Hey Nineteen,' which is WENDEL.

" The title track, which Porcaro played on, is an epic bit of Mexican-inspired music, full of enigmatic lyrics and romantic female choruses. The Dan had perfected their recording approach by this time. "From noon till six we'd play the tune over and over and over again," says Porcaro, "nailing each part. We'd go to dinner and come back and start recording. They made everybody play like their life depended on it. But they weren't gonna keep anything anyone else played that night, no matter how tight it was. All they were going for was the drum track." (The final product was a combination of 46 edits.)

GARY KATZ
"We were recording tracks for Steely Dan's Gaucho album at A&R. It was Jeffrey and three other musicians. In those days, we would record tracks forty, fifty, sixty times until Donald [Fagen] felt he had a track that was steady enough. In those days ['79], we didn't use click tracks, and the kind of click track that was available, Jeffrey hated. We played the track for quite a long time that night, and at about 11:00 or so, Donald said it wasn't working for him. When that happened, it was usually the kiss of death; we'd never try the track again and the song would be lost. So at 11:00 he and Walter [Becker] felt they had exhausted that track and were going to call it a night. Jeffrey and I were upset about that, because it was definitely going to hit the can, and we loved the song. Donald said, 'Okay, you guys stay, and if you cut a track that you like, call us and we'll come back".

"We stayed there most of the night. I had a chart, and Jeffrey would play a take, and I would hear eight good bars - not that all the bars weren't good, but I tried to think like Donald. But I would mark those bars, and then the next four good bars. We did about seventy takes. We finally left at about 5:00 in the morning, and the next day I went to the studio with Roger Nichols and Jeff, and we literally edited this track bar by bar. I had all these markings on my chart...it was a fluke that I made a track that felt good. We called Donald, and they came over late in the afternoon and couldn't find anything wrong with it And as nonchalantly as he had left the night before, he said, 'There's another track."

"The style of music that I liked was compatible with Jeff. I never found myself in a room thinking, 'This isn't Jeffrey's thing,' although he would say that on a couple of occasions, mainly about shuffles. Having done a TV show, as he did when he was so young, and having to read charts for these various people - if you could put it out there, he could play it. I was never in the studio with Jeffrey where it didn't work. Party of the style of records I make was Jeffrey. Now I've got to figure out something else.

"When we met in '73 and started making the many records that we made - I've made more with Jeff that weren't Steely Dan than that were - I never never went to the studio feeling anything but, "I know I'll get this track.' It's funny, the only record I didn't work with him on in in years was the one I recently finished with Laura Nyro - and that was because Jeffrey told me I should hire Purdie.

TOTO IV
Greg Ladanyi was to become involved in plenty of other enduring recordings. He had moved into the co-production chair with Jackson for the singer's Hold On album in 1980, and produced records for Phoebe Snow, Warren Zevon, the Church, Fleetwood Mac and Jeff Healy over the next few years. But he was still in high demand as an engineer, and when another group of ex-studio musicians called Toto went back into the studio for their Toto IV album in 1982, they called on Ladanyi to mix the album, which contained hits including 'Rosanna' and 'Africa', and would win seven of nine Grammy nominations that year.

"Toto IV was by far the most extensive mixdown I had been involved with," says Ladanyi. "The band had three 24-track machines on some songs — up to 72 tracks. I thought 'My God, how do I make all this fit in two speakers?' The record was mixed at the Sound Factory, which was a 32-input fader/24-monitor API console — no automation and pairs of hands moving faders — Steve Lukather, David Paich, Steve Porcaro, Jeff Porcaro, and me. This was the real deal. 'Rosanna' and 'Africa' took three days each to complete the final mixdowns. These songs were mixed in sections and then cut together on the two-track. I balanced the track with EQ, compressors and effects, then we all made the fader rides together.

"I went on to record six more records with Toto. Kingdom Of Desire was the last one. We made that record at Skywalker Ranch and did it in about three or four weeks. The thing about that record was how dynamic the playing was in the era before CDs and how much fun it was to capture that. When it came time to mix, I was asked to compress it pretty heavily — that was the way you made it work for radio, or so a lot of people thought. I had to compress it more than I thought was reasonable given how dynamic the record was. Sure, compression makes it louder and more in-your-face, but you just don't experience the dimension that the band played with. Too many great records lost that element when they had to undergo compression for radio's sake."

More on TOTO IV ...AL SCHMITT
When Al Schmitt recorded the lighter-friendly standard Toto IV, he had a feeling it was destined to become a classic . Those songs – ‘Africa,’ ‘Rosanna’ – they just sounded like hits,” he says.Recording in Studio B at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, Schmitt set up an AKG 452 with a 10-dB pad on top of the snare, close to the skin and about an inch from the edge of the drum. Beneath, he placed a Shure 57 with the phase turned 180 degrees on the console, placed near the snares. “I’ll sneak that in during the mix to catch a bit more of the ‘crack’ of the snare,” he says. “Flipping the phase avoids cancellation problems with mics that close together.”

Jeff Porcaro’s kick drum had an outer skin with a hole, and Schmitt placed an AKG D-12E aimed into that about an inch or two back from the skin. “I’m looking for the punch from the bottom end, but not the pedal sound,” he explains, noting that he’ll help that along with a few dB at 60 Hz while tracking. (Otherwise, no EQ at all.)

Rack and floor toms get an AKG 414 apiece, each placed close in – about an inch and a half from the rack toms and two to three inches from the floor tom -- set at cardioid and with a 10-dB pad. The high-hat had a 452 placed six to eight inches away and slightly above.

Overheads are a pair of AKG 452s set in a modified (i.e., “almost”) X-Y configuration positioned on booms directly over the drummer’s head and forward about a foot. “The ideal here is to get a great balance between the cymbals and toms just from these two microphones,” says Schmitt. In addition, an AKG C-24 (the stereo version of the C-12) was placed about 20 feet in front of the kit at a height of seven feet. “That’s where a lot of the ambience comes from,” he says.

That should do it, says Schmitt. “Nine times out of ten, you don’t need EQ. These days I like to add some of the ‘wood’ room from the TC Electronic M-60000, but back then I would have applied a little bit of the studio’s chamber or an EMT plate. That’s it. You let the microphones speak for themselves.”

Hydra Review Billboard Magazine 11/10/79
The following to the quintet's top-selling debut LP continues its professional yet energetic rock sound. Though still capable of riveting hooks, Toto stretches out on this release by adding more jazz elements. Steve Lukather's guitar work throughout is breathtaking. This group of studio musicians shows growth as writers as the compositions show lyrical depth. "99" is notable for it continues the band's expansion into r&b, which "Georgy Porgy" from the last LP established. "All Us Boys" will likely take its place in the Toto catalog as a classic rocker. Best cuts: "All Us Boys", "Hydra", "99", "Mama", "White Sister. Dealers: the fans have been waiting for this one.

Isolation Review Billboard Magazine 11/10/79
Toto follows up the Grammy-winning "Toto IV" with another superbly recorded set that reflects, on balance, a somewhat harder edge. Part of that may be due to the introduction of a new lead singer, Fergie Fredericksen [sic], who also co-wrote four of the songs. The first single from the album, the driving rhythm piece "Stranger In Town" is already approaching the top 40; the group's previous album yielded four top 40 hits, inclyding three that cracked the top 10.

From Chuck Rainey's site on the making of the Aja DVD
"...another unsung hero associated with Steely Dan recorded success was Jeff Porcaro. Jeff was an 'A team' studio call at the time and was also an ex member of the original Steely Dan band. During that time Jeff was also a member of Toto. He obviously had a very close relationship with Walter and Donald because he was always either the drummer on any demos that were presented on material to be recorded by 'Dan' or for sure the first drummer that I worked with on all 'Dan' songs in the studio. For reasons not known to me, he was not aired on the 'Dan' albums that I am associated with, but sure had an impact on the feel of what was recorded by the other drummer(s)."

Revelation of the Groove: Tribute to Jeff
An Interview with David Paich!

JEFF STORIES
If you have a Jeff story, please email at: scampydrums@hotmail and put “Jeff Story” in the subject bar)

From a member of Jeff user group I headed years ago:
“When Carlos died I wrote a piece about him for Mike Landau’s website, in it I mentioned that just to hag on the tour bus and sit practicing on a pad while listening to Latin music was a thrill. One time Jeff and TOTO came to play at MI, Rock It cargo was doing Jeff's drums at the time so they showed up early and I set the kit up. Something Jeff had mentioned in a later MD was about different snare drums effects he would do, it just so happened that the particular Radio King that was brought to MI was the on one he had used for that session....

He had wadded up newspaper and stuffed it inside the drum, I remember like yesterday taking the drumhead off and finding all that paper inside, there were a few other guys hanging with me while I was doing this, they all had this look like "what the f***'. Jeff was very down to earth very helpful to others. Another time while again still at MI the school held a picnic, Jeff showed up with his brother Mike and hung out with everyone, that was his thing just to hang with others. On the Fahrenheit tour he had just gotten into Dynacord electric drums and was using them for this tour, the band did a 2 night stand at the Universal Amphitheatre in LA. I went down for sound check and to me that was so cool watching him sitting side stage jamming and messing with the new pads.”

In Memorium
I was at Jeff's funeral and found this moving. It is a written account of the service and much more.

Jeff Porcaro Sessions

2001-01-15T12:19:00.000-08:00

In Memory

April 1, 1954 - August 5, 1992

Jeff Porcaro Sessions

(1971-1998)

Daugherty, Jack / Jack Daugherty and the Class of Nineteen Hundred and Seventy One (A&M, 1971 -May 31 live at A&M Studio A) 3 tracks?
No track specific credits; believe Jeff is double-drumming with Jim Keltner on these three tracks; other drummers on album: Hal Blaine, Paul Humphrey
Getting up - Feel so good - Number nine

1973

Cher / Bittersweet White Light (MCA, 1973) 9 tracks
By myself - I got it bad and that ain't good - Am I blue - How long has this been going on - The man I love - Jolson medley (Sonny boy, My mammy, Rock-a-bye your baby with a Dixie melody) - More than you know - Why was I born - The man that got away

Sonny & Cher / Mama Was a Rock 'n' Roll Singer (MCA, 1973) 10 tracks
It never rains in Southern California - I believe in you - I can see clearly now - Rhythm of your heart beat - Mama was a rock and roll singer Papa used to write all her songs (Part 1 & 2) - By love I mean - Brother love's traveling salvation show - You know darn well - The greatest show on earth - Listen to the music

Seals & Crofts / Diamond Girl (Warner, 1973) ? tracks
No track specific credits; 1 of 4 drummers
Track list : Diamond girl - Ruby Jean and Billie Lee - Intone my servant - We may never pass this way (again) - Nine houses - Standin' on a mountain top - It's gonna come down (on you) - Jessica - Dust on my saddle - Wisdom

1974

Browne, Severin / New Improved (Motown, 1974) ? tracks
No track specific credits; 1 of 2 drummers (also Russ Kunkel)
Track list: Love notes from Denver - Tickle my lips - Romance - More dreams in the sea - Confessions of a madman - Love song - The sweet sound of your song - Do, Magnolia, do - Cooking school - Beginning to believe

Bodine, Rita Jean - Sitting on top of my world (20th century, 1974) 8 tracks
Pacified (and congas)- Sitting on top of my world (and tambourine) - Wheels (triangle) - Frying pan song - It ain't easy (and jaw bone) - I was mistaken (steel drums & congas)- Sweet inspiration - Knickerbocker holiday (crash cymbals)

