The Essential Toto

Performer: Toto
Artist: Michael McDonald; Paulinho Da Costa; Tom Scott
Engineer: Elliot Scheiner; George Massenburg; Dirk Schubert; Toto; Bill Payne
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Toto: David Paich (vocals, Fender Rhodes piano, Hammond B-3 organ, synthesizer); Bobby Kimball, Joe Williams (vocals); Steve Lukather (guitar, background vocals); Steve Porcaro (keyboards); David Hungate (bass); Jeff Porcaro (drums, percussion); Simon Phillips (drums). Additional personnel: Tom Scott (saxophone); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion); Michael McDonald (background vocals). Producers: Toto, Tom Knox, Bill Pyane, George Massenburg, Elliot Scheiner. Compilation producer: Jeff Magid. Recorded between 1978 & 1998. Includes liner notes by Jaan Uhelszki. Personnel: Steve Lukather (vocals, guitar, background vocals); David Paich (vocals, Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards, synthesizer, background vocals); Steve Porcaro (vocals, keyboards, synthesizer, programming, electronics); Bobby Kimball (vocals, background vocals); Mike McDonald (vocals); Martyn Ford Orchestra (strings); Jim Horn (recorder, saxophone); Jo Smith, Tom Scott (saxophone); Gary Grant, Jerry Hey (trumpet); James Pankow (trombone, background vocals); Jimmy Pankow (trombone); Joe Porcaro (vibraphone, marimba, percussion, background vocals); Jeff Porcaro (drums, percussion); Lenny Castro (congas, percussion); Chris Trujillo, Sidney, Paulinho Da Costa (percussion); Chuck Findley, Jacki Magee, Tony Walthers, Fred White , Gary Herbig, John James , Jenny Douglas McRea, Toto Horns, Rick Nelson, Fred White, Paulette Brown, Phillip Ingram, Tom Kelly (background vocals). Liner Note Author: Jaan Uhelszki. Recording information: A&M Recording Studios (1978-1998); ATS Studios, Calabasas, CA (1978-1998); Capitol Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA (1978-1998); Davien Sound Studios, North Hollywood, CA (1978-1998); EMI Abbey Road Studios, London, England (1978-1998); Hogg Manor (1978-1998); Hollywood Sound Recorders, Hollywood, CA (1978-1998); Montreux Jazz Festival (1978-1998); Record One, Los Angeles, CA (1978-1998); Reggies (1978-1998); Royaltone Studios, North Hollywood, CA (1978-1998); Schnee Studios (1978-1998); Studio 55, Hollywood, CA (1978-1998); Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA (1978-1998); The Complex (1978-1998); The Manor (1978-1998); The Villa (1978-1998). Photographers: Keely, Dennis; Jim Shea. Formed in the late 1970s by a group of Los Angeles session musicians (including keyboardist/vocalist David Paich, guitarist/vocalist Steve Lukather, and lead vocalist Bobby Kimball), Toto turned the ensemble's collective industry experiences into meticulously crafted pop-tinged rock. Although the band achieved only a handful of hits--most notably the urgent "Hold the Line," the lightly funky "Rosanna," and the soaring "Africa"--they proved to be massive singles. This well-selected 2003 compilation is frontloaded with those radio staples, and also presents standout tracks from other Toto albums, while wisely avoiding songs from maligned records such as TURN BACK and ISOLATION. The result is a disc that perfectly lives up to its name, making it ideal for casual fans of the long-running band.

The original members of Toto were L.A.-based session men who had played with everyone from George Benson to Boz Scaggs and wanted to create something they could call their own. They scored a hit straight out of the gate with the AOR smash "Hold the Line" from their 1978 debut. Their biggest success, however, would come in the early '80s with "Rosanna" and "Africa" from TOTO IV. The band endured some major personnel shake-ups over the years, and in 1992 founding drummer Jeff Porcaro died unexpectedly, but Toto continued working, even as the individual members kept their lucrative session careers going.

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.25