Jimmy Warren Band - Live At Last - 2009 - Electro Glide Records
"Jimmy Warren wields his guitar like a scythe cutting a deep, wide swath thru the heart of the contemporary blues scene." Sheryl & Don Crow - Nashville Blues Society
His career spans over two decades and he’s played with and opened up for artists like Buddy Miles, Billy Branch, Larry McCray and Lonnie Brooks. Blues legend Brooks says Jimmy Warren is one hell of a player. “Jimmy is a powerful guitarist with a great bluesy feel,” adds Bruce Iglauer of Alligator Records. A talented guitarist with a unique style, Warren blends the best of blues, jazz and rock into a unique sound that’s difficult to describe. Chuck Rainey, bassist for Steely Dan, says Warren is “a super smooth guitarist.” In 2009, he released “Live at Last” on Vision Records and “No More Promises” on Electro Glide Records in 2010, blues CD’s which have been re-released on High Tone Music Group. His instrumental, “Would You,” appeared in the 2009 motion picture, “The Vision.” In 2011, Warren released another blues CD, “Blues Ain’t So Bad,” and a contemporary jazz CD, “Addington Express,” both on the High Tone Music Group label. He plans to release “The Big Screen,” an instrumental CD for licensing featuring various genres, and “Guitar Bone Jones,” a rock instrumental on High Tone in early 2012. Not only is Warren a talented guitarist, but also a composer, engineer and producer. He’s the owner of High Tone Music Group, representing 20 artists in the blues/jazz/rock genres. He’s endorsed by six major companies: EMG pickups, Graph Tech guitar labs, Dean Markley strings, Nikita custom guitars, Hayes amplifiers and Big Bend’s string savers. His music has been aired in 12 countries on 500 radio stations. Warren has performed at a variety of venues including the NAM show in Los Angeles, California; a showcase for the Blues Music Awards in Memphis, Tennessee; the Rialto Theater in Joliet, Illinois; Six Flags in Gurney, Illinois; B.B. King’s in Memphis, Tennessee; Biscuit and Blues in San Francisco, California and Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago, Illinois. “Jimmy Warren is as good as it gets,” said David Reuben of Guitar Edge Magazine. ©
http://www.jimmywarrenband.com/fr_liveatlast.cfm
"Warren is As Good As It Gets" - David Rubin, Guitar Edge Magazine
"Jimmy Warren is a Smooth Guitarist's" - Chuck Rainey, Steely Dan
"A Really Great Player" - Devon Allman, Honey Tribe
"Warren Is A Hot Guitarist's" - Lonnie Brooks, Blues Hall of Fame
"A Powerful Guitarist With a Great Bluesy Feel" - Bruce Iglauer, Alligator Records
"Now He Can Play" - Billy Branch, 3x Grammy Nominee
From the Chicago, Illinois area comes the very fine Jimmy Warren Band, a hard working ensemble led by the sparkling guitar and vocals of Jimmy Warren, and also featuring Mike Boyle (bass), John DiGregorio (rhythm guitar) and Doug Maxeiner (drums). This ‘live in the studio’ six-track release, recorded at In The Mix Studio in Chicago, at a private event in May of this year, engineered by Jim Dill and produced by Jimmy Warren himself. He contributes five of the songs, with just one cover – Memphis Slim’s “Just Landed In Your Town”. Warren is an excellent guitarist, with nice touch and tone – the opening rocker “Right Side Of Town” contains some fiery lead lines and soloing – greatly appreciated by the assembled guests. The pace is taken down for the slow blues of “Like You Use To” – more slick soloing from Warren, with the band dropping into a nice groove behind him, with some sweet rhythm work from John DiGregorio. “Only The Blues Last” has a nice laid-back summery feel with Warren’s touch and feel for the music evident again, before the new “Will It Ever Be The Same Again” – a nice bluesy ballad, with his guitar work tasteful, with touches of Mark Knopfler and Gary Moore’s more melodic work, and heartfelt vocal. “Another Chance” again sees the band in a gentle, rhythmic mode with more fine guitar from Jimmy Warren on this instrumental number, leading to the closing cover, the previously mentioned “I Just Landed In Your Town”, and a pledge that they “want to keep the blues alive” . . . . . a sentiment I’m sure we all endorse! As an introduction to the band this is a fine release . . . . and it’s easy to see how Warren has many endorsements for guitars, pick-ups, etc., and a string of impressive support slots to his name – such as Pat Travers, Lonnie Mack, Delbert McClinton and many more, as well as playing with many Chicago bluesmen . . . . check him and the band out! GRAHAME RHODES © 2010 - bluesinthenorthwest.com
http://www.bluesinthenorthwest.com/index.php/2009/10/25/review-jimmy-warren-band-live-at-last/
Over the years Jimmy Warren has played with and has had his style compared to some of the best in Blues Biz and after listening to Jimmy's Debut Album, "Live At Last", it is certainly not hard to understand why. From the opening track of "Live At Last", Jimmy takes full control of his Blues Axe and the audience he is playing for, with constant clapping, whisltin', and cheering throughout, especially when he lets his guitar do the talking. Beyond being a superb Blues Guitarist, Jimmy also has the vocals necessary to give us the full package, which I have found sometimes lacking in other performers I have not heard of before. With vocals rich and clear and a Guitar long ago tamed, with constant study, Jimmy brings us a live album that is complex, full, and polished, one which allows us to fully feel what it would be like to be there in person. "Live At Last" is sure to please all blues fans whom like blues done in the styles of Joe Bonamassa, Joe Satriani, and Eric Clapton. Much more should be heard in the future for Jimmy. Looking forward to his next release. © John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network)
Jimmy was born in Kankakee, Illinois on October 25, 1964. Totally self-taught, he started playing guitar when he was in his mid twenties which is relatively late, but has since made up for lost time. Within a year he was playing pro and has since performed with an impressive list of artists that includes Buddy Miles, Junior Wells, Pat Travers, Lonnie Mack, and Chris Duarte. "Live at Last" is a great album from one of the best guitarists you may not be aware of, and is HR by this blog. Buy Jimmy's jazzy "Addington Express" album and support real music.
