Across more than four decades, legendary drummer Simon Phillips has shown an uncanny ability to excel in most any musical environment. And he displayed that masterful excellence in a recent performance at Baltimore’s Keystone Korner.
Steve Satzberg was there to photograph the show!
The following article is adapted from a press release.
Precision, intensity and emotion are hallmarks of Simon’s sound in every setting. In 2022, the GRAMMY-nominated drummer returned with Protocol V, once again reimagining his adventurous jazz/fusion outfit. Instrumentation was expanded to a quintet format, including saxophone, launching the group into sonic territory familiar to fans of Chick Corea’s Elektric Band in the late 1980s.
On March 6, Simon Phillips and the Protocol V band dazzled Keystone Korner with selections from Protocol V, Protocol 4, and Protocol III. The band included longtime electric bassist Ernest Tibbs, veteran keyboardist Otmaro Ruiz (John McLaughlin), Jacob Scesney on saxophones, and the brilliant young guitarist Alex Sill.
Watch Simon Phillips and Protocol V perform “The Long Road Home” live on YouTube:
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 10 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 electric bassist Anthony Jackson (Chick Corea). This rich association lasted seven years, producing five albums from 2011-16 and touring extensively. During this period, Phillips also performed in a jazz-rock trio with French keyboardist Philippe Saisse (Al Di Meola) and electric bassist Pino Palladino (Steve Gadd), under the group name PSP.
Here are some photos of Simon Phillips and Protocol V performing at Keystone Korner on March 6, 2025. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Steve Satzberg.
