Tag Archives: Simon Phillips

Album review: MANDOKI SOULMATES – A Memory Of Our Future

Posted on May 16, 2024 by GRTR! HQ

Red Rock Music/Inside Out Music [Release date 10.05.24] I think it fair to say that Leslie Mandoki doesn’t do things half-arsed. Several years ago a couple of reissues were accompanied by an expansive press kit, a real thick tome that … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged A Memory Of Our Future, Al Di Meola, album, AOR, Bill Evans, Ian Anderson, Jazz rock, Mandoki Soulmates, Mike Stern, prog, Progressive Rock, Randy Brecker, review, Simon Phillips | Leave a comment

Album review: BENJAMIN CROFT – We Are Here To Help

Posted on February 15, 2024 by GRTR! HQ

Galactic Receiver [Release date 03.05.24] www.benjamincroftmusic.com You could be forgiven thinking that Benjamin Croft is the latest U.S. fusion export. But Benjamin is British and this is his third solo album. He has worked in the States but relocated to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Benjamin Croft, Frank Gambale, fusion, Greg Howe, jazz fusion, Jeff Scott Soto, Lynsey Ward, Marco Minnemann, review, Simon Phillips, Stuart Hamm, We Are Here To Help | Leave a comment

Album review: DARWIN – Darwin 2: A Frozen War

Posted on October 4, 2020 by jason

Indie [Release date 06.11.20] A follow-up to 2018’s highly enjoyable ‘Origin Of Species’ and this latest album certainly proved challenging for the band, as they explain – “The writing for the album continued as we wrapped ‘Origin of Species’ in … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged A Frozen War, album, Billy Sheenan, DarWin, Darwin 2, Greg Howe, Guthrie Govan, melodic, progressive, review, SF, Simon Phillips | Leave a comment

Album review: INTELLIGENT MUSIC PROJECT – Sorcery Inside/Life Motion

Posted on June 12, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

INTELLIGENT MUSIC PROJECT V - Life Motion

Intelligent Music [Release date 12.02.20, 24.12.18*] There must be something in the Bulgarian water. One time Uriah Heep vocalist John Lawton has also used that country’s musicians in recent years and actually appears on the first two ‘Intelligent’ releases. This … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Carl Sentance, Intelligent Music Project, John Payne, Joseph Williams, Life Motion, melodic rock, Milan Vrabevski, review, Richard Grisman, Ronnie Romero, Simon Phillips, Sorcery Inside | Leave a comment

Album review: DARWIN – Origin of Species

Posted on May 27, 2019 by jason

www.darwin.is [Release date 07.12.18] ‘Origin Of Species’ is an extravagant concept album spread over two discs, with DarWin not only the songwriter of the album and guitarist, he also stars in the album’s story. Ah yes, the story is a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, DarWin, environmental, Greg Howe, Matt Bisonette, melodic, progressive, review, rock, Simon Phillips, Spock's Beard | Leave a comment

Album review: RAMIN PARTOVI – 27 Faces Of A Broken Heart (Simon Phillips, Mike Stern & c.)

Posted on June 30, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

[Release date 18.02.18] This album is an interesting concept. Take a song and invite a couple of dozen musicians to add their extemporisation. Yes, that’s 27 versions of the same tune! Surely the tune can’t be that good? Well, the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 27 Faces Of A Broken Heart, album, Carl Verheyen, fusion, guitar, guitarist, Jimmy Johnson, Mike Stern, Ramin Partovi, review, Scott Henderson, Simon Phillips | Leave a comment

Album review: SIMON PHILLIPS – Protocol 4

Posted on December 29, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

Phantom Recordings [Release date 27.10.17] We couldn’t resist ‘Protocol III’ with its fusion flavours and great musicality but arguably it is edged by the latest iteration. This time Simon Phillips (best known for his work with Toto) brings in guitarist … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Dennis Hamm, drummer, drums, Ernest Tibbs, funk, Greg Howe, jazz funk, jazz fusion, Protocol 4, review, Simon Phillips, Toto | Leave a comment

Album review: SIMON PHILLIPS – Protocol III

Posted on January 1, 2016 by GRTR! HQ

Phantom Recordings/Inakustik [Release date 23.10.15] I must be getting old, but a bit of jazz fusion always seems to go down well especially when it’s well executed. In 2014 we reviewed ‘Protocol II’ and opined it was ‘a superior jazz … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Andy Timmons, Ernest Tubbs, jazz fusion, Jazz rock, Protocol III, review, Simon Phillips, Steve Weingart | Leave a comment

Album review: SIMON PHILLIPS – Protocol II

Posted on October 9, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

Inakustik [Release date 13.10.14] It’s been fourteen years since the release of ‘Vantage Point’, Simon Phillips’ last solo album. This is understandable given that for most of that period he’s been tied up drumming for Toto. But of course in … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Andy Timmons, Danger Danger, drummer, drums, Ernest Tibbs, instrumental, jazz fusion, Protocol II, review, rock, Simon Phillips, Steve Lukather, Steve Weingart, Toto | Leave a comment

Album review: CARL VERHEYEN – Mustang Run

Posted on July 26, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

Cranktone Entertainment [Release date 17.03.14] Carl Verheyen is perhaps most familiar as the latter-day-Supertramp guitarist. He’s also had a parallel session and instructional career and ‘Mustang Run’ is an excellent introduction to this quality musician. He’s also enlisted the help … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Bill Evans, blues, Carl Verheyen, fusion, Gregg Bissonette, guitar, guitarist, jazz, Jerry Goodman, John Helliwell, Mustang Run, review, Simon Phillips, Stu Hamm, Supertramp | Leave a comment

Album review: DEREK SHERINIAN – Reissues (Inertia,Black Utopia,Mythology,Blood Of The Snake,Molecular Heinosity)

Posted on February 3, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

Armoury Records (re-issues) [Release date 10.02.14] Sherinian came to wider attention with Dream Theater in 1994 and since he left that band in 1999 the volume of his session work has grown along with stints in Black Country Communion and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged Allan Holdsworth, Black Utopia, Blood Of The Snake and Molecular Heinosity, Derek Sherinian, Dream Theater, Inertia, John Petrucci, John Sykes, keyboards, metal, Mythology, Planet X, progressive, reissue, rock, Simon Phillips, Slash, Steve Lukather, Tony Franklin, Virgil Donati, Yngwie Malmsteen, Zakk Wylde | Leave a comment

Album review: GORDON GILTRAP – Reissues

Posted on August 20, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Esoteric [Release date 29.07.13] Gordon Giltrap should be certified A National Treasure. He’s laboured tirelessly since the late-1960′s honing and preening his guitar style, dipping into various genres including prog, and generally maintaining the highest quality standards. These new reissues … Continue reading →