The world's only composing group of four bass clarinetists, Edmund Welles are purveyors of Heavy Chamber Music. Combining equal parts from jazz, classical, and rock, guided by the deep sonority and expressive range of the bass clarinet. Muzak for conspiracy theorists, songs of Lunacy & Purpose. Neo-gothic subterranean pseudo-new music and de-jazzed riff rock. This kind of "style" list can be challenging (i.e annoying) to read, I know, but the sound of this group is, as objectively as possible, very hard to describe using conventional terms and genres.
It's a lot of bass clarinet, it's heavy and driving, dense yet accessible.
The debut album, Agrippa's 3 Books, was released in August 2005. A3B was inspired by occult philosophy and heavy metal music; the sound production was done by sound alchemist Oz Fritz (Bill Laswell, Tom Waits, Primus) and the deluxe packaging was done by Theresa Wong (graphic designer, [s]avant cellist, amplified bicycle performer).
The new album is out now and it has 12 originals on it, assisted in the audio by Myles Boisen and with the paintings on the covers by Chako Chan.
--> CDBABY LINK for EDMUND WELLES: Agrippa's 3 Books -->
CD Baby says:"Never have you heard the clarinet take on so much attitude, so much angst, so much personality. Mixing in styles and approaches from contemporary classical writing to jazz to just good old rock 'n roll licks, Edmund Welles's album, "Agrippa's 3 Books," wins the award for capturing the most imagination and making the most out of one instrument family. Just listen."
-------> CDBABY LINK for EDMUND WELLES: Tooth & Claw--->
Get Edmund Welles notation (parts/sheet music) for Tooth & Claw,
------> CDBABY LINK for THE TOOTH & CLAW COMPANION--->
Old 2008 news: (Spring 2008) Signal to Noise feature article
July 2008 Opening Night Concert at the International Clarinet Convention 2008
Opening slot on short CA tour with SLEEPYTIME GORILLA MUSEUM July 6-10, 2008
New 2009 news:
ALL HALLOW'S REED, Big show on October 30, 2009 at Old First Church in SF
Lots of videos on the youtubes of us these days, varied various live shows.
