kids encyclopedia robot

Joe Porcaro facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Joe Porcaro
Born (1930-04-29)April 29, 1930
New Britain, Connecticut, U.S.
Died July 6, 2020(2020-07-06) (aged 90)
Thousand Oaks, California, U.S.
Genres Jazz
Occupation(s) Musician, educator
Instruments
  • Drums
  • percussion
Associated acts Toto

Joseph Thomas Porcaro (April 29, 1930 – July 6, 2020) was an American jazz drummer.

Biography

Personal life

The Porcaro family is, on the paternal side, originally from San Luca, an Aspromonte village in the province of Reggio Calabria. Joe Porcaro, a well-known jazz drummer and percussionist, born in Hartford, Connecticut to Mike, an Italian immigrant from San Luca, Calabria, and a mother from Caserta, Campania. The couple had moved to the US in the early twentieth century. Grandfather Mike was himself a percussionist who played with numerous Italian bands based in the U.S., and it is with him that the family musical tradition began, passed on to his son Joe and then to his three famous grandchildren. Joe's three sons were in the rock band Toto: drummer Jeff (1954–1992); bassist Mike (1955–2015); and keyboardist Steve (b. 1957), who still is a session musician and programmer. He also has a daughter, Joleen Porcaro Duddy (actress and designer), whose children, Chase and Paige Duddy, formed the electronic duo XYLO.

Career

Porcaro recorded with Natalie Cole, Don Ellis, Stan Getz, Freddie Hubbard, Gladys Knight, Madonna, The Monkees, Gerry Mulligan, Pink Floyd, Howard Roberts, Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, and Sarah Vaughan. He performed film scores with James Newton Howard, John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner, Danny Elfman, John Frizzell and his son Steve Porcaro. With educator and drummer Ralph Humphrey, he was one of the founders of the Los Angeles Music Academy (LAMA) in Pasadena, California, which is now called the Los Angeles College of Music (LACM). Porcaro led a group with Emil Richards, a native of Hartford who played vibraphone and collected percussion instruments from around the world.

Death

Porcaro died at the age of 90 in Thousand Oaks, California on July 6, 2020. His death was ruled to be of natural causes.

Discography

As leader

  • 2002 Better Off Back Then

As sideman

With Rosemary Clooney

  • 1992 Girl Singer
  • 1994 Still on the Road
  • 1995 Demi-Centennial
  • 1996 Dedicated to Nelson
  • 1997 Mothers & Daughters
  • 2002 Out of This World

With Lalo Schifrin

  • The Fox (MGM, 1968)
  • There's a Whole Lalo Schifrin Goin' On (Dot, 1968)
  • Kelly's Heroes (MGM, 1970)
  • Rock Requiem (Verve, 1971)
  • Enter the Dragon (Warner Bros., 1973)

With others

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Joe Porcaro para niños

kids search engine
Joe Porcaro Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.