Edmund Welles
| Company type | Musical ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Headquarters | Oakland, California , United States |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
Number of employees | 4 |
Edmund Welles—officially known as Edmund Welles: The Bass Clarinet Quartet—was a bass clarinet quartet originating from Oakland, California, in the United States. The ensemble consisted of Cornelius Boots, Jonathan Russell, Jeff Anderle, and Aaron Novik. They specialized in what they described as "heavy chamber music" and explored a broad range of musical styles including avant-garde, gospel, jazz, and heavy metal. Their performances included reinterpretations of works by artists such as Radiohead, Primus, Black Sabbath, The Residents, Iron Maiden, and Spinal Tap, along with approximately fifty original compositions.
History
Edmund Welles was formed in 1996 when Boots initiated the project and began writing and arranging material for the group. Several compositions were derived from Magnesium, a power trio featuring Boots on an amplified, effect-laden bass clarinet variant that served as the bass instrument.
The quartet made its first public appearance in 1999. Their debut album, Agrippa's 3 Books, was released in August 2005 with financial support from a grant awarded by Chamber Music America. In 2007, they followed up with Tooth & Claw, which was accompanied by a CD-ROM containing archival recordings, 69 pages of sheet music for its twelve tracks, eight instructional videos, and nine drum machine click tracks designed for practice purposes.
Following Boots' decision to retire from playing the bass clarinet, the group officially disbanded in 2015.
Discography
Studio albums
- Agrippa's 3 Books (2005)
- Tooth & Claw (2007)
- Imagination Lost (2011)
- Hymns for Christmas (2012)
Demo recordings
- Gods Help Us All (1999)
- O Mysterium (1999)
Live recordings
- Live at Old First Church in San Francisco, CA. October 6, 2006 (2017)