1970's : I first took an interest in the guitar during the mid 60's when I heard The Beatles 'Day Tripper' but wasn't hooked at this stage. A few years later I heard a Wes Montgomery LP - 'Boss Guitar' playing on my father's stereogram, an incredible recording by an amazing guitarist. I was totally hooked after seeing Jimi Hendrix on film performing at Woodstock, a stellar performance! I was also introduced to the playing of Johnny Guitar Watson who still remains a big influence also Larry Carlton, George Benson, Nile Rodgers, Eric Clapton, Jim Mullen... the list is endless!

My early years were spent playing in local bands from my home town of Dunfermline, Scotland. Joes Diner were one of them, they went on to win the 'Melody Maker Folk-Rock Competition' in 1977. We thought we had hit the big time as we were selling out concerts at The Carnegie Hall (Dunfermline that is!). Unfortunately Punk and New Wave made our brand of prog' rock/funk redundant, although we did have fun touring the university circuit.

1980's : I moved to Edinburgh permanently and hooked up with one of the first Jazz/Funk Jam Bands in Scotland: 'After Eight Mince' fronted by the legendary? Bill Innes on Sax. The music was often very rough but there was a lot of room for improvising over tunes by The Crusaders, Ronnie Laws, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, George Benson and Weather Report. Neil Hay played bass as did Aqua Bassino. along with Foss Paterson on keyboards and a host of funky drummers

For a few years I played Jump-Jive Jazz with Craig McMurdo and also 'Detroit' with 60's girl-group tribute band The Faboulous Singlettes performing at many theatres and festival venues throughout the UK.

In the mid 80's I played on jingles and songs at studios owned by Edinburgh songwriters Bobby Heatlie (writer for Shakin' Stevens and Aneka) and Dave Valentine. It was around this time I met Blues singer Tam White who had just disbanded his popular 'Dexters' line-up and was wanting to perform with a smaller outfit 'Tam White's Shoestring' with harmonica ace Fraser Speirs. The Shoestring toured Europe and appeared on BBC TV documentaries Don't Look Down and Artery.

The 1990's : I lectured briefly at Jewel & Esk Valley College on the Modern Musicianship HNC course. I also shared the MD post for the Radio Forth 'RFM Band' who were featured on a 10 week radio show broadcast every Saturday morning with guests Mica Paris, Roachford, Tracey Chapman, Fish and more 90's names.

In the mid-90's I formed 'The Wasp Factory' a jazz fusion 4 piece with John Martyn's keyboard player Foss Paterson, the late Neil Hay on bass and John Henderson on drums. We covered music by Steps Ahead, Mike Stern, John Scofield, Weather Report and The Yellowjackets. 'The Wasp Factory' played several dates at The Glasgow Jazz Festival.

During this period I featured on two of Tam White's CDs - Man Dancin' and The Real Deal. Man Dancin' was produced by Calum Malcolm.

I also performed at many concerts in Europe with Tam White supporting: Van Morrison, Robert Cray, James Taylor, Charlie Musselwhite, The Blues Band, Gary Moore, Labi Siffre, Rab Noakes, Hans Theesink, Peter Green, playing at small clubs to 10,000 seated outdoor events!

The 2000's : I continued working with Tam White in 'The Groove Connection' a 10 piece jazz funk band. (Video Clips) I developed a great working relationship and friendship with King Crimson/Bad Company bass player Boz Burrell. Jazz piano monster Brian Kellock was also featured in 'The Groove Connection'. The band were seriously cookin', with a great horn section and soloists. We toured for about 3 years and also played The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall where we featured Scottish Rock and Soul singer Maggie Bell.

In 2003 I recorded with Tam White on his CD 'Hold On'. Tracks from this CD were used on the DVD/Film Man Dancin'. Tam White, Fraser Speirs and Neil were also featured in this film.

Also performed at folk clubs, theatres with singer songwriter Allie Fox from the Borders, Scotland. Neil is featured on her latest guitar instrumental CD to be released later yhis year.