Sonny and Cher / Live In Las Vegas, Vol. 2 (MCA, 1974) 12 tracks
All I ever need is you - I can see clearly now - You've got a friend - Where you lead - You'd better sit down kids - A cowboy's work is never done - I got you babe - Gypsys, tramps & thieves - Brother Love's traveling salvation show - You and I - Superstar - Bang bang

Steely Dan / Pretzel Logic (MCA, 1974) 2 tracks
Night by night, Parker's Band --

Seals & Crofts / Unborn Child (Warner, 1974) 10 tracks?
No track specific credits; only drummer listed
Windflowers - Desert people - Unborn child - The story of her love - Dance by the light of the moon - Rachel[?] - King of nothing - 29 years from Texas - Ledges - Big Mac

1975
Bolin, Tommy / Teaser (Atlantic, 1975) 4 tracks
The grind - Homeward strut - Dreamer - Teaser

Cats / Hard To Be Friends (1975) ? tracks
No track specific credits; 1 of 2 drummers (also John Raines)

Newton, Juice / Juice Newton & Silver Spur (RCA, 1975) 1 track

Raitt, Bonnie / Home Plate (Warner, 1975)

Fifth Dimension / Earthbound (ABC, 1975) 1 track
Moonlight Mile

Cher / Stars (Warner, 1975)
No track specific credits; 1 of 6 drummers

Snow, Tom / Taking It All In Stride (Capitol, 1975) 1 track
Everybody lives everybody dies

Steely Dan / Katy Lied (MCA, 1975) 9 tracks
Black Friday - Bad sneakers - Rose darling - Daddy don't live in that New York City no more - Doctor Wu - Everyone's gone to the movies - Your gold teeth II - Chain Lightning - Throw back the little ones

Soundtrack (film) / Murph The Surf (Motown, 1975)

Webb, Susan / Bye Bye Pretty Baby (1975)

Tagg, Eric / Smilin' Memories (EMI, 1975) 10 tracks
Tell-tale eyes - Love to love you - Castle of loneliness - Steamboat - Sandman (bring me a dream) - The only thing you said - A fantasy - After all - Never had the feelin' - Hang on

Seals and Crofts / I'll Play for You (Warner, 1975) 1 track
Golden rainbow

Jans, Tom / Eyes of an Only Child (Columbia, 1975) ? tracks
No tracks specific credits; 1 of 3 drummers (also Jim keltner, Harvey Mason)
Track list: Gotta move - Once before I die - Where did all my good friends go? - Inside of you - Struggle in darkness - Out of hand - The lonesome way back when - Lonely brother - Directions and connections - The eyes of an only child

1976

Axton, Hoyt / Fearless (A&M, 1976) 2 tracks
Lay lady lay - Beyond these walls

Batteau, David / Happy in Hollywood (A&M, 1976) 8 tracks
Happy in Hollywood - Festival of fools - Oh, my little darling - Orphee - Walk in love - Spaceship Earth - You need love - The gates in your heart

Browne, Jackson / The Pretender (Elektra, 1976) 4 tracks
The only child - Daddy's tune - Sleep's dark and silent gate - The pretender

Caldwell, Bobby / Carry On (Elektra, 1976) ? tracks
No track specific information; 1 of 2 drummers (also Joe Galdo)
Track list: All of my love - Sunny hills - Catwalk - Jamaica - Loving you - Words - You belong to me - Carry on

Cher / I'd Rather Believe In You (Warner, 1976) 10 tracks
Long distance love affair - I'd rather believe in you - I know (you don't love me) - Silver wings & golden rings - Flashback - It's a cryin' shame - Early morning strangers - Knock on wood - Spring - Borrowed time

Deardorff & Joseph / Deardorff & Joseph (Arista, 1976) ? tracks
No specific track credits; 1 of 5 drummers (also David Kemper, David Paich, John Guerin, Ron Tutt)
Track list: One more story to tell - We'll never have to say goodbye again - Chicago blue - Nighttime love - Sentimental lady - The castle - Golden road - Lovely lady - Sing my song - Little kings of earth

Dudek, Les / Les Dudek (CBS, 1976) 8 tracks
City magic - Sad clown, Don't stop now - Each morning - It can do - Take the time - Cruisin' groove - What a sacrifice

Fromholz, Steven / A Rumour In My Time (Capitol, 1976) ?

Gore, Lesley / Love Me By Name (1976)

Green, Kathe / Kathe Green (Prodigal, 1976)

Hamilton, Dirk / You Can Sing On the Left or Bark On the Right (ABC, 1976) 9 tracks
No track specific credits; only drummer listed
The sweet forever - Waterfall - Little big-time man - She don't squash bugs - I got to feelin' - Sweet and cold - Wasn't that one night good - Grow a rose - Ridin' on a whale

Lyons & Clark / Prisms (Shelter, 1976) 3 tracks
Keepin' the heat down - Sweet misery - Open the door

Morgan, Jaye P. / Jaye P. Morgan ( ? ,1976) 4 tracks
Keepin' it to myself - Here is where your love belongs - It's been so long - Let's get together

N.S.P. / 2-nen-me No Tobira (Canyon, 1976) 5 tracks

Originals / Communique (1976)

Palmer, Robert / Some People Can Do What They Want (Island, 1976)
1 of 3 drummers (also Richie Hayward, Spider Webb)

No track specific notes; listed on percussion

Reddy, Helen / Music, Music (Capitol, 1976) 2 tracks

Sayer, Leo / Endless Flight (Chrysalis, 1976) 3 tracks
When I need you - No business like love business - Magdelena

Scaggs, Boz / Silk Degrees (CBS, 1976) 10 tracks
What can I say - It's over - Jump street - What do you want the girl to do - Harbor lights - Lowdown - Georgia - Love me tomorrow - Lido shuffle - We're all alone

Seals & Crofts / Get Closer (Warner, 1976) ? tracks
No track specific credits; 1 of 2 drummers (also Ed Greene)
Track list: Sweet green fields - Get closer - Red long ago - Goodbye old buddies - Baby blue - Million dollar horse - Don't fail - Passing thing

Sebastian, John / Welcome Back (Reprise, 1976) 10 tracks
No track specific notes; only drummer listed
Hideaway - She's funny - You go your way and I'll go mine - Didn't wanna have to do it - One step forward, two steps back - Welcome back - I needed her most when I told her to go - A song a day in Nashville - Warm baby - Let this be our time to get along

Sharp, Randy / First In Line (Nautilus, 1976) 9 tracks
No track specific notes; only drummer listed
First in line - Who' ya gonna blame it on - You were the light - Begin without me - The womanizer - Gonna leave it up - For old times sake - Making a comeback - Banjo man

Snow, Tom / Tom Snow (Capitol, 1976) 6 tracks
Hurry boy - Doin' it all again - Rosanna - Rock & roll widow - Shoestring destiny - I'm only passin' through

Thomas, Mickey / As Long As You Love Me (RCA, 1976) 5 tracks
The street only knew your name - Take me to your lover - Can you fool - Somebody to love - Dance it off

Three Dog Night / American Pastime (ABC, 1976)
1 of 3 drummers (also Micky McMeel, Ed Greene)

1977

Alessi Brothers / Alessi (A&M, 1977)
1 of 3 drummers (also Hal Blaine, John Guerin)

Allen,

Anka, Paul / The Music Man (United Artists, 1977)
1 of 2 drummers (also Ed Greene)

Boylan, Terence / Terence Boylan (Elektra, 1977) 2 tracks
The war was over - Where are you hiding? (w/Boylan & Mickey McGee)

Carmen, Eric / Boats Against the Current (Arista, 1977) 3 tracks
Boats against the current - Love is all that matters - She did it

Carter, Valerie / Just A Stone's Throw Away (CBS, 1977) 8 tracks
Ooh child - Ringing doorbells in the rain - Face of Appalachia - So, so, happy - A stone's throw away - Cowboy angel - City lights - Back to blue some more

Chamfort, Alain / Rock 'n' Rose (1977) ? tracks
No tracks specific credits; 1 of 3 drummers (also Mike Baird, Ed Greene)

Chater, Kerry / Part Time Love (Warner, 1977) 10 tracks
No love on the black keys - Part time love - One more time tonight - Dance to the rhythm of your love - Beginning of the end - Here comes the rain - Even a fool would let go - Breakin' up is gonna break me down - Misty Mary - If we get together again

Coltrane, Chi / Road To Tomorrow (TK, 1977)
No track specific credits; 1 of 3 drummers

Cummings, Burton / My Own Way To Rock (Portrait, 1977, re-issued 2000) 8 tracks
Never had a lady before - Come on by (with Ollie E. Brown) - Try to find another man - Got to find another way - My own way to rock - Charlemagne (with Ollie E. Brown)- Framed (with Lenny Castro additional drums) - A song for him
No track credits for bonus tracks on re-issue (Lay it on the line, Charlemagne, both live)

Dal Bello, Lisa / Lisa Dal Bello (MCA, 1977) 9 tracks
Look at me (Millions of people) - (Don't want to) Stand in your way - My mind's made up - Snow White - Touch me - Talk it over (Even though my body's cold) - Stay with me - Day dream - Milk & honey

Dudek, Les / Say No More (CBS, 1977) 6 tracks
Jailabamboozle - Lady you're nasty - One to beam up - Avatar - Old Judge Jones - What's it gonna be

Edelman, Randy / If Love Is Real (Arista, 1977) 9 tracks
No track specific credits; only drummer listed
Take my hand - Slippin' away - Autumn days with you - Today (June song) - Can't it all be love - If love is real - The night has a thousand eyes - Looking up at Mars - It's hard to say goodbye

England Dan & John Ford Coley / I Hear Music (A&M, 1977) ? tracks
No track specific credits; 1 of 3 drummers (also Jim Gordon, Ron Tutt)
Track list: Used to you - Tell her hello - New Jersey - Idolizer - Mud and stone - I hear the music - Legendary captain - Miss me - The pilot - Carry on

Flower / Flower (United Artists, 1977) ? tracks
No track specific credits; 1 of 2 drummers (also Ed Green) Track list: The magic is you - Yesterday can't hurt me - You set my dreams to music - If you think you know how to love me - A groovy kind of love - If you walked away - You don't have to say (I think I know) - Run to me - Give the little girl a chance - Everytime I sing my songs

Fools Gold / Mr. Lucky (CBS, 1977) 9 tracks
No track specific credits; only drummer listed; also percussion
Sweet country air - I can hear the whistle blow - Wouldn't I love to love you - Runnin' and hidin' - Fly away - Gypsy brew - Mr. Lucky - Where did our love go wrong - Captain

Hall and Oates / Beauty On a Back Street (RCA, 1977) 8 tracks
No track specific credits; only drummer listed; also on electronic drums
Don't change - Why do lovers break each other's heart? - You must be good for something - The emptyness - Love hurts (love heals) - Bigger than both of us - Bad habits and infections - Winged bull

Hamilton, Dirk / Alias i (ABC, 1977) 1 track

Indigo / Indigo (Warner, 1977) 10 tracks
No tracks specific notes; only drummer listed
Feels right - L.A. lady - Prisoner of the spirit world - In front of you - Step by step - What's it matter - Come to the lady that loves you - Wonderin' why - The nomad - Carl's song

Jelly / A True Story (Asylum, 1977) 1 track
Susan

Keane Brothers / Keane Brothers (20th Century, 1977)

Knighton, Reggie / Reggie Knighton (Columbia, 1977) ? tracks
No track specific credits; 1 of 3 drummers (also Curly Smith, Richie Hayward)
Track list: Every night - Fidelity - Girl from Pluto - Drug dealer - VD got to Idi - Public servant - Tricentennial woman - Glows in the dark - Jenny - All night long

Lynn, Cheryl / Start Over (Columbia, 1977) 1 track
Don't run away

Moore, Tim / White Shadows (Asylum, 1977) 8 tracks
In the middle - Love overnight - It's your life - Dolorosa - I got lost tonight - The devil inside my heart - Little Bo's peep show - To cry for love

Newton-John, Olivia / Making a Good Thing Better (EMI, 1977) 10 tracks
Making a good thing better - Slow dancing - Ring of fire - Coolin' down - Sad songs - You won't see me cry - So easy to begin - I think I'll say goodbye - Don't ask a friend - If love is real

O'Day, Alan / Appetizers (Pacific, 1977) 10 tracks
Solier of fortune - Satisfied - Started out dancing, ended up making love - Gifts - Slot machine - Undercover angel - Do me wrong but do me - Catch my breath - Angie baby - Caress me pretty music

Originals / Down To Love Town (1977) 1 track

Peck, Danny / Heart and soul (Arista, 1977) 4 tracks
Halo of fire - Looking so hard - Brother of mine - Where is my heart

Randall, Elliott / Randall's New York (Kirshner, 1977) 2 tracks?

