The history of the Educated Guess reaches as far back as the Winter of 2003, with pianist Charlie Brumley and guitarist Jordan Rogers infrequently collaborating on various musical ventures. These seldom and informal gatherings first started in preparation for a high school talent show, and would eventually lead to what became a long standing friendship and strong musical relationship. Asking their dates to homecoming in the Fall of 2004 with a widely-publicized private performance, Brumley and Rogers would eventually work out premature plans to create a lo-fi record of Beatlesque piano pop. Working with Josh Simpson as their drummer during the ensuing summer, the first tentative lineup worked fluidly as a three-piece rock band, frequently playing Wilco covers and exploring the work of their many influences in addition to the enormous amount of original material already in place. Unfortunately, their numerous practice and recording sessions yielded no album.
 
With the nameless project long behind them, Brumley began working with vocalist Tony Mallory in March of 2006 as an exercise of interest in their friendship, beginning with the performance of a two-movement piece entitled "Clouds" at their high school talent show. This set was later expanded to include six other pieces, effectively forming the Daunted Soul EP, Brumley's second serious attempt at songwriting. Soon enlisting Mr. Greg MacNair on violin, and reuniting with longtime friend Jordan Rogers to help record, (also playing both acoustic and bass guitars,) Daunted Soul would be finished by the summer's end and circulated mostly amongst their peers.
 
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In the year that followed, exhaustive work began on the writing of its follow-up, a full length album initially titled Familiar Street Names, but later revised to Beautiful Strangers. The new record put an even greater focus on incorporating Wall of Sound production techniques and creating a loose song cycle built around the album's centerpiece, "Half Heart." With Rogers on guitar, and Brumley now handling both lead vocal and piano duties, the Educated Guess would also return to an expanded instrumentation that included Jon Venegoni on bass guitar and Brian Pincus on drums.
 
In May of 2007, the new lineup, now formally a St. Louis-based outfit, began intensive rehearsals not only for their new album, but a reworked Daunted Soul as well. Both were recorded as a single project at Smith/Lee Productions in the final week of July, with Mr. MacNair reprising his role on violin, and Tony Mallory also returning as a guest vocalist. Extensive overdubbing and a lengthy period of mixing ensued in the subsequent weeks and months. Following completion and release of their 18 song double album in November 2007, the Educated Guess added Bryan Steel on acoustic guitar over a series of beers and a formal handshake, only to find this commitment a slight overextension in the sober weeks that followed.
 
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As early as Christmas day following their debut's release, the Educated Guess' third album began taking shape, beginning with a number of musical fragments that would be utilized in an even greater conceptual context and symphonic capacity. Realizing the demands and the enormity of his desired sound for the new undertaking, Brumley slowly and meticulously amassed an orchestra that would be capable of executing the album's thematic complexities.
While largely inspired by the dense production of Brian Wilson, Phil Spector, and early Roy Orbison, the new album also took significant influence from Ennio Morricone and the history of the American West.
 
Over the course of several weeks during the Spring of 2008, Brumley assembled a strong and gifted string quartet with Britney Stutz on 1st violin, Anthony Baumann on 2nd violin, Jake Wandel on viola, and Sam Birkemeyer on cello. Anchored by Devin LaRue on both euphonium and trombone, the Educated Guess also invited Brandon Hall on 1st trumpet, Kyle Allen on 2nd trumpet, and their very own Jon Venegoni on tuba to comprise of a makeshift four-piece brass ensemble. The Emperor Norton Orchestra was born, soon adding choral singers Stephanie Clonts and Emily Knobbe in addition to the pedal steel guitar of Scott Swartz. That summer, the band returned to Smith/Lee Productions for tracking, while the well-renowned J. Christopher Hughes was commissioned to help mix the massive project.
 
Citing a need for a permanent acoustic guitar player and with the current band lineup still intact, 2nd violinist Anthony Baumann was formally asked to join as a 3/5ths member upon fulfilling the auxiliary duties of acoustic guitar and mandolin on the new record. This momentous event was made official by plunging his face into a cake with "3/5ths" etched in icing.
 
West Skyline Drive was released on January 2nd, 2009 at Off Broadway in St. Louis, and is the first installment of a six movement trilogy.
 
-J.P.