Eckstine's early career was as a freelance/touring drummer involved in various musical projects for his father, Quincy Jones, Count Basie, James Ingram, Eddy Grant and more.

[5] In the late 1980s, he was a creative manager for Virgin Music Label & Artist Services, developing songwriters.

He worked for Columbia Records starting in 1990, leading the West Coast division of A&R, developing Black artists.

For Verve Forecast Records, among others, Eckstine signed, Herbie Hancock, saxophonist Wayne Shorter, and keyboardist Jeff Lorber.

After Porter died in 1996, Eckstine produced his final album, For Art's Sake, playing drums, keyboards and mixing.