Reddy, Helen / Ear Candy (Capitol, 1977)
No track specific notes

Ritenour, Lee / Captain Fingers (Epic, 1977) ? tracks
No track specific credits; 1 of 2 drummers (also Harvey Mason)
Track list: Captain Fingers - Dolphin dreams - Fly by night - Margarita - Isn't she lovely - Space glide - Sun song

Roberts, Bruce / Bruce Roberts (Elektra, 1977)
No track specific notes; 1 of 2 drummers

Rogers, D.J. / Love, Music and Life (RCA, 1977) 10 tracks
Love will make it better - Hold out for love - Love is on the way - She has eyes for me - Saved by love - Beauty and the beast - No need to say goodbye - No price - Love is all I need - You against you

Ross, Diana / Baby It's Me (Motown, 1977) 5 tracks
Gettin' ready for love - You got it - Baby it's me - Your love is so good for me - Top of the world

*Jeff met Lenny Castro on this session

Sanford & Townsend / Duoglide (Warner, 1977) 9 tracks
Paradise - Ain't it so, love - Livin's easy - Starbrite - Voodoo - Mississippi sunshine - Eights and aces - Sometimes when the wind blows - Eye of my storm (oh woman)

Sayer, Leo / Thunder In My Heart (Warner, 1977) 6 tracks
Thunder in my heart - Easy to love - I want you back - World keeps on turning - There isn't anything - Everything I've got

Scaggs, Boz / Down Two Then Left (CBS, 1977) 10 tracks
Still falling for you - Hard times - A clue - Whatcha gonna tell your man - We're waiting - Hollywood - Then she walked away - Gimme the goods - 1993 - Tomorrow never came

Scott, Marilyn: God only knows/Lay back daddy (single) (1977) 2 tracks

Sinclair, Stephen / A+ (U.A., 1977) ? tracks
No track specific notes; 1 of 2 drummers (also Ed Greene)
Track list: Back down - Don't let go - Fingertip away - You won't see me cry - Real thing - Dreamin' - We can make it - Lady I love - Meant to be - Taking me by surprise - Rescue me

Soundtrack (film) / The Spy Who Loved Me (EMI, 1977) 1 track
Nobody does it better (Carly Simon)

Steely Dan / Plus Four (EP) (ABC, 1977

Steinberg, Dianne / Universal Child (ABC, 1977) 3 tracks

Streisand, Barbra / Streisand Superman (CBS, 1977) ? tracks
No tracks specific credits on copy seen
Track list: Superman - Don't believe in what you read - Baby me baby - I found you love - Answer me - My heart belongs to me - Cabin fever - Love comes from unexpected places - New York state of mind - Lullaby for myself

Thudpucker, Jimmy / Greatest Hits (Windsong, 1977)
No track specific credits; 1 of 2 drummers (also Mike Baird)
Track list: You can't fight it - Take your life - I don't know my love - Stop, Indian brown - Where can I go - I do believe - Fretman Sam - Ginny's song - So long/Overture '73

Torrance, Richard / Bareback (Capitol, 1977) 5 tracks
Moonlight trippin' - Stay young - Lovin' good - Tender memory - Circle of confusion

White Horse / White Horse (Capitol, 1977) 5 tracks

Williams, Paul / Classics (1977) 2 tracks

1978

Armand, Renee / In Time (Windsong, 1978) 4 tracks

Bachman, Randy / Survivor (Polydor, 1978) 8 tracks
Just a kid - One hand clappin' - Lost in the shuffle - Is the night too cold for dancin'? - You moved me - I am a star - Maybe again - Survivor

Ballard, Russ / At the Third Stroke (Epic, 1978) 6 tracks
Dancer - Helpless - Cast the spirit - What does it take? - I'm a scorpio - My judgement day

Bim / Thistles (Elektra, 1978) 7 tracks
Tender lullaby - Right after my heart - Waitin' for you, Mama - Shell of a life - Broke down - Woh, me - Thistles

Blunstone, Colin / Never Even Thought (Rocket, 1978) 9 tracks
I'll never forget you - Love light - Ain't it funny - Who's that knocking on my door? - Never even thought - Touch and go - You are the way for me - Photograph - Do Magnolia do

*recommended by David Hungate

Cadd, Brian / Yesterdaydream (Capitol, 1978)
No track specific credits; 1 of 4 drummers

Carlton, Larry / Larry Carlton (Warner, 1978) 8 tracks
Room 335 - Where did you come from - Nite crawler - Point it up - Rio samba - I apologize - Don't give it up - (It was) only yesterday

Carmen, Eric / Change of Heart (Arista, 1978) 3 tracks
Haven't we come a long way - End of the world - Baby I need your lovin'

Carter, Valerie / Wild Child (Columbia, 1978) 10 tracks
Crazy - Da doo rendevous - What's become of us - Taking the long way home - Lady in the dark - The story of love - The blue side - Change in luck - Trying to get to you - Wild child

Champlin, Bill / Single (Epic, 1978) 5 tracks
What good is love - We both tried - Careless - Elayne - Keys to the kingdom

Chanson / Chanson (Ariola, 1978) 6 tracks
Don't hold back - I can tell - I love you more - Why - Did you ever - All the time you need

Clarke, Stanley / Modern man (Nemperor, 1978) 3 tracks
He lives on - Slow dance - Modern man

Cummings, Burton / Dream Of A Child (Portrait, 1978; re-issued 2000) 3 tracks
Hold on, I'm comin' - Guns, guns, guns - Roll with the punches (all with Rich Schlosser)
No track credits for bonus tracks on re-issue (Sweet nothin's - Wild child)

Dudek, Les / Ghost Town Parade (CBS, 1978) 2 tracks

Elliot, Brian / Brian Elliot (Warner, 1978) ? tracks
No track specific credits; 1 of 4 drummers (also Mike Baird, James Gadson, Gary Ferguson)
Track list: Let's just live together - Summer nights in Hollywood - Queen of clowns (one for Lily T.) - Room to grow - Tickets to Rio - The first time - Seventeen goin' on twenty-one - Old Nueva Laredo - Las Vegas Wedding - One last night together

Farrell, Joe / Night Dancing (1978) 1 track

Finnigan, Mike / Black and White (CBS, 1978) 8 tracks
How wrong can you be - The words - Can't keep a secret -I could never leave you - Sailfish - Expressway to your heart - Love might keep us forever - Let me love you -

Flyer / Send a Little Love My Way (Amherst, 1978) ? tracks
No specific track credits; one of four drummers (also Mike Baird, Ron Kramer, Bob Wiesner)
Track list: Send a little love my way - Natalie - Turn out the lights - Just one more time - The only game in town - Say you love me - Good love - Lettin' you go - Let it happen to you

Franklin, Rodney / In The Center (Columbia, 1978) 5 tracks
Spanish flight - I like the music make it hot - On the path - Sunrise - Life moves on

Gardestad, Ted / Blue Virgin Isle (Epic, 1978; Polar, 1979) ? tracks
No track specific credits; 1 of 2 drummers (also Jim Keltner)

Friendly Enemies / Round One (Prodigal, 1978) 1 track
Dark eyes

Getz, Stan / Children Of The World (Columbia/Tristar, 1978/1995

Gold, Andrew / All This And Heaven Too (Asylum, 1978) 3 tracks
Always for you - Thank you for being a friend - I'm on my way

Songs from Grimaldi/Zieher (1978)

Hodges, James & Smith / What Have You Done For Love (1978) ?

James, Etta / Deep In the Night (Warner, 1978) 10 tracks
Laying beside you - Piece of my heart - Only women bleed - Take it to the limit - Deep in the night - Lovesick blues - Strange man - Sugar on the floor - Sweet touch of love - Blind girl

Jordan, Marc / Mannequin (Warner, 1978)
1 of 2 drummers

LaBounty, Bill / This Night Won't Last Forever (Warner, 1978) 3 tracks
A tear can tell - Crazy - I hope you'll be very unhappy without me

Mangione, Gap / Suite Lady, (A&M, 1978) 5 tracks
Mellow out! - I don't know - You can't cry for help - Sister Jo/Time of the season - King Snake

Manhattan Transfer / Pastiche (Atlantic, 1978) 2 tracks
Who,What,Where,When,Why - Pieces of Dreams

Mason, Dave / Mariposa De Oro (CBS, 1978) 2 tracks
Will you still love me tomorrow - Bird on the wind

Mattogrosso, Ney / Feitico (1978) 1 track
Nao existe pecado au sul do equador

McClusky, David / A Long Time Coming (GRT, 1978)

McDonald, County Joe / Rock and Roll Music From the Planet Earth (Fantasy, 1978) 10 tracks
Coyote - Bring back the sixties man - Sunshine through my window - Rock and roll again - Dark ship - Y-O-U - Space patrol - U.F.O. - Get it together

McGregor, Mary / In Your Eyes (Ariola, 1978) 3 tracks
Memories - Satisfied - Hold Tight

Newton, Juice / Well Kept Secret (Capitol, 1978) 2 tracks

Omura, Kenji / Kenji Shock (Alfa, 1978) 6 tracks

Phillips, Shawn / Transcendence (RCA, 1978) re-issued on Wounded Bird, date unknown)

Pointer Sisters / Energy (Planet, 1978) 7 tracks
Lay it on the line - Hypnotized - As I come of age - Come and get your love - Happiness - Echoes of love - Everybody is a star

Sager, Carol Bayer / Too (Elektra, 1978) 1 track
I don't wanna dance no more

Sayer, Leo / Leo Sayer (Warner, 1978) 6 tracks
Stormy weather - Dancing the night away - La booga rooga - Running to my freedom - Frankie Lee - Don't look away

Schaffer, Janne / Earmeal (CBS, 1978) 9 tracks?
No track specific credits; only drummer listed
Hot days and summer nights - Happy feet - To a beautiful painter - Bromma express - The Shrimp - Shrimp a la carte - It's never too late - Oriental sign - Frederick's place

Soundtrack (film) / F.M. (MCA, 1978) 2 tracks
FM - Lido shuffle

Steely Dan / Bent Over Backwards (Fandisk, 1978)

Stewart, Al / Time Passages (Arista, 1978) 1 track
Valentina Way

Streisand, Barbra / Songbird (CBS, 1978) 4 tracks
Love breakdown - Honey can I put on your clothes - Songbird - One more night

Sunset Bombers / Sunshine Bombers (Ariola, 1978) ?

