Tofani, who also doubles on clarinet and flute, graduated from Juilliard and began his session career on TV's The Bell Telephone Hour in the 1960s. On records, he did sessions with Buddy Rich, James Brown, George Benson, Bette Midler (various reeds on Thighs and Whispers), Grace Slick (Dreams), James Galway (The Wind Beneath My Wings), Barbra Streisand, and John Lennon (on his final album, Double Fantasy). More recent albums, in addition to four solo albums, include work with Aaron Neville, Far Cry, Steely Dan, and Bernadette Peters.