John W. Warren is a classical guitarist, composer, and publisher, originally from Santa Cruz, California, now residing in the Washington DC area.
Warren—on classical, acoustic, and electric guitar—performs solo and as a duo with Bruno Lucini, an amazing percussionist from Brazil,, in a style they’ve coined as Latin Classical Psychedelic: rhythmic and melodic music from Brazil, Latin America, and Spain; classic popular and jazz instrumentals from the 50s and 60s; instrumental arrangements of contemporary music including Massive Attack, Kate Bush, Radiohead, Pink Floyd, and many others; and several original compositions. Their repertoire exceeds 125 pieces of Brazilian, Latin, classical, jazz, folk, electronica romantica, and other genres, all performed by memory.
In 2016 released the solo classical guitar CD Serenata de la Sirena, featuring nine original compositions as well as music from Brazil and Latin America.
Warren is a regular contributor to Classical Guitar magazine, on topics such as the guitar makers of Madrid, practical matters of composing for classical guitar, improvisation and classical guitar, and on amplification for classical guitar, interviewing world-class guitarists and composers such as Roland Dyens, Andrew York, Manuel Barrueco, Xuefei Yang, Benjamin Verdery, Dušan Bogdanovic, Steve Goss, Jürg Kindle, Javier Farias, and Diego Barber.
Classical Guitar magazine says “Warren has a lovely, lyrical style,” and of his CD, says “Warren’s title track is warm and Latin in style, with a nice melody and harmonies. Leo Brouwer’s arrangement of 'Drume Negrita' follows, with a new interlude composed by Warren… Antonio Lauro’s short 'La Catira' is a rarity that Warren plays very well. There are also two pieces by Baden Powell: 'Berceuse a Jussara' is a work I had not heard before—Warren dispatches it with an almost jazz-like touch that suits the piece nicely; and 'Afro Sambas' is complex and highly rhythmic through-out… “
Warren studied with classical guitarist Wilbur Cotton in Compton, California, and subsequently with the late Richard (Rico) Stover, a reknown expert on the guitar music of Latin America. Stover is well known for having rediscovered the great Paraguayan guitarist and composer Agustín Barrios, whose music had been nearly forgotten by history; Stover edited the four-volume Complete Works of Agustín Barrios Mangoré and authored Six Silver Moonbeams, a biography of Barrios.
Warren has performed in the United States in Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Los Angeles, Lake Tahoe, Pittsburgh, Miami, and Washington DC, and in many different countries including Brazil, Peru, and Mexico: in concert and on the radio; at fine restaurants, cafés, and art galleries; and for weddings and private events. He frequently performs house concerts in the Washington DC metro area and around the United States with Groupmuse and other organizations.
A publishing professional, Warren is Director and Associate Professor of the Master of Professional Studies in Publishing program at the George Washington University. A veteran of more than twenty-eight years in the publishing industry, he has held positions including Director of the George Mason University Press, Marketing and Sales Director of Georgetown University Press, Marketing Director, Publications, at the RAND Corporation, and Marketing Manager at Fondo de Cultura Económica. He is also a translator, a frequent speaker at international publishing conferences, and has written and published several articles about publishing, including “Innovation and the Future of E-Books”, for which he was the winner of the International Award for Excellence in the development of the book.
Warren is married to Yolanda, a writer and interpreter, and has four children, who are all involved in music.
Photographer: Caroline Strunk
Musician: John W. Warren