Dimension Weekly Magazine - Jimmy Warren Interview

Dimension Weekly Jimmy Warren Interview

“A powerful guitarist with a great bluesy feel….”
“The smoothness is like a meeting of Miles Davis and B.B. King….”
“Doesn’t get much better when it comes to the blues….”
“Jimmy has a helluva sound….”
"Smokin Hot"

The Jimmy Warren Band has some pretty devoted fans in high places in the music industry, as well as a loyal fan base at home and on tour. Their sound and style is diverse but can best be described as a mix of blues and rock, which has come to be known as “Warrenized blues.” Lead guitarist, Jimmy Warren, is a seasoned musician who plays with heart and passion.

DW: Tell us more about your sound and the meaning of “Warrenized blues.”

JW: Well, I don’t really think my style can be categorized as any one type. I like to call it mix bag music. I love variety, and I play everything from lowdown slow blues to rockin Southside shuffles. But mostly, it’s a real mix of blues, rock, and my own personal emotion and creativity – that’s what I mean by “Warrenized blues.”


DW: Who are some of your favorite artists?

JW: I have great respect for the founding artists in the Blues genre, such as Son House, Memphis Slim, BB King, Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Robert Johnson, Blind Lemon, Jefferson and so many, many others. I also love the smooth jazz sound of Jeff Golub, Fourplay, and Wayman Tisdale. The smooth soulful sound of Sade knocks me out; the heartfelt passion of Michael McDonald stirs my soul; but the power and grit in a Steve Lukather solo…forget about it!

DW: What artists influenced your guitar playing?

JW: Early on guitarists like Buck Dharma, Neal Schon, Ted Nugent, Eddie Van Halen, and Frank Marino captured my attention. Then one day I was watching an interview with Robert Cray. What he said had a profound influence on me, and took me down a whole new path. Cray's advice to aspiring guitarists was "You really should learn some blues first." He was speaking about how the blues is at the core of everything, and if you can get it in you it would mold you and move you in new ways, as well as taking you places you've never been musically. Well, I took his advice and fell in love with the musical style and form of the blues, and I found an expressive outlet for my life. As I dove into the blues I was molding my sound and style. It doesn't matter if I'm doing a jazz tune or a country song, people know without a doubt that my anchor is the blues. It is at the core of who I am.

DW: What’s coming up for you?

JW: The new CD called “No More Promises,” is due out in early 2010. We’re breaking the mold a bit with 14 fresh, diverse tunes, straight from the heart but packed with guitar. I would describe them as “soulful/creative blues/rock originals.” I can honestly say that if the new CD were a food dish, it would surely be GUMBO.