Like Beak> three months before them, Get The Blessing came to Whelan’s with the not inconsiderable recommendation of having been part of Portishead. With two more non-Portishead members in tow they now tour as a well respected jazz rock band, bedecked in immaculate suits. Lead by Jim Barr on bass, who does a nice line in (presumably) deliberately crap jokes, the band are quirky, accomplished, interesting and entertaining. So, with that introduction out of the way, now we get to the difficult part of the review.

This reviewer’s knowledge of jazz is minimal at best. Attendance was based purely on a love of Portishead and liking their OCDC video linked on twitter last week. Spoofing is an option, but jazz aficionados would presumably see right through that. Firstly we can confirm that it was an enjoyable gig; and the reaction of the audience suggested that was a commonly held view. Secondly we can detail some of the music this gig brought to mind.

There was I Think I Lost My Headache by Queens of the Stone Age from ‘Rated R’, a nice, long freak out of an album closer, complete with horns. There was National Anthem by Radiohead from Kid A; again with horns, again with a bit of a freak out. Finally there was Cop Shoot Cop  from ‘Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating into Space’ or, well, most of Spiritualized’s output.

What do all these songs have in common? A few things – they include some brass instruments, they are not immediately accessible, they allow your mind to wander amidst the noise and they make you grateful for musicians who are willing to push the envelope a little. Finally each song could be mistaken for just ‘noise’ by the type of individual who likes to describe great, interesting songs as ‘noise’. And that’s exactly what Get The Blessing brought to proceedings on Tuesday. Interesting, free-wheeling, experimental  and exciting noise.  The mission to learn more about Jazz begins in earnest right now.