David Garfield: Fifty Years of Music Outside the Box

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with keyboardist, composer, producer, and bandleader David Garfield for a conversation that quickly turns into a history lesson, a rhythm-section master class, and a look at what it actually means to spend a lifetime making music with other people.

David takes me back to his formative years in St. Louis, where he started on drums, discovered jazz through his high school stage band, and learned by getting on bandstands with working musicians around the city. Those experiences eventually led him to Los Angeles, where, still a teenager, he landed a gig with Freddie Hubbard and found himself immersed in one of the richest musical communities imaginable.

A major thread throughout our conversation is David’s relationship with drummers. We talk extensively about Carlos Vega, Jeff Porcaro, Vinnie Colaiuta, Jim Keltner, John “JR” Robinson, Greg Bissonette, Simon Phillips, Steve Ferrone, Joe Porcaro, and others. David explains how starting as a drummer shaped his approach to keyboards, timing, note placement, and groove—and why every great drummer requires a slightly different musical response.

We also dig into David’s Tribute to Jeff project and the philosophy behind assembling an extraordinary group of musicians to honor Jeff Porcaro through the thing that mattered most: the groove. David shares stories about Bernard Purdie, Don Henley, Eddie Van Halen, Greg Phillinganes, Carlos Vega, and the Porcaro family, while explaining why the project had to remain centered on Jeff rather than the famous musicians participating in it.

More than anything, this conversation is about listening. David talks about playing with bassists and guitarists, leaving room for other musicians, choosing the right people for a session, and creating an environment where musicians can bring their own personalities to the music. We also discuss his expansive Outside the Box recordings and his determination to document performances with musicians he admires while there is still an opportunity to get everyone into a room and make music together.

Key Takeaways

• David’s early years playing drums continue to shape his keyboard playing, particularly his sense of timing, groove, articulation, and interaction with a rhythm section.

• Growing up in St. Louis gave David an education that extended well beyond formal instruction. Playing jazz and R&B gigs with experienced musicians taught him how to listen, react, and function on a real bandstand.

• His friendship with Carlos Vega became a defining musical relationship. Carlos influenced David’s decision to focus on keyboards and later helped introduce him to the professional studio and touring world in Los Angeles.

• David approaches playing as a conversation. Rather than forcing every musician into a predetermined arrangement, he creates a framework and leaves room for musicians to respond to one another in real time.

• Tribute to Jeff was intentionally built around Jeff Porcaro’s musical legacy and the groove. David invited drummers connected to Jeff to choose grooves and musical ideas that reflected their relationships with him.

• For David, great rhythm-section playing depends as much on restraint as technique. Bassists, keyboardists, guitarists, and drummers have to listen to one another and understand when not to fill the available space.

• David’s Outside the Box recordings grew from a desire to document music with players he admired, ultimately expanding into a large collection that moves through jazz, funk, R&B, rock, vocal music, and other styles.

Music from the Episode

Hero with a 1000 Eyes - David Garfield
E Minor Shuffle - David Garfield
Babylon Sisters - David Garfield
What You Won't Do for Love - David Garfield
Teen Town - David Garfield

About the Podcast

The Bandwich Tapes is a podcast about the people who make music and the experiences that shape them. I sit down with musicians, songwriters, producers, engineers, and other creative voices to talk about their careers, their craft, the records and performances that mattered, and the lessons they have learned along the way.

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