SIMON PHILLIPS PROTOCOL V

Jazz. Rock. Jazz-rock. Across more than five decades, legendary drummer Simon Phillips has shown an uncanny ability to excel in most any musical environment. Precision, intensity, and emotion are hallmarks of Simon’s sound in every setting.

While still in his teens, Simon gained a reputation as someone who could make music sound good, leading to lots of London recording sessions. By his twenties, Simon had already worked with iconic figures including Jeff Beck, Jack Bruce, Pete Townshend, Al Di Meola, Jon Anderson, Jan Hammer, Stanley Clarke, Jon Lord, Mike Oldfield, Brian Eno, and others. Several of these artists had been important pioneers of the jazz-rock genre in the early and mid-1970s, also called fusion.

High-profile recordings and/or tours were soon to come with the likes of Mick Jagger, Asia, The Who, Gary Moore, Joe Satriani, and many more. But it was the untimely death of drummer Jeff Porcaro that led to Simon’s 21-year presence in Toto (1992-2014), highlighted by ten albums and numerous world tours. During this period, Phillips also worked on various projects led by Steve Lukather, Michael Schenker, Derek Sherinian, and others.

More squarely within the realm of the jazz world, Simon worked in a trio led by virtuoso pianist Hiromi, along with the late electric bassist Anthony Jackson (Chick Corea). This rich association lasted seven years, producing five albums from 2011-16 and touring extensively.

Although he released the first Protocol album way back in 1989, Simon’s compositions really began to gel with Protocol II in 2013. This release brought together high-profile rock guitarist Andy Timmons with jazz-funk keyboardist Steve Weingart (Dave Weckl) and electric bassist Ernest Tibbs (Allan Holdsworth). Protocol II firmly established Simon’s new lineup as one of the truly great bands in jazz-rock history. Progress continued in 2015 with the release of Protocol III, featuring the same quartet.

In 2017, Simon fine-tuned his group concept with Protocol IV. While Ernest Tibbs continued in the bass chair, this record featured rock session guitarist Greg Howe (Michael Jackson), along with the dynamic young keyboardist Dennis Hamm (Thundercat). Protocol IV was nominated for a GRAMMY Award in the Contemporary Instrumental Album category. In his typically gracious manner, Phillips said, “I lost out to Steve Gadd, and you can’t complain about that!”

2019 marked the inception of what would soon become Protocol V. The band’s lineup was tweaked once again, this time to become a quintet, including veteran keyboardist Otmaro Ruiz (John McLaughlin) and two dynamic young recruits – Jacob Scesney on saxophones and the brilliant guitarist Alex Sill. A Protocol V studio album was released to rave reviews in 2022, and the group has been touring as a cohesive unit ever since.

Keen listeners can discern the influence of many great drummers in Simon’s sound, not the least of which is ‘70s-era Tony Williams. According to Simon, “I was introduced to Tony by Jack Bruce back in 1977. His 1975 album, Believe It, is still one of my favorites. Not only the music and the playing (it features guitar god Allan Holdsworth), but the sound. Bruce Botnick was the engineer, and I have to admit I used that template as a guide for Protocol II when I mixed it.”
Expect a new Protocol VI album in late spring 2026!