Shibuya Takeshi Orchestra "Zutto Nishi-Ogi" (Rinsen Music) 2003

This is one of the best recordings the longtime members of pianist Takeshi Shibuya's nonet have put together to date. The title pays homage to their favorite club, Aketa no Mise, a funky dive in Nishi-Ogikubo where they hold court once a month. The fresh and playful inventiveness of the band pulls its groove from disparate sources: funky bass, raw punkish drumming, laid-back organ, spacey guitar chords, and a free-wheeling horn section. This is unconventionality that sounds achingly beautiful.