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Warren Allen

Warren is a freelance writer working in New York and Boston.

About Me

Raised in a small town in Fairfield County, CT, I was exposed to jazz music at an early age with frequent trips to New York's Village Vanguard, the Jazz Standard, and the Jazz Gallery. I've been writing since the fourth grade and majored in Journalism at Boston University. My first jazz writing assignment came when an editor for one of the local papers heard me talking jazz with a friend in the hall, and asked me to do a write-up on the great Toots Theielemans, who'd come to town for a birthday concert.

Since then, I've had the chance to speak to a number of great musicians, including Ornette Coleman, McCoy Tyner, Ran Blake, and Ned Rothenberg. My articles have appeared in the Boston Herald, Worcester Telegram-Gazette, Fairfield County Weekly, New Canaan Patch, Performer Magazine, and All About Jazz. I'm currently located in NYC, and am drinking in the ridiculous music coming out of every street corner.

I attempt to play a little alto saxophone from time to time. In college I played with the Boston University Big Band under the excellent Boston saxophonist James Merenda. I also regularly jam with a dude who jams with a dude who tried to teach Coltrane how to play trombone. This is the height of my accomplishment as a player. I enjoy playing what I listen to most and what I write about most: the blues, soul-jazz, free jazz, a little modern bop, and Jewish music.