Figlio del percussionista Joe Porcaro di origini italiane, Jeffrey Thomas nacque ad Hartford, nel Connecticut, il 1º aprile 1954. Iniziò a suonare la batteria prima ancora di aver compiuto sette anni; un appuntamento fisso per lui, e per i suoi fratelli, era quello che si teneva ogni fine settimana nel negozio di strumenti musicali in cui il capofamiglia dava lezioni in privato. Nel 1968 la famiglia Porcaro si trasferì a Los Angeles nella San Fernando Valley, per permettere al padre Joe di lavorare con maggiore assiduità negli studi di registrazione. Oltre a studiare con il padre, Jeff studiò anche con i percussionisti Bob Zimmit e Richard Lapore. I suoi primi modelli sono, a parte il padre, Buddy Rich, Art Blakey, John Bonham e Keith Moon. La sua prima batteria è una batteria Slingerland Champagne Sparkle regalategli dal padre. Dopo le prime esperienze con i gruppi della zona, a quattordici anni fonda insieme ad alcuni suoi amici la rock e band Rural Still Life; con lui anche i futuri componenti dei Toto, David Paich e David Hungate.

Nel 1972 ottenne l'ingaggio con i musicisti della band di Jack Daugherty per accompagnare gli show estivi di Sonny & Cher, abbandonando così gli studi. Sul finire del 1973 entrò negli Steely Dan. Una carriera in forte accelerazione, con il telefono che squilla sempre più frequentemente e turni in sala di registrazione destinati a scalare le classifiche. Dopo il primo tour con gli Steely Dan nel 1975, a soli 21 anni, registra uno dei capolavori della sua sterminata discografia, Katy Lied. Ciò gli spalancó definitivamente le porte dell'industria musicale. Nel 1976 entrò nell'ensemble di Boz Scaggs, insieme a David Paich, David Hungate e Steve Lukather. Da qui nacque l'idea da parte di questi turnisti di fondare un complesso ex novo: i Toto; a questi ultimi si unirono il cantante Bobby Kimball e il tastierista Steve Porcaro, fratello di Jeff.

 LA CARRIERA CON I TOTO

Nel 1978 avvenne il loro debutto discografico omonimo che contiene hit quali Hold the Line che vendette 2 milioni di copie in tutto il mondo. Jeff proseguì l'attività con i Toto registrando 7 album sia in studio che dal vivo fino al 1992, anno della sua scomparsa.

 LA MORTE

Il pomeriggio del 5 agosto 1992 Porcaro era intento a spruzzare un pesticida nel giardino di casa sua a Hidden Hills, Los Angeles, California, assieme ai figli, quando improvvisamente cadde a terra privo di sensi. Fu immediatamente trasportato in ospedale ma non c'era più niente da fare. Prima ancora che i risultati dell'autopsia venissero pubblicati, fu diffusa una falsa voce riportante come causa della morte l'abuso di cocaina,^[1] voce che venne smentita dal chitarrista dei Toto, Steve Lukather. Porcaro morì a causa di un infarto dovuto all'indurimento delle arterie e causato dall'uso di cocaina (nonostante fosse pulito da anni), e dal fatto che fosse un accanito fumatore. Inoltre la cattiva circolazione arteriosa, che lo affliggeva da tempo, è stata per lo più la vera causa della sua morte, come lo era stata di altri due componenti della sua famiglia. Al suo funerale partecipò lo Star-Business musicale di Los Angeles e New York, ed in suo onore vennero realizzati alcuni album su CD contenenti tributi musicali a lui dedicati. Riposa nel Forest Lawn Memorial Park di Glendale.

 COLLABORAZIONI

Oltre a suonare nei dischi della sua band, Jeff Porcaro ha potuto vantare centinaia di collaborazioni in dischi di artisti famosi, che lo hanno portato ad essere considerato uno dei migliori e più pagati musicisti della West Coast. Tra gli artisti con cui collaborò possiamo citare i nomi di Elton John, Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Dire Straits, Michael McDonald, Bruce Springsteen, Tommy Bolin, Madonna, Paul Young, Bee Gees, Christopher Cross, George Benson, Al Jarreau, Earth, Wind & Fire, Donald Fagen, Céline Dion, Eric Clapton, Cher, Ray Parker Jr., e molti altri. Lo stile del batterista di Los Angeles lo portò a spaziare in diversi generi musicali dal rock, pop, r&b al jazz. L'uso particolare di hi-hat, ghost-notes ed il gusto musicale gli valsero il nome di "Mister Shuffle".