Takanaka, Masayoshi / Brazilian Skies (Kitty, 1978)
No track specific credits; 1 of 4 drummers (also James Gadson, Shi-Shan Inoe, Wilson Das Neves)

Toto / Toto (Columbia, 1978) 10 tracks
Child's anthem - I'll supply the love - George Porgy - Manuela run - You are the flower - Girl goodbye - Takin' it back - Rockmaker - Hold the line - Angela

Toussaint, Allen / Motion (Warner, 1978) 10 tracks
Night people - Just a kiss away - With you in mind - Love of love - To be with you - Motion - Viva la money - Declaration of love - Happiness - The Optimism blues

Zevon, Warren / Excitable Boy (Asylum, 1978) 1 track
Nighttime in the switching yard

1979

Bishop & Gwinn / This Is Our Night (Infinity, 1979) 5 tracks

Chanson / Together We Stand (1979)

Cher / Prisoner (Casablanca, 1979) 1 track
Prisoner

Cher / Take Me Home (Casablanca, 1979) 1 track
Git down (guitar groupie)

Dee, Kiki / Stay With Me- (Rocket, 1979)
No track specific credits; 1 of 2 drummers (also Jim Keltner)
Track list: One step - Talk to me - Don't stop loving me - Dark side of your soul - Stay with me - One jump ahead of the storm - You're holding me too tight - Love is a crazy feeling - Safe harbor

Doheny, Ned / Prone (Columbia, 1979) 2 tracks
Guess who's looking for love again - The devil in you

Elliman, Yvonne / Yvonne (RSO, 1979) 3 tracks
Love pains - Greenlight - Rock me slowly

England Dan & John Ford Coley / Dr. Heckle and Mr. Jive (Big Tree, 1979)
No track specific credits; 1 of 5 drummers (also Dan Gorman, E. Greene, R Humphrey, G. Mallaber)
Track list: Hollywood heckle & jive - What can I do with this broken heart - Another golden oldie night for Wendy - Broken hearted me - Children of the half-light - Rolling fever - Love is the answer - Only a matter of time - Caught up in the middle - Runing after you - What's forever for

George, Lowell / Thanks I'll Eat It Here (Warner, 1979) ? tracks
No track specific credits
Track list: What do you want the girl to do - Honest man - Two trains - Can't stand the rain - Cheek to cheek - Easy money - 20 million things - Find a river - Himmler's ring

Gurvitz, Adrian / Sweet Vendetta (Jet, 1979) 4 tracks
The wonder of it all - The way I feel - Free ride - One more time

Hughes, Bill / Dream Master (Epic, 1979) 4 tracks

Jones, Rickie Lee / Rickie Lee Jones (Warner, 1979)

Jordan, Marc / Blue Desert (Warner, 1979) 3 tracks
I'm a camera - From nowhere to this town - Release yourself

Manhattan Transfer / Extensions (Atlantic, 1979) 2 tracks
Birdland (with Ralph Humphrey) - Twilight tone (also bongos & anvil)

Mayall, John / Bottom Line (DJM, 1979) 2 tracks
Celebration - Come with me

Melanie / Photograph (Atlantic, 1979)

O'Day, Alan / Oh Johnny (Pacific, 1979)
1 of 2 drummers

Patton, Robbie / Do You Wanna Tonight (1979) 1 track

Pink Floyd / The Wall (Columbia, 1979) 1 track
Mother :The Wall
Besides Pink Floyd themselves, quite a lot of guest musicians can be heard during the 81 minutes of music. Toto's Jeff Porcaro played drums on Mother because his ride cymbal technique was very different from Nick Mason's. David: 'The timing follows: Mo-ther-do-you-think-they'll-drop-the-bomb? How many beats is that? Nine. It was very, very difficult to get it to work ... You've got to find a way of floating through it, which (drummer) Jeff Porcaro did immediately.'

Scott, Tom / Street Beat (Columbia, 1979) 6 tracks
Street beat - Greed - Come closer, baby - Heading home - Give me your love - The shakedown

Soundtrack (film) / Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (RSO, 1979) ? tracks
No track specific credits; 1 of 3 drummers (also Bernard Purdie, David Dowell)

Streisand, Barbra / Wet (CBS, 1979) 2 tracks
Come rain or come shine - Kiss me in the rain

Marc Tanner Band / No Escape (Elektra, 1979) 2 tracks
Getaway - Lost at love

Toto / Hydra (Columbia, 1979) 8 tracks
Hydra - St. George and the dragon - 99 - Lorraine - All us boys - Mama - White sister - A secret love

Turrentine, Stanley / Betcha (Elektra, 1979) 4 tracks
Betcha - Take me home - Hamlet - Long time gone

Various Artists / Guitar Fusion Special (Alfa, 1979) 3 tracks
These tracks previously appeared on: Omura, Kenji / Kenji Shock (Alfa, 1978)
Yumedono - Left-handed woman - Boston flight

Wet Willie / Which One's Willie? (1979) 2 tracks

Williams, Deniece / When Love Comes Calling (CBS, 1979) 5 tracks
When love comes calling - Why can't we fall in love? - God knows - I found love - Turn around

Williams, Jerry [Lynn] / Gone (Warner, 1979) 5 tracks
Gone - Easy on yourself - Talk to me - Song for my father - Getting stronger

Wolfman Jack / Fun & Romance (1979)

Wood, Lauren / Lauren Wood (Warner, 1979)
1 of 5 drummers

Woods, Ren / Out Of The Woods (1979) 1 track

Wright, Gary / Headin' Home (Warner, 1979) 1 track
Moonbeams

Evans, Linda / You control me (Ariola, 1979) 6 tracks
No track specific credits; only drummer listed; also on percussion
You control me - You got me dreaming - The last goodbye - Don't you need - I've been searching - I can't change it

Twilight Tone (from Extensions, 1979)

1980

Airplay / Airplay (RCA, 1980) 7 tracks
Stranded - Cryin' all night - Nothin' you can do about it - Should we carry on - Bix - She waits for me - After the love has gone

Soundtrack (film) / Urban Cowboy (Asylum, 1980) 1 track?
Look what you've done to me (Boz Scaggs)

Franklin, Aretha / Aretha (Columbia, 1980) 4 tracks
What a fool believes - Come to me - Can't turn you loose - Love me forever

Peter / Bi-coastal (A&M, 1980) 3 tracks
Hit in the heart - Pass this time - When this love affair is over

Farina, Sandy / All Alone In The Night (MCA, 1980)
No track specific credits; 1 of 3 drummers (also Ed Green, Rick Slauser)

Flyer / Flyer (1980)
(same as Send A Little Love My Way?)

Franklin, Rodney / Rodney Franklin (CBS, 1980) 3 tracks
These tracks previous appeared on In The Center (1978)
Life moves on - I like the music make it hot - On the path

Songs from Grimaldi/Zieher Recidive (1980)

Grimaldi-Zeiher / Recidive (RCA, 1980; re-issued Culture Press, 1998) 7 tracks
Sidonie - Derniers moments - Cache-toi - Debout en haut du toit - Recidive - Petit melo dans la tete - La califusa

Gross, Henry / What's In A Name (Capitol, 1980) 1 track

Hall, Lani / Blush (A&M, 1980) 1 track
Wish I would've stayed

Hammond, Albert / Your World And My World (CBS, 1980) 3 tracks

Jackson, LaToya / La Toya Jackson (RCA, 1980) 1 track

Kennedy, Ray / Ray Kennedy (Columbia, 1980) ? tracks
No track specific credits; 1 of 3 drummers (also Rick Shlosser, Mike Baird)
Track list: It never crossed my mind - Isn't it time? - Just for the moment - Can't seem to find the time - My everlasting love - You oughta know by now - Sail on sailor - Starlight - Let me sing you a love letter

Kipner, Steve / Knock the Walls Down (Elektra, 1980) 9 tracks
The beginning - Knock the walls down - Lovemaker - School of broken hearts - War games - Love is its own reward - Cryin' out for love - Guilty

Kunkel, Leah / I Run With Trouble (CBS, 1980) 3 tracks

Okumoto, Ryo / Makin' Rock (SeeSaw, 1980) 7 tracks

Parton, Dolly / Dolly, Dolly, Dolly (RCA, 1980) 10 tracks
Starting over again - Same old fool - Old flames can't hold a candle to you - You're the only one I ever needed - Say goodnight - Fool for your love - Even a fool would let go - Sweet agony - I knew you when - Packin' it up

Ritenour, Lee / The Best (Epic, 1980)

Scaggs, Boz / Middle Man, (CBS, 1980) 6 tracks
Jojo - Simone - You can have me anytime - Middle man - Angel you - You got some imagination

Steely Dan / Gaucho (MCA, 1980) 1 track
Gaucho

Stewart, Al / 24 Carrots (Arista, 1980) ? tracks
No track specific credits; 1 of 5 drummers (also Russell Kunkel, Mark Sanders, Steve Chapman, Beau Segal)
Track list: Running man - Midnight rocks - Constatinople - Merlin's time - Mondo sinistro - Murmansk run - Ellis Island - Rocks in the ocean - Paint by numbers - Optical illusion

The Strand / The Strand (Island, 1980)
Produced 10 tracks, but no playing credits

Takeuchi, Mariya / Miss M (RCA, 1980) 5 tracks
Sweetest music - Every night - Morning glory - Secret love - Heart to heart

Taupin, Bernie / He Who Rides The Tiger (Asylum, 1980)
No track specific credits; 1 of 2 drummers (also Carlos Vega)

Taylor, Livingston / Man's Best Friend (Epic, 1980) 1 track

Toto / Turn Back (Columbia, 1980) 8 tracks
Gift with a golden gun - English eyes - Live for today - A million miles away - Goodbye Elenore - I think I could stand you forever - Turn back - If it's the last night

Triumvirat / Russian Roulette (Harvest, 1980) 11 tracks
Party life - You can't catch me - Come with me - Games - Cooler - The ballad of Rudy Törner - We're rich on what we've got - Twice - Rien ne va plus - Roxy - Russian roulette

1981

Coolidge, Rita / Heartbreak Radio (A&M, 1981) 1 track

Crawford, Randy / Secret Combination (Warner, 1981) 10? tracks
No track specific credits; only drummer listed
You might need somebody - Rainy night in Georgia - That's how heartaches are made - Two lives - You bring the sun out - Rio de Janeiro blue - Secret combination - When I lose my way - Time for love - Trade winds

Dore, Charlie / Listen (Chrysalis, 1981) 10 tracks
Listen - Do me a favor-don't - You should hear (how she talks about you) - Falling - Don't say no - Wise to the lines - I'm over here - Like they do it in America - Sister revenge - Didn't I tell you

999 - My trial Messina, Jim / Messina (Warner, 1981) 9 tracks
Money alone - Sweet love - Break the chain - Child of my dreams - Whispering waters - Lovin' you every minute - Stay the night - It's all right here - Move into your heart

Preston, Billy / The Way I Am (Motown, 1981)
No track specific credits; 1 of 4 drummers (also Rick Schlosser, James Gadson, Ollie E. Brown)

Shot in the Dark / Shot In the Dark (RSO, 1981) ? tracks
No track specific notes; 1 of 3 drummers (also Harry Stinson, Russ Kunkel)
Track list: Playing with lightning - I want the moon - All my life - Turn around - Just as well - Shot in the dark - Make up my mind - Speak my language - Angry song - Some towns

Soundtrack (film) / In Harmony 2 (Columbia, 1981) 1 track

Bee Gees / Living Eyes (RSO, 1981) 3 tracks
Living eyes - Soldiers - Cryin' every day

Bell & James / In Black And White (A&M, 1981) 5 tracks
Love call my name - You've got the power - Gimmie the gun - Runnin' for your life - Don't take the money

Benson, George / The George Benson Collection (Warner, 1981) 1 track
Turn your love around

Big Blue Wrecking Crew: We are the champions/New York, New York [single] (Elektra/EAN/Warner, 1981) 2 tracks?