Blue Soul Groove - Cool grooves and beats from Scotland's only Smooth Jazz outfit featuring guitarist Neil Warden and Saxophonist John Burgess. "I have been doing Fusion Flavours for 17 years now… It’s always great to get home grown talent in the UK playing “Smooth Jazz”. Blue Soul Groove are one of the big new discoveries of 2007 for me. They are the real deal." DJ/Host Steve Quirk of "Fusion Flavours" Smooth Radio 100.4 UK

Tam White Band - Live
EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE 2005 - SPIEGEL TENT
'Herald'
Accompanied by a quintet that included long-time partner Brian Kellock on piano and, on saxophone, Tommy Smith, white was able to stretch out in the bluesy-jazzy style of Jimmy Witherspoon and Big Joe Williams with real panache.

Witherspoons favourite blues ballad, 'Evenin'', found white luxuriating in words and music, as rueful and repentant here as he was streetwise while prowling for a good time and downright tomcat-like on Johnny Guitar Watson's 'I Need It'.

The band, despite a complete lack of rehearsal, fell in with assurance, with Smith revelling in the music's straightforward grittiness and the excellent Neil Warden providing, crisp, telling guitar licks.

Tam White & Neil Warden - Live
NORTH EDINBURGH ARTS CENTRE 2004
'Scotsman'
With Neil Warden’s electric guitar his sole accompaniment, this stripped-down incarnation of the Tam White sound found the silver troubadour taking the rougher blues paths, crossing occasional rock and gospel territory, but enjoying a connection with the audience that saw Stonemason’s Blues and other self-penned slings and arrows sung and slung back with engaging humour. Ain’t No Sunshine and Heartbreak Hotel sounded workmanlike, but the misfortune of being Born Under a Bad Sign was in every rasping word and chord.

Warden’s unflashy switches from single note plucking to deft solos deferred to White’s raw bass baritone, freeing the older man to growl his languid yearnings and smoky yelps on T-Bone Walker’s Stormy Monday and Muddy Waters’s Got My Mojo Working. Pollution Blues is a passable contribution to the deservedly maligned eco-lyrics genre. But the hard, vivid Man Dancin’, the highlight of White’s new album, sounds set to become a standard.

CELTIC BLUES CONNECTION
Spiegeltent, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 1998
'Scotsman'
TAM WHITE got straight down to the business of rocking a busy house, with his all-star band line-up including former Bad Company bassist, Boz Burrell, west-coast harmonica wizard Fraser Spiers and Neil Warden in superb form on lead guitar.

Tam White
'Hold On' - CD
Musician - Journal of the Musicians' Union Spring 2004
Reviewed by Kit Packham
The 11 songs on Hold On have an 'unplugged' atmosphere in the main. white has worked on the blues circuit for many years but some of these tracks (notably Nature of the Beast) could almost be a homage to Bob Dylan. Linda's Hideaway dangerously close to schmaltz, and White's vocal sometimes recalling Johnny Cash (not to mention a line in Falling where he refers to himself as a cowboy), is there also some country influence at work here? Regardless of classifications, Tam's many years of experience show in well-constructed songs, well played, well sung and well arranged. Solos are brief, mostly on guitar and always tasteful and complementary to the song.

Jimi McRae
'Earthdance' - CD
Musician - Journal of the Musicians' Union Spring 2002
The CD opens with wittily titled Electric Lassieland and the nod to Hendrix is echoed in Neil Warden's electric guitar figures. Kirsty Anderson adds backing vocals while McRae's pipes trade licks with the guitar to create a pleasing dynamic whole. Elsewhere Anderson plays violin and forms an electric string section with cellist Wendy Weatherby on Dornie Bends, a lilting instrumental complete with motorcycle sounds. McRae is beginning to make a name for himself in the US and Europe and this CD should give a deserved boost to his career.

Tam White Shoestring - Live
Evening News
Dunfermline-based lead-guitarist Neil Warden danced his fingers along the fret-board, making it look ridiculously simple.

Tam White Shoestring - Live
Orkney Gazette
Neil Warden, on lead guitar has a style and technique which is envied by many. His amazing dancing fingers conjured up a variety of blues riffs and licks throughout the performance, to the fascination of all.

Tam White - Neil Warden - Live in Stornaway
Stornaway Gazette
Guitarist extraordinaire, Neil Warden..... ran the gamut from gritty shuffles to sophisticated funk, with a smidgen of jazz, country and traditional.