One of THOSE days...

Yesterday was one of those days.  One of those days that you remember where you were, what you were doing, oh so long ago. The day and place when you found out ‘The News’.  Kennedy (I wasn’t here yet). The space shuttle (each one). 911.


August 5th marks the sad anniversary of Jeff Porcaro’s passing. You may not know the name, but you’ve heard the drumming. You’ve felt the groove, You’ve heard it since you were young, and not for anything new for 17 years.


I feel the need to elaborate on who this guy was… and still is.

Jeff was one of the finest drummers of the modern age.  Respected by absolutely everyone for his abilities, and they were numerous, he is known as a musician’s musician of the highest caliber. Sony & Cher at 17, Boz Scaggs at 22, Toto, Don Henley, the Bee Gees, Steely Dan… Google him and find out for whom else he played.  You’ll get a small idea of this genius.
 I say a small idea, because if you’re not a musician, or more so, a drummer, some of what makes Jeff’s playing so special might be lost on you.  A young drummer once said that “It was easy to play those songs.  It’s nothing special.”  He hadn’t yet figured out that it has nothing to do with the amount of notes you play, but how you play each note.  And then I started to understand it.  I started to hear what it was all about.  Just about that time, Jeff passed on. He was 38. Just 3 years younger than I am today.  While I was at Berklee, I had the rarest of rare opportunities: to actually play one of His drum sets!  A red Gretsch kit with a 20’ bass drum.  My friend Abe Laboriel Jr. was close to him - Jeff was a teacher/mentor and allowed Abe the use of his kit while at Berklee.  I got to help set it up many times.  It truly was an honor.  I really wish I would’ve been a better player!  Maybe I’ll get another chance someday.


So I’ve been watching him on youtube quite a bit.  Have a listen:


None of us will ever be that good. OK - maybe if you’re Steve Gadd and you’re reading this - but nobody else.  Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE on the planet will agree with that, unless they’re on some drug that alters perception/reality. But they’ll sober up and I hope and pray that they’ll get it.  Just as I did 17 years ago.

Comments

[Houkster]

I totally agree with your posting. His death was one of the first times that I cried over someone that I had never met personally. What an enormous loss to the drumming world. He was a big inspiration for me as well. I spent countless hours trying to perfect my Rosanna groove! R.I.P. Jeff.