Brothers Johnson / Winners (A&M, 1981) 8 tracks
Dancin' free - Teaser - Caught up - In the way - I want you - Do it for love - Hot mama - Daydreamer dream

Champlin, Bill / Runaway (Elektra, 1981) 1 track
Without you

Char / U.S.J. (Seesaw, 1981) 6 tracks
Give me some time - Street information - Cry like a baby - Smokey - You can't have me - Nice changes

Coolidge, Rita / Heartbreak Radio (A&M, 1981) 1 track

Four Tops / Tonight (Casablanca, 1981) 9 tracks
No track specific credits; only drummer listed
When she was my girl - Don't walk away - Tonight I'm gonna love you all over - Who's right, who's wrong - Let me set you free - From a distance - Something to remember - All I do - I'll never ever leave again

Frampton, Peter / Breaking All the Rules (A&M, 1981) 9 tracks
No track specific credits; only drummer listed
Dig what I say - I don't wanna let you go - Rise up - Wasting the night away - Going to L. A. - You kill me - Friday on my mind - Lost a part of you - Breaking all the rules

Franklin, Aretha / Love All the Hurt Away (Arista, 1981) 10 tracks
The old songs - Hold on I'm comin' - Living in the streets - There's a star for everone - You can't always get what you want - It's my turn - Truth and honesty - Search on - Whole lot of me - Kind of man

Holland, Amy / On Your Every Word (Capitol, 1981) 3 tracks
Anytime you want me - I'll never give up - Rollin' by

Humperdink, Engelbert / Don't You Love Me Anymore (Columbia, 1981) 7 tracks
Don't you love me anymore? - Stay away - Say goodnight - Maybe this time - Baby me baby - Heart don't fail me now - Till I get it right

Ian, Janis / Restless Eyes (Columbia, 1981) 1 track
Passion play

Jarreau, Al / Breakin' Away (Warner, 1981) 1 track
Breakin' away

Kazu Matsui Project / Time No Longer (RVC, 1981/Kazu, ?) 4 tracks
Overture (Rainy moon) - Sunset and the minstrel - Voice from the dark - Bonfire (Centerdance)

King, Marva / Feels Right (Planet, 1981) 2 tracks
Memories - Feeling Wonderful Feelings

Lake, Greg / Greg Lake & Gary Moore (Chrysalis, 1981)
1 of 4 drummers

Lofgren, Nils (& Grin) / Night Fades Away (MCA, 1981) 2 tracks
Sailor boy - Anytime at all

Magnusson, Jacob / Jack Magnet (1981) ?

Manhattan Transfer / The Best of... (Atlantic, 1981) 1 track?

Ozaki, Ami / Hot Baby (Canyon, 1981) 8 tracks
Love is easy - Karada ni nokoru wine - Cats eye - Kagirinai nikushimi no hate ni - Angela - Prism - Wanderer in love - Serenade

Pages / Pages (EMI, 1981) 3 tracks
You need a hero - Come on home - Automatic

Ritenour, Lee / Rit (Elektra, 1981) 2 tracks
Mr. Briefcase - Good Question

Russell, Brenda / Love Life (A&M, 1981) 8 tracks
Love life - Rainbow - Something I like to do - Lucky - Sensitive man - Deep dark and mysterious - If you love - Thank you

Sager, Carol Bayer / Sometimes Late At Night (Epic, 1981) 6 tracks
I won't break - Tell her - You and me (we wanted it all) - Wild again - Easy to love again - Stronger than before

Soundtrack (film) / Arthur (Warner, 1981) 7 tracks
Arthur's theme (with vocal) - It's only love (with vocal) - Touch (instrumetnal) - It's only love (instrumental) - Money (instrumental) - Moving pictures (instrumental) - Arthur's theme (instrumental)

Suzuki, Yoshiyuki / L.A. Lullaby (Teichiku, 1981) 9 tracks

Vaughan, Sarah / Songs of the Beatles (Atlantic, 1981; re-issued on CD) 12 tracks
Get back - And I love her - Eleanor Rigby - Fool on the hill - You never give me you money - Come together - I want you (She's so heavy) - Blackbird - Something - Here there and everywhere - The long and winding road - Hey Jude

Voudouris, Roger / On the Heels of Love (Boardwalk, 1981) 8 tracks
Heels of love - When two divide - She's too cold - First love - Let her get away - Another sad love song - I can see him (in her eyes) - Outgrowing me

1982

Brothers Johnson / Blast! The Latest and Greatest (A&M, 1982) 1 track

Crawford, Randy / Windsong (Warner, 1982) 11 tracks
Look who's lonely now - I have ev'rything but you - He reminds me - Letter full of tears - This night won't last forever - One hello - Windsong - When I'm gone - Don't come knockin' - I don't want to lose him - We had a love so strong

America / View From the Ground (Capitol, 1982)

Bade, Lisa / Suspicion (A&M, 1982) 1 track

Berger, Michel / Dreams in stone (Atlantic, 1982) 6 tracks
JFK (Overture) - American island - Walking through the big apple - Apple pie - Rooftops - Parade

Bugatti & Musker / The Dukes (Atlantic, 1982; re-issued Warner [Japan], 1999) ? tracks
No track specific credits; 1 of 2 drummers (also John Robinson)
Song list: Mystery girl - Survivor - Thank you for the party - Memories - Excitement of the new - Love dance -- Soul mates - So much in love - Fate - Nite music

Carlton, Larry / Sleepwalk (Warner, 1982) 5 tracks
Blues bird - Song for Katie - Frenchman's flat - Upper Kern - 10:00 P.M.

Crosby, Stills & Nash / Daylight Again (Atlantic, 1982) 1 track
Since I met you

Eye to Eye / Eye To Eye (Warner, 1982) 6 tracks
Hunger pains - Life in motion - Nice girls - Progress ahead - Physical attraction - Time flys

Fagen, Donald / The Nightfly (Warner, 1982) 5 tracks
I.G.Y. - Green Flower Street - Ruby baby - The nightfly - The goodbye look

Ford, Dwayne / Needless Freaking (Epic, 1982) 4 tracks
Lovin' and losin' you - Stranger in paradise - The hurricane - Midnight ride

Goodrum, Randy / Fool's Paradise (Polydor, 1982) 10 tracks
We're so close - One more fool - Savin' it up - Win back your heart - Dues - One step ahead of the bad news - Second chance at love - Fool's paradise - Time to say I'm sorry - Hellbent for Mexico

Gorme, Eydie / Eso Es El Amor (Warner, 1982)

Greg Mathieson Project / Baked Potato Super Live! (CBS/Sony [J], 1982; re-issued Cool Sounds [J], 1989) 7 tracks
Bomp me - Thank you - First time around - Goe - I don't know - I'm home - The spud shuffle
(A different version of Bomp me appeared on the soundtrack of Zapped!)

Hancock, Herbie / Lite Me Up (CBS, 1982) 1 track
Paradise

Henley, Don / I Can't Stand Still (Elektra, 1982) 4 tracks
You better hang up (with Don Henley) - Long way home - Talking to the moon - Dirty Laundry

Imperials / Stand by the power (Day Spring, 1982) ? tracks
No track specific credits; 1 of 2 drummers (also Carlos Vega)
Track list: Stand by the power - Somebody new - Part time servant - This heart - Lord of the harvest - Under his reign - Never get enough of your love - How can you live - All for the asking - Because of who you are

Jackson, Michael / Thriller (Epic, 1982) 4 tracks
The Girl is Mine - Beat it - Human nature - The Lady in my life

Jans, Tom / Champion (Canyon, 1982) 2 tracks

John, Elton / Jump Up (Geffen, 1982) 10 tracks
Dear John - Spiteful child - Ball & chain - Legal boys - I am your robot - Blue eyes - Empty garden (Hey hey Johnny) - Princess - Where have all good times gone - All quiet on the western front

Katsuragi, Yuki / L.A. Spirits (Radio C, 1982) 9 tracks

LaBounty, Bill / Bill LaBounty (Warner, 1982) 4 tracks
Dream on - Comin' back - Look who's lonely now - Nobody's fool

Manchester, Melissa / Hey Ricky (Arista, 1982) 7 tracks
You should hear how she talks about you - Slowly - Hey Ricky (you're a low down heel) - I'll always love you - Race to the end - Come in from the rain - Looking for the perfect ahh

Mizukoshi, Keiko / I'm Fine (Tourus, 1982) 10 tracks

Ritenour, Lee / Rit 2 (Elektra, 1982) 1 track
Voices

Roberts, David / All Dressed Up (Elektra, 1982) 10 tracks
All in the name of love - Too good to last - Someone like you - Boys of autumn - She's still mine (that's my girl) - Wrong side of the tracks - Midnight rendezvous - Anywhere you run to - Never gonna let you go - Another world

Sayer, Leo / World Radio (Warner, 1982) 10 tracks
Heart (stop beating in time) - Paris dies in the morning - Have you ever been in love? - Rumours - Heroes - 'Til you let your heart win - The End of the game - Wondering where the lions are - We've got ourselves in love - World radio

Snow, Tom / Hungry Nights (Arista, 1982) 2 tracks
Straight for the heart - Don't call it love

Sorrenti, Alan / Angeli Di Strada (1982) 1 track
Angeli de strada (maybe I love you)

Soundtrack (film) / Night Shift (1982)

Soundtrack (film) / An Officer And A Gentleman (Island, 1982)

Soundtrack (film) / Zapped! (Regency, 1982) 1 track
Bomp Me
A different version of this title appeared on Baked Potato Super Live! by the Greg Mathieson Project (1982)

Summer, Donna / Donna Summer (Casablanca, 1982) 1 track
Protection

Toto / Toto IV (Columbia, 1982) 10 tracks
Rosanna - Make believe - I won't hold you back - Good for you - It's a feeling - Afraid of love - Lovers in the night - We made it - Waiting for your love - Africa

Ware, Leon / Leon Ware (Elektra, 1982) 6 tracks
Slippin' away - Lost in love with you - Shelter - Can I touch you there - Miracles - Where are they now

Warwick, Dionne / Friends In Love (Arista, 1982) 1 track
What is this

Weaver, Patty / Patty Weaver (Warner, 1982) ? tracks
No track specific credits; 1 of 2 drummers (also Mike Baird)
Track list: One love too late - Somebody's gonna get hurt - Shot in the dark - I wanted it all - Part time man - It's your move - Don't want a heartache - Line of fire - The best is yet to come

Webb, Jimmy / Angel Heart (Columbia, 1982) 10 tracks
Angel heart - God's gift - One of the few - Scissors cut - Work for a dollar - His world - Our movie - Nasty love - In cars - Old wing mouth

Yazawa, Eikichi / P.M. 9 (Warner, 1982) 4 tracks

Zevon, Warren / The Envoy (Asylum, 1982) 5 tracks
The envoy - The overdraft - The hula hula boys (+ Tahitian log drums, pule sticks) - Let nothing come between you - Looking for the next best thing

Alessi Brothers / Long Time Friend (Quest [GB], 1982) 1 track
Still in love

1983

Anka, Paul / Walk A Fine Line (CBS, 1983) 3 tracks
Darlin', darlin' - This is the first time - Golden boy

Benson, George / In Your Eyes (Warner, 1983) 1 track
Lady Love Me (One More Time)

Caldwell, Bobby / August Moon (Polydor, 1983)
No track specific credits; 1 of 3 drummers

Carlton, Larry / Friends (Warner, 1983) 8 tracks
Breaking ground - South Town - Tequila - Blues for T.J. - Song in the 5th grade - Cruisin' - L.A., N.Y. - Friends

Cocker, Joe / I Can Stand a Little Rain (A&M, 1983) 2 tracks
I can stand a little rain - Don't forget me

Crawford, Randy / Nightline (Warner [GB], 1983) 2 tracks
Why - Bottom Line

Crosby, Stills & Nash / Allies (Atlantic, 1983) 2 tracks
War games - Raise a voice (both tracks live)

Cross, Christopher / Another Page (Warner, 1983)
No track specific credits; 1 of 3 drummers (also Steve Gadd, Tommy Taylor)

Crawford, Randy / Nightline (Warner [GB], 1983) 2 tracks
Why - Bottom Line

Henderson, Finis / Finis (Motown, 1983)
No track specific credits; 1 of 3 drummers (also Carlos Vega, J.R. Robinson)

Jarreau, Al / Jarreau (Warner, 1983) 3 tracks
Mornin' - Step by Step - Black and Blues

Kraft, Robert / Retro Active (RCA, 1983) 4 tracks
Single, solo - Just another notch on the bedpost - Heartless - On the west side

Lee, Larry / Cruisin' Down The Lonely Freeway (Columbia, 1983) ?

