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 1962 Blues on the Other Side, Mike Mainieri (Argo) 1967 Sugar, Nancy Sinatra 1968 California Soul, Gerald Wilson 1969 Instant Replay, The Monkees 1970 The American Dream, Emitt Rhodes 1971 Electronic