“Chinatown,” written by David Paich and the late Michael Sherwood, represented an unmistakable bridge to the past while also linking Toto to the here and now.
The opening Steve Porcaro-arranged piano and synthesizer combination creates a mystical motif. David Paich makes his vocal premiere on 2015’s Toto XIV, furthering the mystic before Joseph Williams enters with a blast of reality which is further supported by Steve Lukather’s power chords.
The sense that “Chinatown” is different yet familiar is furthered by Lukather’s vocal contributions to the chorus, as this song becomes the first time the three share leads on XIV.
The familiar is also evident by the unmistakable deep groove of original Toto member David Hungate. The bassist-turned-successful Nashville-based producer provides his signature slides up and down the bass neck, which harkens back to his work on Toto’s 1978 debut album and 1979’s Hydra.
This link is no mistake, since “Chinatown” originates from the same era but was never completed. Producer C.J. Vanston utilizes Toto stalwart Lenny Castro to enhance the further funky feel provided by drummer Keith Carlock and Hungate. Michael McDonald and Amy Keys add subtle shades to the musical color palette, which is topped off by a Steve Lukather guitar solo which would have been entirely at home on a Steely Dan album.
“I remember the 24-track tape from Dave’s place in ’86; it said ‘Chinatown.’ By 1986, it was already dusty,” Michael Sherwood said to me back in 2015. “When Dave asked me to work on the lyric last year, I knew exactly what tape he was talking about. I had no idea what the song sounded like. Imagine my delight when I heard Jeff [Porcaro] and [David] Hungate! Old school Toto. What I called, ‘Silk Degrees of Separation.’ Dave and I dug in on that lyric. The song seems to be resonating with the tried-and-true Toto fans. Include me on that list.”
The result was “Chinatown,” the centerpiece of Toto XIV.
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