Manchester, Melissa / Greatest Hits (Arista, 1983) 2 tracks
These tracks previously appeared on Hey Ricky (1982)
You should hear how she talks about you - Come in from the rain

Mancini, Chris / No Strings (Atlantic, 1983) 2 tracks

Manhatten Transfer / Bodies And Souls (Atlantic, 1983) 2 tracks
This Independence - American Pop

McDonald, Country Joe / Child's Play (Rag Baby, 1983) 1 track

McDonald, Michael / If That's What It Takes (Warner, 1982) 3 tracks
I Keep Forgettin' - That's why - No such luck

Melanie / Seventh Wave (Neighborhood [GB], 1983)

Newman, Randy / Trouble in Paradise (Warner, 1983) 10 tracks
I love L.A. - Christmas in Cape Town - The blues - Mikey's - My life is good - Miami - Take me back - There's a party at my house - I'm different - Song for the dead

Rene & Angela / Rise (Capitol, 1983)

Richie, Lionel / Can't Slow Down (Motown, 1983) 1 track
Running with the night

Ross, Diana / Ross (RCA, 1983) 5 tracks
That's how you start over - Love will make it right - You do it - Pieces of ice - Let's go up

Russell, Brenda / Two Eyes (Warner, 1983) 1 track
Hello People (tambourine)

Simon, Paul / Hearts and Bones (Warner, 1983) 1 track
Train in the distance

Soundtrack (film) / Twilight Zone (Warner, 1983)

Soundtrack (film) / Two Of A Kind (MCA, 1983)

Syreeta / The Spell (Tamla, 1983) 3 tracks
Freddie um ready - Once love touches your life - Fall apart

Taff, Russ / Walls Of Glass (Myrrh, 1983) 4 tracks
Walls of glass - Jeremiah - Inside look - Just believe

Temptations / Surface Thrills (Motown, 1983) 2 tracks
One Man Woman - Made In America

Tutone, Tommy / National Emotion (Columbia, 1983) 1 track
National emotion

Various Artists / Guitar Fire! (GRP, 1983)

Walsh, Brock / Dateline: Tokyo (Warner, 1983)

Williams, David / Take The Ball And Run (O.F., 1983) 3 tracks
When your dreams come true - I don't want to say goodbye - She's that lady

Yazawa, Eikichi / I Am A Model (Warner, 1983) 9 tracks

1984

Crane, Stephan / Kicks (MCA, 1984) 2 tracks
Joanne - Kicks

Cocker, Joe / Civilized Man (Capitol, 1984) 4 tracks
Civilized man - There goes my baby (+ electric pencil guitar) - Come on in - Tempted

Crane, Stephan / Kicks (MCA, 1984) 2 tracks
Joanne - Kicks

Donovan / Lady Of The Stars (Allegiance, 1984) 1 track
I love you baby

Fogelberg, Dan / Windows and Walls (Epic, 1984) 1 track
Gone too far

Franke & the knockouts / Makin' The Point (MCA, 1984) 1 tracks
Come rain or shine

Franke & the knockouts / Sweetheart Collection (Razor & Tie, 1999) 1 track
Come rain or shine (Previously on album Makin' The Point, 1984)

Gilmour, David / About Face (CBS, 1984) 10 tracks
Until we sleep - Murder - Love on the air - Blue light - Out of the blue - All lovers are deranged - You know I'm right - Cruise - Let's get metaphysical - Near the end

Howard, Jame Newton / James Newton Howard & Friends (Sheffield Lab, 1984) 8 tracks
Caesar - Gone buttlefishin' - She - L'Daddy - Tandoori - E-minor shuffle - Slippin' away II, Amuseum

Jacksons / Victory (Epic, 1984) 2 tracks
Torture - Wait

Jones, Rickie Lee / Magazine (Warner, 1984) 2 tracks
It must be Love - Magazine

Kawai, Naoko / Daydream Coast (Columbia, 1984) 5 tracks
If you want me - Second nature - Live inside your love - I love it - As long as we're dreaming

Meissner, Stan / Dangerous Games (Polygram [CA], 1984) 1 track
You make it all so easy

Sayer, Leo / Have You Ever Been In Love (Chrysalis, 1984) 2 tracks

Schmit, Timothy B. / Playin' It Cool (Asylum 1984) 3 tracks
Wrong number - Take a good look around you - Tell me what you dream -

Soundtrack (film) / The Color Purple (Qwest) ? 1984

Soundtrack (film) / Give My Regards To Broadstreet (Capitol, 1984) 1 track
Silly love songs (Reprise)

Soundtrack (film) / Dune (Polydor, 1984)

Toto / Isolation (Columbia, 1984) 10 tracks
Carmen - Angel don't cry - Isolation - Stranger in town - Holyanna - Lion - How does it feel - Mr. Friendly - Endless - Change of heart

Various Artists / Official Music of the 23^rd Olympiad (Columbia, 1984) 1 track
Moodido (Toto)

Waybill, Fee / Read My Lips (Capitol, 1984) 1 track
Caribbean sunsets

1985

Atkins, Chet / Stay Tuned (CBS, 1985) 2 tracks
Please stay tuned - The boot and the stone

Clapton, Eric / Behind the sun (Warner, 1985) 2 tracks
See what love can do - Forever man

Gatlin, Larry & the Gatlin Brothers / Smile (CBS, 1985) 7 tracks
One on one - Say - I saved your place - Can't stay away from her fire - Get me into this love, Lord - I'd throw it all away - Indian summer

McDonald, Michael / No Lookin' Back (Warner, 1985) 9 tracks
No lookin' back [not tom solo] - Bad times - (I'll be your) Angel - By heart - Any foolish thing - Our love [cymbals only] - (I hang) On your every word - Lost in the parade [not Simmons] - Don't let me down

Pack, David / Anywhere You Go (Warner, 1985) 1 track
Prove me wrong

Soundtrack (film) / White Nights (Atlantic, 1985)
Prove me wrong (David Pack, from his album Anywhere You Go)

Walsh, Joe / The Confessor (Warner, 1985) 1 of 3 drummers

Warwick, Dionne / Friends (Arista, 1985) 2 tracks
Whisper in the dark - Remember you're heart

1986

Berlin, Jeff / Pump It (Passport, 1986) 1 track
All the greats

Steve Camp / One On One (Sparrow, 1986) 9 tracks
No tracks specific credits; only drummer listed
Foolish things - The other side of the world - Judgement begins with the house of God - One on one - He covers me - Cheap grace - Mr. Brokenhearted - Threshing floor - He's all you need

Cetera, Peter / Solitude/Solitaire (Warner, 1986)
No track specific credits; 1 of 1 percussion

Mendes, Sergio / Brasil 86 (A&M, 1986) 5 tracks
Daylight - Take this love - The river (O Rio) - Flower of Bahia (Flor da Bahia) - No place to hide

Moyet, Alison / Raindancing (Epic, 1986)

Oda, Kazumasa / K. Oda (Fun House, 1986) 8 tracks
Let me listen to the love - Two of us in winter - Stay the sadness - 1985 - Nights fade away - Believe me - See you in the sea tomorrow - This sky is too high

Parr, John / Running the Endless Mile (Atlantic, 1986) 1 track
Don't leave your mark on me

Toto / Fahrenheit (Columbia, 1986) 10 tracks
Till the end - We can make it tonight - Without your love - Can't stand it any longer - I'll be over you - Fahrenheit - Somewhere tonight - Could this be love - Lea - Don't stop me now

Twenty Mondays / The Twist Inside (Spindletop, 1986)

Various Artists / Hands Across America [single] (EMI, 1986) 1 track

Various Artists / Atlantic Jazz: Singers (Atlantic, 1986?) 1 track only?
Something (Sarah Vaughan, from her album Songs of the Beatles)

1987

Karizma / Dreams Come True (Vap, 1987) 1 track
Blues for Ronnie (with Carlos Vega)

Alpert, Herb / Keep Your Eyes On Me (A&M, 1987) 2 tracks
Cat man do - Rocket to the moon

Benoit, David / Freedom At Midnight (GRP, 1987) 5 tracks
Freedom at midnight - Along the Milky Way - The man with the Panama hat - Passion walk

DeVille, Willy / Miracle (A&M, 1987) 2 tracks
Could you would you - Miracle

Earth, Wind & Fire / Touch The World (Sony, 1987) 2 tracks
You and I - Every now and then

Hamada, Mari /In The Precious Age (Victor, 1987) 2 tracks

Fra Lippo Lippi / Light And Shade (Virgin, 1987) 3 tracks
Home - Light and Shade - Crazy Wisdom

Hodgson, Roger / Hai-Hai (A&M, 1987) 5 tracks
My magazine - London - You make me love you - Who's afraid? - House on the corner

Off Course / As Close As Possible (Fun House, 1987) 1 track
Love everlasting

Parker, Ray Jr. / After Dark (Geffen, 1987) 1 track

Taff, Russ / Russ Taff (Word, 1987) 1 track
I still believe (Hi-hat only)

1988

Ford, Robben / Talk To Your Daughter (Warner, 1988) 1 track
I got over it

Anderson, Jon / In the City of Angels (Columbia, 1988) 3 tracks
If it wasn't for love - Is it me - Top of the world (The glass bead game)

Asakura, Miki / Su Te Ki (King [J], 1988) 3 tracks
Find a new way - True love - Fall in love

Austin, Patti / The Real Me (Qwest, 1988) 2 tracks
Lazy afternoon - True love

Blakeley, Peter / Harry's Cafe De Wheels (Capitol, 1989) ? tracks
No track specific credits; 1 of 5 drummers (also Jim Keltner, Russell Kunkel, John Robinson, Carlos Vega)--Blessing, The / Prince of the Deep Water (MCA, 1991) ? tracks
No tracks specific credits
Track list: Highway - Flames - Hurricane-room - Baby - Let's make love - Back from Managua - I want you - Delta rain - Birdhouse - Denial - Prince of the deep water

Carlton, Larry / Collection (GRP, 1988)

Feinstein, Michael / Isn't It Romantic (Asylum, 1988) ?

