Simon Phillips’ 2022 album, Protocol V, is a tour de force of modern instrumental jazz-fusion, masterfully balancing technical virtuosity with rich, melodic grandeur. Re-energized by a revamped lineup featuring Alex Sill (guitar), Jacob Scesney (saxophones), Otmaro Ruiz (keyboards), and longtime bassist Ernest Tibbs, the album shifts the series' sonic landscape by pairing soaring guitar and horn leads over intricate, sprawling progressive rock architecture. Phillips’ drum sound is legendary—massive, punchy, and immaculately mixed, driven by his signature double-bass propulsion, crisp snare articulation, and complex time signature maneuvers that somehow feel effortlessly fluid rather than clinical. The production is wide and crystalline, allowing Otmaro Ruiz’s atmospheric synth textures and Fender Rhodes chords to lock tight with Ernest Tibbs’ deep, pocket-heavy basslines, while Jacob Scesney’s saxophone adds a fiery, soulful frontline edge. Striking a perfect harmony between explosive, heavy fusion grooves ("Jagannath," "The Long Road Home") and expansive, cinematic balladry ("Dark Matter"), Protocol V stands as one of the most sonically dynamic and refined entries in Phillips’ celebrated solo catalog.
Simon Phillips’ 2022 album, Protocol V, is a tour de force of modern instrumental jazz-fusion, masterfully balancing technical virtuosity with rich, melodic grandeur. Re-energized by a revamped lineup featuring Alex Sill (guitar), Jacob Scesney (saxophones), Otmaro Ruiz (keyboards), and longtime bassist Ernest Tibbs, the album shifts the series' sonic landscape by pairing soaring guitar and horn leads over intricate, sprawling progressive rock architecture. Phillips’ drum sound is legendary—massive, punchy, and immaculately mixed, driven by his signature double-bass propulsion, crisp snare articulation, and complex time signature maneuvers that somehow feel effortlessly fluid rather than clinical. The production is wide and crystalline, allowing Otmaro Ruiz’s atmospheric synth textures and Fender Rhodes chords to lock tight with Ernest Tibbs’ deep, pocket-heavy basslines, while Jacob Scesney’s saxophone adds a fiery, soulful frontline edge. Striking a perfect harmony between explosive, heavy fusion grooves ("Jagannath," "The Long Road Home") and expansive, cinematic balladry ("Dark Matter"), Protocol V stands as one of the most sonically dynamic and refined entries in Phillips’ celebrated solo catalog.