Simon Phillips

An adept and versatile British drummer, Simon Phillips is a highly regarded bandleader and session player known for his jazz, fusion, and rock work. He initially emerged in the late '70s and established himself as a go-to session and touring pro for artists like Jeff Beck, the Who, and Frank Zappa. Phillips replaced the late Jeff Porcaro in Toto and has collaborated on projects with Hiromi, Joe Satriani, Lee Ritenour, Stanley Clarke, and many others. He brings this diverse experience to his own ambitious jazz-oriented work, including 1997's Another Lifetime, 2000's Vantage Point, and 2005's Empty Time. Phillips also leads the ever-evolving fusion group Protocol, who earned a Grammy nomination for 2017's Protocol, Vol. 4 and returned in 2022 with Protocol, Vol. 5.