protocol
[ proh-tuh-kawl, -kol, -kohl ]
noun
- The customs and regulations dealing with diplomatic formality, precedence and etiquette.
- An original draft, minute or record from which a document, especially a treaty, is prepared.
- Medicine. The plan for carrying out a scientific study or a patient’s treatment regimen.
- Computers. A set of rules governing the format and sequence of messages that are exchanged between computers.
Adapted from dictionary.com.
‘Protocol’ has several meanings. In everyday use, it refers to the rules of diplomacy. There are more specialised uses in medicine and information technology. It is also the name of a band formed by session drummer, band leader, composer and producer, Simon Phillips. The Protocol band released its first album in 1989. Here’s the title track:
This piece goes right to the sweet spot in the Crotchety taste buds. It sits at the intersection of rock, funk and jazz. And it fully qualifies for a track-of-the-week accolade.
Interestingly, Discogs and Spotify both list the Protocol album under Simon Phillips’ name. In fact, all five of the band’s studio albums are credited to the drummer, leaving the one live album, Force Majeure, as the only one by Protocol.
The latest studio recording by the band is Protocol V (2022). Although there have been one or two personnel changes over the years, the overall sound hasn’t changed. I think we can safely assume that is down to Simon Phillips’ compositional and band leading skills. And that fully justifies the solo artist treatment.
In a galaxy far, far away, there is another meaning for ‘protocol’. It is a type of droid intended to assist in etiquette, customs and translation; C-3PO is the best known example. Would it be diplomatically incorrect to say, “That’s some funky machine!”?
Crotchety Man 