In the middle of this song, there is a break that he fills in a signature way: The tune has an 8th-note rock feel, but Jeff shifts gears and plays a half-time 16th-note groove as the fill. It also contains one of the first examples of a Porcaro trademark. "English Eyes" features some of Jeff's most aggressive drumming, but he doesn't let that affect the tune's laid-back time feel. Check out the title tune “Hydra” and "99" for Jeff's subtle hi-hat, and the often overlooked "Mama" for yet another variation of the great"Porcaro shuffle". TOTO's Hydra finds Jeff's hi-hat work getting even smoother. Even this early (24 years old) it was apparent that Jeff was becoming a master at manipulating beat placement. Compare the in-the-pocket "Rockmaker" to the similar but edgier "I'll SupplyThe Love". On "Georgy Porgy" and "I'll Supply The Love", his hi-hat is static, but he applies his trademark "silky" hi-hat on "You Are The Flower" and "Takin' It Back". On Toto's self-titled album (1978), which features the hits "Child's Anthem" and "Hold The Line", Jeff's hi-hat approach was evolving. Let’s look at a few TOTO cuts to see him at work: So how did Jeff manipulate the beat placement? Jeff’s drumming philosophy seemed to be based on this.
To this day, I still struggle with incorporating the idea of ‘less is more’ into my playing. What he had isn’t what most music school spend much time teaching or what drummers sit around discussing. Like so many of Jeff’s abilities, they seem to stem inwardly. I could go on at length about the idea of playing sincerely. Jeff was confident enough to be repetitious, and he never played an insincere note. Jeff let songs and grooves evolve, knowing that a groove doesn't just happen it is created through repetition and sincerity.
Perhaps the most important aspect of Jeff Porcaro's drumming was his patience.
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