Pat Metheny fans know by now what to expect from a recorded performance by the guitarist and his group, and it's all here on The Way Up - Live: superb, versatile musicianship, mixing virtuoso soloing with telepathic ensemble interplay and sustained moments of majestic passion and intensity; intricate rhythms and time signatures; sweeping textures punctuated by some memorable melodic passages; and, from a purely technical standpoint, superior sound and visuals. Yet The Way Up is a bit different, and a good deal more challenging.
First heard on the group's 2005 CD of the same name (this performance was recorded in Seoul, South Korea), it's a long, ambitious piece of music consisting of four lengthy parts, all played without pause. For a live audience, it's more like taking in a classical music concert than a jazz or rock show; there are melodies and grooves, but no tunes, per se, as the piece mostly lacks the song-like appeal of much of the Metheny Group's best known work.
Composed by Metheny and Lyle Mays, his longtime partner and keyboardist, the music constantly evolves over the course of its 70 minutes (Metheny himself changes guitars like Cher switches costumes), to the point where you might not actually recall much of it when it's over. But you'll certainly remember the experience of watching and listen to these seven brilliant musicians at work; and like the Seoul audience, you will be wowed. An interview with Metheny is the sole bonus feature.
--Sam Graham