LACM Stream Now

Joe Porcaro was one of the most recorded percussionist/drummers with a musical spectrum ranging from jazz and rock to opera and symphonic. In the jazz field, Joe recorded with Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, Freddie Hubbard, and Don Ellis. He also made albums with Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughn, Natalie Cole, TOTO, and Madonna. In the operatic and symphonic area, Joe recorded with Luciano Pavarotti, Rise Stevens, Lily Pons, Andre Kostelanitz, Pierre Boulez, and the L.A. Philharmonic and Hartford Symphony Orchestras. Joe also played on many Hollywood film scores with many top composers such as James Newton Howard, John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner, Danny Elfman, and Steve Porcaro.

Grammy nominated Richie Gajate Garcia is a world-class studio percussionist, drummer, clinician, author and educator. Richie, who is also known as “El Pulpo” (which means “The Octopus”), has taken independence in playing multiple international rhythms and instruments to the next level. Richie has performed with such artists as Sting, Phil Collins, Diana Ross, Hiroshima, Don Henley, Aretha Franklin, Patti Labelle, Celia Cruz and Tito Puente, to name a few. Richie enjoys sharing his passion for percussion with the world. Latin Percussion has honored him with the debut of his own line of congas, bongos and the famous Gajate bracket (designed by Richie) used by drummers and percussionists everywhere. Richie’s percussion books have become a standard in the industry.

Ralph was a working professional musician/drummer and teacher in the Los Angeles area for more than 55 years. As a member of the Don Ellis big band, Frank Zappa and the Mothers in Invention, as well as working with Al Jarreau, The Manhattan Transfer, Babaghanoush, Free Flight, The Outsidemen, Natalie Cole, The Tierney Sutton Band, and locally with the greats of Mendocino County, and a host of other individuals and groups, he proved himself as a versatile player who looked for challenges in all kinds of music. Ralph had an active recording career as a sideman for many live and recorded projects, including the hit TV show Dancing With The Stars, the Oscars, the Fox TV shows Family Guy, The Simpsons and American Dad, Warner Bros. cartoons, including Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, Tweety and Sylvester and Historia and multiple motion pictures.