Bristol band Get The Blessing’s fifth album accompanies much touring this autumn that includes a headlining slot at east London festival Match & Fuse.
Astronautilus is dedicated to the memory of Ornette Coleman, a huge inspiration for the band, yet as ever the band sound very unOrnette-like.
The Get the Blessing sound is very distinctive, it hardly corresponds to any contemporary jazz unit you might come across and that’s both a joy but sometimes an exasperation too, the day-glo tunes and cheeky motifs as much a sugary snack as a substantial meal.
Built around meaty riffs and the euphoric power of the bass and drums of Jim Barr and Clive Deamer, the twin horn section of trumpeter Pete Judge and saxophonist Jake McMurchie are a tight team blowing over the top that know how to ramp up the excitement level or simply add plenty of noir-ish atmosphere sometimes accompanied by a light veil of electronics.
There’s a rigid architecture to the selections, the mostly brief tunes consistently snappy and no-nonsense curtailing the room for improvisation sure but loose enough to suggest plenty of possibilities and make repeated listening packed full of interest.
‘Phaenomena’, the opening track of Astronautilus, is above