Guitar Workshop / Guitar Workshop in L.A. (JVC, 1988) 4 tracks
Take it all - Donna - Bawls - Bull funk

Love and Money / Strange Kind of Love (Polygram, 1988) 11 tracks
Halleluiah man - Shape of things to come - Strange kind of love - Axis of love - Jocelyn Square - Walk the last mile - Razors edge - Inflammable - Up escalator - Avalanche - Scapegoat

Medeiros, Glenn / Not Me (MCA, 1988) 2 tracks
Someday love - Fallin'

Nakamura, Masatoshi / Across The Universe (N.Columbia, 1988) 8 tracks

Neville, Ivan / If My Ancestors Could See Me Now (Polygram, 1988) 9 tracks
Sun - Primitive man (Latin perc.) - Not just another girl - Falling out of love - Out in the streets - Never should have told me - Up to you - Another day's gone by - After all that time

Newman, Randy / Land of Dreams (Reprise, 1988) ? tracks
For these 4 tracks 1 of 2 drummers (also John Robinson)
Four eyes - Something special - Red bandana - I want you to hurt like I do

Scaggs, Boz / Other Roads (CBS, 1988) 6 tracks
What's number one - Right out of my head - I don't hear you - Mental shakedown - Crimes of passion - Cool running - The night of Van Gogh

Soundtrack (film) / Off Limits (1988)

Soundtrack (film) / Sing (Columbia, 1988) 1 track
Romance (Love Theme From "Sing") (Paul Carrack & Terri Nunn)

Spence, Judson / Judson Spence (Atlantic, 1988) 3 tracks
Attitude - Dance with me - Take your time (bonus track on CD)

Streisand, Barbra / Til I Loved You (Columbia, 1988) 1 track
Some good things never last

Toto / The Seventh One (Columbia, 1988) 11 tracks
Pamela - You got me - Anna - Stop loving you - Mushanga - Stay away - Straight for the heart - Only the children - A thousand years - These chains - Home of the brave

1989

Various Artists / Great Moments In Jazz (Atlantic, 1989) 1 track only?
Birdland (Manhattan Transfer)

Anka, Paul / Somebody Loves You (Polydor [Ger], 1989) 10 tracks
Somebody loves you - You and I - A steel guitar and a glass of wine - Let me try again - Can we - This is when we fall in love again - Turning my mind - The lady was - Never gonna lose you - Stay with me

Anri / Circuit of Rainbow (ForLife, 1989) ?

Carlton, Larry /Christmas at My House (MCA, 1989) 3 tracks
Silent night/It came upon a midnight clear - My favorite things/We three kings of Orient are - The Christmas song

Charts / Notre Monde A Nous (Klaxon [FR], 1989) 5 tracks
Comme un magicien - Insomnic - Impazzire - Aime moi encore - Terre

Choir, Yves / By Prescription Only (New Musidisc, 1989) 6 tracks
Mad about town - After the rain - DB - Bianca - By prescription only - Morocco Junction

Cole, Natalie / Good To Be Back (EMI, 1989) 3 tracks
Miss you like crazy - Gonna make you mine - Starting over again

Conte, Luis / Black Forest (Denon, 1989) 3 tracks
Do the shrimp - Working in the coal mine - Black Forest

Curiosity Killed the Cat / Getahead (Phonogram, 1989) 3 tracks
Cascade - Trees don't grow on money - Who are you

Dr. John / In a Sentimental Mood (Warner, 1989) 4 tracks
My buddy - In a sentimental mood - Don't let the sun catch you cryin' - More than you know

Gable, Bill / There Were Signs (BMG, 1989) 2 tracks
Go ahead & run (hi hat, surdo) - High trapeze (also Jerry Marotta on both)

Guitar Workshop / Tribute to Otis Redding (JVC, 1989) 2 tracks
I can't turn you loose - A tribute to a king

Henley, Don / End of the Innocence (Geffen, 1989) 1 track
New York minute

Hester, Benny / Perfect (Frontline, 1989) 10 tracks
Headlights on the highway - Before you know it - If you die before you die - Perfect - Hungry world - You weren't meant to live your life alone - Two good reasons - This one's for keeping - Passion, possession, position - Shall we gather at the river

Iijima, Mari / My Heart In Red (Alfa Moon, 1989) 4 tracks
Still - Send love to me - Boyfriend - Believe in love

Ingram, James / It's Real (Warner, 1989) 1 track
Love 1 day at a time

Kershaw, Nik / The Works (MCA, 1989) 1 track
Walkabout

Kurozumi, Kengo / Pillow Talk (Sony, 1989) 3 tracks
Kanojyo wa warukunai - Pillow talk - You & me

L.A. Workshop with New Yorker / Norwegian Wood II (Denon, 1989) 5 tracks
Sgt. Pepper's Lonly Hearts Club Band - Eleanor Rigby - Norwegian wood (this bird has flown) - This boy - Roll over Beethoven

LaBelle, Patti / Be Yourself (MCA, 1989) 1 track
Need a little faith

Liaison / Liaison (Frontline, 1989) 9 tracks
When the kingdom comes down - You are his main concern - Go and sin no more - Man with a mission - The way, the truth, and life - Kick it down - The light is on - He lives - Give me one day at a time

Lukather, Steve / Lukather (CBS, 1989) 2 tracks
Drive a crooked road - Steppin' on top of your world

Madonna / Like A Prayer (Sire, 1989)
1 of 3 drummers (also Robinson, Moffett)

Mardones, Benny / Benny Mardones (Curb, 1989) 5 tracks
I never really loved you at all - For a little ride - How could you love me - Never far away - Run to you

Marlo, Clair / Let It Go (Sheffield Lab, 1989) 6 tracks
Til they take my heart away - Lonely nights - Let it go - All for the feeling - I believe (when I fall in love it will be forever) - Where you are

McDonald, Country Joe / Classics (Fantasy, 1989) 4 tracks?
Coyote - Space Patrol - U.F.O. - Get it together

Mendes, Sergio / Arara (A&M, 1989) 1 track
Some morning

Miguel, Luis / Busca una Mujer (WEA, 1989) 5 tracks
Esa Nina - Separados - Por favor senora - Pupilas de gato - Soy un perderdor

Nougaro / Pacifique (1989) 2 tracks
Pacifique - Kine

Pacific Winds / Pacific Coast Highway (Interface[JP], 1989)
No track specific credits; 1 of 2 drummers (also Mike Baird)
Track list: Ventura highway - Georgy porgy - Do it again - China grove - I can't tell you why - California dreamin' - Ride like the wind - Fresh air - Dance with me - Close to you

Poco / Legacy (RCA, 1989)

Pointer, June / June Pointer (Columbia, 1989) 3 tracks
Why can't we be together - Put your dreams where your heart is - Love calling

Saunders, Fernando / Cashmere Dreams (Grudge, 1989) 2 tracks
Love is blind - Let's talk about it

Shepard, Vonda / Vonda Shepard (Reprise, 1989) 2 tracks
Hold out - Baby don't you break my heart slow

Soundtrack (film) / Black Rain (1989) 1 track
I'll be holding on (Greg Allman)

Soundtrack (film) / Rock, Rhythm & Blues (1989) 2 tracks

Taylor, James "J.T" / Master Of The Game (MCA, 1989) 1 track
Master of the game (only track featuring a live drummer)

Various Artists / JVC World Class Sampler, vol. 2 (JVC, 1989)

Watanabe, Misato / Flower Bed (Sony, 1989) 1 track
Pineapple romance

Watanabe, Sadao / Front Seat (Warner, 1989) 4 tracks
Only in my mind - Miles apart - Any other fool - Takin' time

Weisberg, Tim / Outrageous Temptations (Cypress, 1989) 3 tracks
Outrageous temptations - Promise me - Margarita

Russell, Brenda / Kiss Me With The Wind (A&M, 1990) 2 tracks
Justice in truth - On your side

1990

Alston, Gerald / Open Invitation (Motown, 1990) 4 tracks
I'll go crazy - Never give up - Tell me this night won't end - Still in love

Austin, Patti / Love is Gonna Getcha (GRP, 1990) 1 track
The Girl who used to be me (This track doesn't appear on the LP.)

Branigan, Laura / Laura Branigan (Atlantic, 1990) 1 track
Let me in

Cher / Love Hurts (Geffen, 1990) 7 tracks

Cole, Jude / A View From 3rd Street (Reprise, 1990) 1 track
Compared to nothing

Cummings, Burton / Plus Signs (Capitol, 1990) 10 tracks
Permissible to cry - Friend of inertia - Take one away - Cerebral world - I'd love to talk - The rock's steady - One day soon - Bridge in time - Boring dreams - Fire

Dion, Celine / Unison (Epic, 1990) 1 track
Have a heart

Duncan, Bryan / Anonymous Confessions Of A Lunatic Friend (Myrrh, 1990) 10 tracks
Sunday go to meetin' - Ain't no stoppin' now - Leave your light on (hopeless moon) - We all need - Lunatic friend - All is forgiven - Puttin' in the good word - Walkin' - Mr. Bailey's daughter - Blessed are the tears

Elias, Jonathan / Requiem For The Americas (Enigma, 1990) 1 track

Fields, Brandon / Other Places (Nova, 1990) 3 tracks
Undercover - Gina - Know how

Getz, Stan / Apasionado (A&M, 1990) 8 tracks
Apasionado - Coba - Waltz for Stan - Espanola - Madrugada - Amorous cat - Midnight ride - Lonely lady

Gianco, Ricky / E' rock'n'roll (Fonit Cetra [IT], 1990) 13 tracks
La camicia blu - Il cane di stoffa - Due ombre lunghe - E’ rock’n’roll - Una fetta di limone - Genevieve - Precipito - Il ribelle - Rock della solitudine - Sei rimasta sola - Teddy girl - Te ne vai - Vorrei sapere perchè

Harris, Hugh / Words For Our Years (Capitol, 1990) 2 tracks
Love kicks - Rhythm of life
Credit on first track reads Jeff "Drums is drums" Porcaro

Hathaway, Lalah / Lalah Hathaway (Virgin, 1990) 1 track
Somethin'

Hewett, Howard / Howard Hewett (Elektra, 1990) 1 track
If I could only have that day back

Horn, Jim / Work it out (Warner, 1990) 2 tracks
My reggae love - Rio sunrise

Iglesias, Julio / Starry Night (Columbia, 1990)

Kante, Mory / Touma (Mercury, 1990) 3 tracks
Kroughegne - Mankene - Faden

Lasley, David / Soldiers On the Moon (Agenda, 1990) 9 tracks
It's too late - Soldiers on the moon - Audrey - You bring me joy - Give my heart back to me - Without the one you love - Roslyn - Since I fell for you - God bless the child

Madonna / I'm Breathless (Sire, 1990) 4 tracks
On cover: Music from and inspired by the film Dick Tracy
He's a man - Hanky panky - Cry baby - Something to remember

McDonald, Michael / Take It To Heart (Reprise, 1990) 7 tracks
Love can break your heart - Lonely talk - Searchin' for understanding - Homeboy - No amount of reason - One step away - You show me

Meyers, Bill / The Color Of The Truth (Agenda, 1990) 4 tracks
I'm still standing - Perfect crime - Just say the word - Say what you mean

Moore, Sally / Sally Moore (Curb, 1990) 3 tracks
My heart has a mind of its own - What are you waiting for - Love is a step away

Patti, Sandi / Another Time...Another Place (Word/A&M, 1990) 11 tracks
Unto us (Isaiah 9) - Another time, another place - I will rejoice - Unexpected friends - I'll give you peace - For all the world - Rejoice - Willing to wait - I lift my hands - Who will call him king of kings - O Calvary's lamb

Remmler, Emily / This Is Me (Justice, 1990) 2 tracks
Deep in a trance - Love colors