 CON I TOTO

• Toto (1978)
• Hydra (1979)
• Turn Back (1981)
• Toto IV (1982)
• Isolation (1984)
• Dune [original soundtrack] (1984)
• Olympic Games 1984 (soundtrack) [original soundtrack] (1984)
• Fahrenheit (1986)
• The Seventh One (1988)
• Past to Present 1977 - 1990 (1990)
• Kingdom of Desire (1992, released posthumously and dedicated to Jeff's memory)
• Toto XX (1998)
• Greatest Hits Live...and More (DVD with behind the scenes footage and interviews)
• Old Is New (2018)

 ALTRI ARTISTI

• Seals & Crofts – Diamond Girl (1973), Unborn Child (1974), Get Closer (1976)
• Les Dudek - Les Dudek (1976)
• Joe Cocker – I Can Stand a Little Rain (1974), Civilized Man (1984)
• Steely Dan – Pretzel Logic (1974) – "Night by Night", "Parker's Band", Katy Lied (1975), "FM (No Static at All)" (1978), Gaucho (1980) – "Gaucho"
• Tommy Bolin – Teaser (1975) – "The Grind", "Homeward Strut", "Dreamer", "Teaser"
• Jackson Browne – The Pretender (1976)
• Leo Sayer – Endless Flight (1976) – "When I Need You", Thunder in My Heart (1977), Leo Sayer (1978), World Radio (1982), Have You Ever Been in Love (1983)
• Boz Scaggs – Silk Degrees (1976), Down Two Then Left (1977), Middle Man (1980), "Look What You've Done to Me" (1980), "Miss Sun" (1980), Other Roads (1988)
• John Sebastian – Welcome Back (1976)
• Carly Simon – "Nobody Does It Better" (1977)
• Eric Carmen – Boats Against the Current (1977) – "She Did It"
• Valerie Carter – Just a Stone's Throw Away (1977), Wild Child (1978)
• Lisa Dal Bello – Lisa Dal Bello (1977)
• Hall & Oates – Beauty on a Back Street (1977)
• Diana Ross – Baby It's Me (1977), Ross (1983)
• Colin Blunstone – Never Even Thought (1978)
• Larry Carlton – Larry Carlton (1978), Sleepwalk (1981), Friends (1983)
• Allen Toussaint – Motion (1978)
• Dave Mason – Mariposa De Oro (1978) – "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow"
• Warren Zevon – Excitable Boy (1978) – "Nighttime in the Switching Yard", Mr. Bad Example (1991)
• Ruben Blades – Nothing but the Truth (1988)
• Bim – Thistles (1978)
• Jerry Williams – Gone (1978)
• Rickie Lee Jones – Rickie Lee Jones (1979), The Magazine (1984)
• Janne Schaffer – Earmeal (1979)
• Lowell George – Thanks, I'll Eat It Here (1979)
• Flyer – Send a Little Love My Way (1979)
• Pink Floyd – The Wall (1979) – "Mother"
• Aretha Franklin – Aretha (1980), Love All the Hurt Away (1981)
• Mariya Takeuchi – Miss M (1980)
• Peter Frampton – Breaking All the Rules (1981)
• Bee Gees – Living Eyes (1981)
• Char – U.S.J (1981)
• Christopher Cross – "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" (1981), Another Page (1983), Rendezvous (1992)
• Randy Crawford – Secret Combination (1981), Windsong (1982), Nightline (1983)
• Al Jarreau – Breakin' Away (1981) – "Breakin' Away", Jarreau (1983) – "Mornin'", "Step by Step", "Black and Blues"
• Amii Ozaki – Hot Baby (1981)
• Greg Lake – Greg Lake (1981)
• Crosby, Stills & Nash – Daylight Again (1982), Allies (1983)
• Eye to Eye – Eye to Eye (1982)
• Michael Jackson – Thriller (1982) – "The Girl is Mine", "Beat It", "Human Nature", "The Lady in My Life", Dangerous (1991) – "Heal the World"
• Donna Summer – Donna Summer (1982) – "Protection"
• Elton John – Jump Up! (1982)
• Melissa Manchester – Hey Ricky (1982) – "You Should Hear How She Talks About You"
• Donald Fagen – The Nightfly (1982)
• Herbie Hancock – Lite Me Up (1982)
• Don Henley – I Can't Stand Still (1982) – "Dirty Laundry", The End of the Innocence (1989) – "New York Minute"
• Michael McDonald – If That's What It Takes (1982) – "I Keep Forgettin'", No Lookin' Back (1985), Take It to Heart (1990)
• George Benson – In Your Eyes (1983) – "Lady Love Me (One More Time)"
• James Newton Howard – James Newton Howard and Friends (1983)^[17]
• Lionel Richie – Can't Slow Down (1983) – "Running with the Night", – Louder Than Words (1996) – "The Climbing"
• Paul Simon – Hearts and Bones (1983) – "Train in the Distance"
• Randy Newman – Trouble in Paradise (1983) – "I Love L.A."
• Russ Taff - Walls of Glass (1983) - "Walls of Glass", "Jeremiah", "Inside Look"
• Chicago – Chicago 17 (1984) – "Stay the Night"
• David Gilmour – About Face (1984)
• The Jacksons – Victory (1984) – "Torture", "Wait"
• Paul McCartney – Give My Regards to Broad Street (1984) - "Silly Love Songs"
• Joe Walsh – The Confessor (1985)
• Eric Clapton – Behind the Sun (1985) – "Forever Man"
• Peter Cetera – Solitude/Solitaire (1986)
• Roger Hodgson – Hai Hai (1987)
• David Benoit – Freedom at Midnight (1987) – Shadows (1991)
• Jon Anderson – In the City of Angels (1988)
• Luis Miguel – Busca Una Mujer (1988)
• Love and Money – Strange Kind of Love (1988)
• Patti Austin – The Real Me (1988), Love Is Gonna Getcha (1990)
• Dr. John – In a Sentimental Mood (1989)
• Nik Kershaw - The Works (1989) - "Walkabout"
• Poco – Legacy (1989)
• Clair Marlo – Let It Go (1989)
• Celine Dion – Have a Heart (1989)
• Madonna – Like a Prayer (1989) – "Cherish", I'm Breathless (1990)
• Jude Cole – A View from 3rd Street (1990) – "Time for Letting Go", "Compared to Nothing" – Start the Car (1992) – "Open Road", "Tell The Truth"
• Sandi Patty – "Another Time...Another Place" (1990)
• Bruce Springsteen – "Viva Las Vegas" (1990), Human Touch (1992)
• Fahed Mitre – Toda la Verdad (1990)
• Twenty Mondays – The Twist Inside (1990)
• Bryan Duncan – Anonymous Confessions of a Lunatic Friend (1990)
• Michael Bolton – Time, Love & Tenderness (1991) - "When a Man Loves a Woman"
• Cher – Love Hurts (1991)
• Dire Straits – On Every Street (1991) – "Calling Elvis", "Heavy Fuel"
• Richard Marx – Rush Street (1991), Paid Vacation (1993) – "One Man"
• Bonnie Raitt – Luck of the Draw (1991)
• Rod Stewart – Vagabond Heart (1991) – "The Motown Song"
• Curtis Stigers – Curtis Stigers (1991)
• B-52s – Good Stuff (1992)
• Go West – Indian Summer (1992)
• 10cc – ...Meanwhile (1992)
• Roger Waters – Amused to Death (1992) – "It's a Miracle"
• Paul Young – The Crossing (1993)
• David Crosby - Thousand Roads (1993)
• Steve Porcaro – Back to You (2016) – "Someday/Somehow"

