Biography
An adept and versatile British drummer, Simon Phillips has earned widespread respect as a bandleader and session musician across jazz, fusion, and rock. He first surfaced in the late 1970s, quickly becoming a sought-after player for live and studio dates with Jeff Beck, the Who, and Frank Zappa. After replacing the late Jeff Porcaro in Toto, he went on to record and perform with Hiromi, Joe Satriani, Lee Ritenour, Stanley Clarke, and numerous others. Phillips channels that breadth of experience into his own jazz-focused releases, among them 1997’s Another Lifetime, 2000’s Vantage Point, and 2005’s Empty Time. He also fronts the continually shifting fusion ensemble Protocol, whose 2017 album Protocol, Vol. 4 received a Grammy nomination, while Protocol, Vol. 5 appeared in 2022.
Born in London in 1957, Phillips displayed an early attraction to percussion, starting with a toy kit at age four and progressing to a snare-and-cymbal setup by age six. At twelve he was already performing and recording alongside his father’s Dixieland jazz band. Following his father’s passing, Phillips departed that ensemble to pursue rock and musical-theater styles. A drumming role in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar opened the door to session work, including demos for several cast members.
As his network expanded, so did his recording credits; from the 1970s forward he worked with such leading rock and jazz figures as Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, Gil Evans, Stanley Clarke, Frank Zappa, and Peter Gabriel. In 1989 he joined the Who for their American reunion tour. That year also marked his solo debut, Protocol, on which he performed every instrument; he later developed the project with additional players.
In the early 1990s Phillips relocated to Los Angeles and assumed Toto’s drum chair after Jeff Porcaro’s death. Between tours with the band he assembled his own ensemble, recruiting guitarists Ray Russell and Andy Timmons, saxophonist Wendell Brooks, bassist Anthony Jackson, percussionist Peter Michael Escovedo, and others for extensive live work. During this phase he issued several acclaimed albums blending jazz, rock, and fusion elements, including 1995’s Force Majeure and 1997’s Another Lifetime; the live recording Out of the Blue followed in 1999.
Phillips next explored acoustic post-bop jazz on 2000’s Vantage Point, featuring pianist Jeff Babko, trumpeter Walt Fowler, saxophonist Brandon Fields, and bassist Dave Carpenter. He resurfaced in 2010 with the self-titled The Simon Phillips Band and released 21 Spices the following year. Subsequent installments of the Protocol series included 2017’s Protocol, Vol. 4, which spotlighted guitarist Greg Howe, keyboardist Dennis Hamm, and bassist Ernest Tibbs and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album. After further collaborations with Derek Sherinian, Hiromi, and additional artists, Phillips issued Protocol, Vol. 5 in 2022, again with Ernest Tibbs alongside keyboardist Otmaro Ruiz, saxophonist Jacob Scesney, and guitarist Alex Sill.
Born in London in 1957, Phillips displayed an early attraction to percussion, starting with a toy kit at age four and progressing to a snare-and-cymbal setup by age six. At twelve he was already performing and recording alongside his father’s Dixieland jazz band. Following his father’s passing, Phillips departed that ensemble to pursue rock and musical-theater styles. A drumming role in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar opened the door to session work, including demos for several cast members.
As his network expanded, so did his recording credits; from the 1970s forward he worked with such leading rock and jazz figures as Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, Gil Evans, Stanley Clarke, Frank Zappa, and Peter Gabriel. In 1989 he joined the Who for their American reunion tour. That year also marked his solo debut, Protocol, on which he performed every instrument; he later developed the project with additional players.
In the early 1990s Phillips relocated to Los Angeles and assumed Toto’s drum chair after Jeff Porcaro’s death. Between tours with the band he assembled his own ensemble, recruiting guitarists Ray Russell and Andy Timmons, saxophonist Wendell Brooks, bassist Anthony Jackson, percussionist Peter Michael Escovedo, and others for extensive live work. During this phase he issued several acclaimed albums blending jazz, rock, and fusion elements, including 1995’s Force Majeure and 1997’s Another Lifetime; the live recording Out of the Blue followed in 1999.
Phillips next explored acoustic post-bop jazz on 2000’s Vantage Point, featuring pianist Jeff Babko, trumpeter Walt Fowler, saxophonist Brandon Fields, and bassist Dave Carpenter. He resurfaced in 2010 with the self-titled The Simon Phillips Band and released 21 Spices the following year. Subsequent installments of the Protocol series included 2017’s Protocol, Vol. 4, which spotlighted guitarist Greg Howe, keyboardist Dennis Hamm, and bassist Ernest Tibbs and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album. After further collaborations with Derek Sherinian, Hiromi, and additional artists, Phillips issued Protocol, Vol. 5 in 2022, again with Ernest Tibbs alongside keyboardist Otmaro Ruiz, saxophonist Jacob Scesney, and guitarist Alex Sill.
Albums
Singles