Schmit, Timothy B. / Tell Me The Truth (MCA, 1990) 1 track
Something sad

Soundtrack (film) / Last Temptation of Elvis (1990) 1 track
Viva Las Vegas (Bruce Springsteen)

Toto / Past To Present, 1977-1990 13 tracks
All appeared on previous albums except those marked*
*Love has the power - Africa - Hold the line - *Out of love - Georgy Porgy - I'll be over you - *Can you hear what I'm saying - Rosanna - I won't hold you back - Stop loving you - 99 - Pamela - *Animal

Triplets / Thicker Than Water (Mercury, 1990) 6 tracks
Dancing in the shadows - Light a candle - So hard - Spanish surrender - Where were you when I needed you - Reminds me of you

Wandelmer, Emile / Lover Cafe (WEA, 1990) 6 tracks
Lovers cafe - Nora - Charlie - Vends pas ton blues - Dame - Seul

Yamamoto, Tatsuhiko / Next (Alfa, 1990) 6 tracks
Swinging in the rain - Phoenix islands - Rain and pain - Heroine with no name - 2 Japanese titles

1991

Bel-Air / Turquoise Blue (1991) 1 track
Salvia flower

Benoit, David / Shadows (GRP, 1991) 5 tracks
Shadows - Saudade - Already there - Castles - Have you forgotten

Bolton, Michael / Time, Love & Tenderness (Columbia, 1991) 1 track
When a man loves a woman

Brady, Paul / Trick or Treat (Fontana, 1991) 10? tracks
Only drummer listed, but Brady listed for drum programming
Soul child - Blue world - Nobody knows - Can't stop wanting you - You and I - Trick or treat - Don't keep pretending - Solid love - Love goes on - Dreams will come

Carter, Raymone / Raymone Carter (Reprise, 1991) 1 track
I'll always be around

Clooney, Rosemary / Girl Singer (Concord Jazz, 1991)

Cross, Christopher / Rendevous (Polystar [Japan], 1991) 2 tracks
Rendezvous - Is there something

Dire Straits / On Every Street (Warner, 1991)
No track specific credits; 1 of 2 drummers (also Manu Katche); known to be on*)
Track list: *Calling Elvis - On every street - When it comes to you - Fade to black - The bug - You and your friend - Heavy fuel - Iron hand - Ticket to heaven - *My parties - Planet of New Orleans - How long

Grimaldi, Bernard / Toute Ressemblance Avec Des Personnes... (Antenna, 1991) 5 tracks

Jackson, Michael / Dangerous (Epic, 1991) 1 track Heal the world

Kapono, Henry / Same World (Browntown Records,1991) 4 tracks
Insy'a (percussion) - All because I love you - Papaya blues - The hero

Manhattan Transfer / The Offbeat of Avenues (Columbia, 1991) 1 track
Confide in me

Marx, Richard / Rush Street (Capitol, 1991) 4 tracks
Hand in your pocket - Calling you - Superstar - Chains around my heart

NewSong / Living Proof (DaySpring/Word, 1991) ? tracks
No track specific credits; only drummer listed but others on drum programming.
Jeff also credited for "miscellaneous percussion and extraneous noise".
Track list: Living proof - How will they know - Wholehearted - Turn it around - Only the hands - Fight back - Bellwether - Tug o'war - One heart at a time - When everything else is gone

O'Kane, John / Solid (Charisma, 1991) 4 track
Second time around - Move away - Solid ground - Love cars

Or-N-More / Or-N-More (EMI, 1991) 4 tracks
Only 2 hearts - Half a heart - Sail on - I need someone to talk to

Perry, Phil / The Heart of the Man (Manhattan, 1991) 1 track
Good-bye

Raitt, Bonnie / Luck of the draw (Capitol, 1991) 1 track
Luck of the draw

Schascle / Haunted By Real Life (Reprise, 1991) 4 tracks
Restless sun - Haunted by real life - Freedom - Hold me

Shiratori, Emiko / Hello (King, 1991) 2 tracks
Close your eyes - Hello

Soundtrack (film) / Dying Young (Arista, 1991)

Soundtrack (film) / For The Boys (Atlantic, 1991) 1 track
Every road leads back to you (Bette Midler)

Steely Dan / Gold (Expanded version) (MCA, 1991) 3 tracks
Chain lightning - FM - Bodhisattva (Live)[with Jim Hodder]

Stewart, Rod / Vagabond Heart (Warner, 1991) 1 track
The Motown song

Stigers, Curtis / Curtis Stigers (Arista, 1991) 4 tracks
Sleeping with the lights on - The man you're gonna fall in love with - I keep telling myself - The last time I said goodbye

Temptations / Milestone (1991) 1 track

Watanabe, Sadao / Vocal Collection (Elektra, 1991) 2 tracks

Williams, David / Somethin' Special (1991) 1 track
Tell the world

Zevon, Warren / Mr. Bad Example (Giant, 1991) 9 tracks
Finishing touches - Suzie Lightning - Model citizen - Angel dressed in black - Mr. Bad Example - Renegade - Heartache spoken here - Quite ugly one morning - Searching for a heart

1992

Goodrum, Randy / Collection (Westcoast, 1995) 1 track
Touch (previously appeared on An Exhibition, 1992)

Los Lobotomys / Los Lobotomys (Maxus, 1992; originally Creatchy, 1989) 7 tracks
Oozer - Purple haze (truncated) - Big bone - Jorainbo - Lobotomy stew - Little wing - All blues

Richie, Lionel / Back To Front (Motown, 1992) 1 track
Running with the night (Previously appeared on Can't Slow Down)

Nakajima, Fumiaki / Girl Like You (Hoshizora, 1992) 2 tracks

Shepard, Vonda / The Radical Light (Reprise, 1992) 3 tracks
Searchin' my soul - 100 tears away - Wake up the house

Silveira, Ricardo / Small world (Verve, 1992) 2 tracks
Small world - Haven't we met

Sing Like Talking / Reunion (Fun House, 1992) 1 track
Stay gold (live)

Orbison, Roy / King of Hearts (Virgin, 1992) 1 track
We'll take the night

Soundtrack (film) / Glengarry Glen Ross (Elektra, 1992) 6 tracks
Main title - You met my wife - The plot - In the car - Don't sell to doctors - The Nyborgs

Soundtrack (film) / Grand Canyon (RCA, 1992)

Soundtrack (film) / Hudson Hawk (Varese Saraband, 1992) 2 tracks
Hudson Hawk theme - Hawk swing?

Soundtrack (film) / Love Potion No. 9 (1992)

Springsteen, Bruce / Human Touch (Columbia, 1992) 12 tracks
Human touch - Soul drive - 57 channels (and nothin' on) - Cross my heart - Gloria's eyes - Roll of the dice - Real world - All or nothin' at all - Man's job - I wish I were blind - The long goodbye - Real man

10cc / Meanwhile (Polydor, 1992) 10 tracks
Woman in love - Wonderland - Fill her up - Something special - Welcome to paradise - The stars didn't show - Green eyed monster - Charity begins at home - Shine a light in the dark - Don't break the promises

Toto / Kingdom of Desire (Relativity, 1992) 12 tracks
Gypsy train - Don't chain my heart - Never enough - How many times - 2 hearts - Wings of time - She knows the devil - The other side - Only you - Kick down the walls - Kingdom of desire - Jake to the bone

Watanabe, Misato / Hello Lovers (Sony, 1992) 2 tracks
Lovin' you - Japanese title

Waters, Roger / Amused To Death (Columbia, 1992) 1 track
It's a miracle

Frampton, Peter / Shine On: A Collection (A&M, 1992)

Crowell, Rodney / Live Is Messy (Columbia, 1992) 1 track
It's not for me to judge

Goodrum, Randy / An Exhibition (Polydor, 1992) 4 tracks

Kawauchi, Junichi / Juice (Fun House, 1992) 9 tracks
Kimi no ude ni dakaretai - Save our love - Virgin smile no kimi - White venus - You're the only one - Rainy weekend - Studio-A no yuujin - Todokanu omoi (Lovesick blues) - Murderess

Matsuda, Hiroyuki / Two Of Us (Tokuma, 1992) 2 tracks

Mendes, Sergio / Brasileiro (Elektra, 1992) 5 tracks
Indiado - Lua Soberana - Senhoras do Amazonas (perc) - Kalimba - Barabare

Go West / Indian Summer (EMI, 1992) 2 tracks
Faithful - The Sun and the moon

B-52s / Good Stuff (A&M, 1992) 3 tracks
Hot pants explosion - Breezin' - Bad influence --

Beck, Robin / Human Instinct (DSB, 1992) 4 tracks
Love yourself - Every little thing - Bad on love - Changing with the years

Cole, Jude / Start the Car (Reprise, 1992) 2 tracks
Open road - Tell the truth

1993

Charles, Ray / My World (Warner, 1993) 2 tracks
If I could - Still crazy after all these years

Cavaliere, Felix / Dreams in Motion (Karambolage, 1994) 3 tracks
Stay in love - Me for you - Youngblood

Crosby, David / Thousand Roads (Atlantic, 1993) 2 tracks
Through your hand - Helpless heart

Steely Dan / Citizen Steely Dan (MCA, 1993)

Scialfa, Patti / Rumble doll (Columbia, 1993) 2 tracks
Come tomorrow - Talk to me like the rain

Moore, Patsy / Regarding the Human Condition (Warner, 1993) 6 tracks
These loving eyes /- A city on a hill - Lies (that I have known) - Shooting the breeze - With regard - The pilgrim song

Hill, Warren / Devotion (RCA, 1993) 1 track
Another goodbye

Young, Paul / The Crossing (Columbia, 1993) 6 tracks
Hope in a hopeless world - Won't look back - Only game in town - Love has no pride - Half a step away - Follow on

Dr. John / Mos' Scocious: The Dr. John Anthology (Rhino, 1993)

Anri / 16th Summer Breeze (1994) 1 track

1994

Hungate, David / Souvenir (CBS, 1990; re-issued Clubhouse, 1994) 7 tracks
Lament - Souvenir - Dreamland - Only a heart can know - Third stone from the sun - A perfect love - The leap

Cummings, Burton / The Burton Cummings Collection (Rhino, 1994)

Dudek, Les / Deeper Shades of Blue (Geosynchronous, 1994) 9 tracks
Leavin' my blues behind - Love with you - Strange love - Assault and battery - Your love - Maybe forever - Come back to me - Moulin Rouge - You make me ill

Kleinow, "Sneaky Pete" / The Legend & the Legacy (Shiloh, 1994) 2 tracks
Louisiana - Silverbird

Marx, Richard / Paid Vacation (Capitol, 1994) 1 track

Patti, Sandi / Find It On The Wings (1994) 1 track

1995

Clark, Gene / This Bird Has Flown (1995) 1 track

Denander, Tommy / Less Is More Part one (Local Dealer, 1995) 1 track

Denander, Tommy / Limited Access (Noble House, 1997) 2 track
The first title appeared previously on Less Is More Part One (1995)
5492 - Remember my conscience

Elliman, Yvonne / Best of Yvonne Elliman (Polydor, 1995)

Anri / Opus 21 (1995) 1 track

1996

Hawkins, George Jr. / Every Dog Has It's Day (1996) 1 track
Every dog [sample]

Humperdinck, Engelbert / 16 Most Requested Songs (Columbia, 1996) 3 tracks?

Richie, Lionel / Louder Than Words (Motown, 1996) 1 track
Climbing

Williams, Joseph / I Am Alive (Kitty (J), 1996) 1 track
I am alive

1998

Berlin, Jeff / Crossroads (Denon, 1998) 1 track?