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.

 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.

Some drum forum comments and an interview with Paul Jamieson.

I can confirm this is accurate. Jeff owned a BRADY kit - it was the Jarrah Ply / Silver Gimlet kit that was our display kit from the 1992 NAMM Show. He took possession of it shortly after the show in January and used it quite often in those 7 months before until his untimely passing in August. I know there was a Ray Charles session in there somewhere towards the beginning of 1992, as he brought CB along to it.

Possibly the best example of Jeff's Brady kit was the track "Calling Elvis" by Dire Straits.

I hung with Jeff a bit for a few years prior to his unfortunate death. He ALWAYS played his Gretsch Carpathian Elm kit with gold rims and lugs in sessions. Ludwig, Pearl, or Brady snares and Paiste Sig cymbals...sometimes a 602 ride. Always Remo coated Ambassadors on all the top heads and a clear Aquarian head on the kick. DW 5000 pedal, Pearl hardware and rack. 

I did go to a Toto rehearsal for The Kingdom of Desire Tour and he was playing a beautiful maple colored DW kit and Brady snares. Never saw him play those in public though. 

Modern Drummer – August 2002
Paul Jamieson, who now runs Paul Jamieson Studio Rentals, worked with Jeff from 1975 through 1988. He was Jeff’s drum tech and confidante. Although Jeff always shied away from talking about equipment in his interviews, Jamieson says he definitely had certain preferences and pet peeves.

“When we recorded the first Toto album at Studio 55, he used one of my Gretsch drumsets, which were the same sizes as the Ludwig kit. He played Gretsch drums in the studio from that minute on. From there, I built him a Gretsch kit that he used on Boz’s tours.

“The first time we went to Japan, Yamaha gave us some equipment that Jeff used for a while. And then on our second tour to Japan he made a deal with Pearl. Along with the endorsement came our deal with the drum rack that he and I came up with. Jeff played Pearl live, but on recordings you’re listening to Gretsch drums.

“When Gretsch had their hundred-year anniversary, they built a bicentennial-edition drumset, which I got for Jeff. It was made of Carpathian elm, which is what they made Rolls Royce dashboards out of, with gold parts. To this day, it’s the most beautiful drumset I’ve ever seen. I got Jeff a couple of Gretsch sets, and he used them until he died.

“As far as snare drums, there were five I built for him, plus custom Radio Kings and a 6-1/2″ x 14″, ’40s Gretsch maple snare drum that I customized for him. Those were his main drums, even though toward the end he ended up with twenty to thirty snare drums(Black Beauties), a Brady, a Solid, and all the stuff Pearl and Yamaha had given him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Porcaro