Simon Phillips is a true fusion heavyweight with a career that spans Jeff Beck, Hiromi, Al Di Meola, Toto and countless others. Named the world’s number one fusion drummer by Modern Drummer magazine and Grammy-nominated for Protocol 4, he’s earned his place at the top. But it’s through Protocol that he’s carved out his own creative space.
Protocol 6, the sixth album in the series, is released in June 2026 – and it arrives with an elite band: Ernest Tibbs, Otmaro Ruiz, Phillip Whack and Alex Sill. Phillips calls it “progressive jazz,” shaped by his rock instincts but firmly rooted in the jazz-rock tradition. On stage, the music expands beyond the record: freer, wilder, sharper. Fusion, refined and recharged, led by a drummer who never stops moving.
LINEUP
Simon Phillips – drums
Ernest Tibbs – bass
Otmaro Ruiz – keys
Phillip Whack – saxophones
Alex Sill – guitar
