The Way Up

The Way Up
The Way Up
Studio album by Pat Metheny Group
Released	January 25, 2005
Recorded	2003–2004
Studio	Right Track, New York City
Genre	Jazz, jazz fusion
Length	68:07
Label	Nonesuch
Producer	Pat Metheny
Pat Metheny chronology

Last updated October 17, 2025

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[1]
All About Jazz	(favourable)^[2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	^[3]
Tom Hull	B+( )^[4]

The Way Up is the eleventh and final studio album by the Pat Metheny Group. It was released in 2005 and won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album in 2006. It is the last album in the prolific three-decade collaboration of Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays.

Background

The album consists of one 68-minute-long piece, split into four tracks. The piece is through composed, featuring complex shifts of dynamics and meter, and precise transitions between solo improvisation sections.

Swiss multi-instrumentalist Gregoire Maret is showcased on the harmonica and joined the Group for the album's world tour. The tour included a performance at the Montreal Jazz Festival, and an official concert recording of the Seoul, South Korea appearance was released on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Opening"	5:17
2.	"Part One"	26:27
3.	"Part Two"	20:29
4.	"Part Three"	15:54

Personnel

Pat Metheny – acoustic and electric guitars, guitar synthesizer, slide guitar, toy guitar, producer
Lyle Mays – piano, keyboards, toy xylophone, producer
Steve Rodby – acoustic and electric bass, cello, violin, producer
Cuong Vu – trumpet, vocals, toy whistle
Grégoire Maret – harmonica
Antonio Sánchez – drums, toy xylophone

Additional musicians

Richard Bona – percussion, vocals, toy guitar
Dave Samuels – percussion

Technical personnel

Pat Metheny – producer
Steve Rodby, Lyle Mays – co-producers
Rob Eaton – recording, mixing
Ted Jensen – mastering at Sterling Sound, NYC, USA
Doyle Partners – design, photography

Awards

Grammy Awards

Year	Category
2006	Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album

References

↑ Jurek, Thom. "The Way Up - Pat Metheny Group | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved July 19, 2011.
↑ Kelman, John (January 20, 2005). "Pat Metheny Group: The Way Up". allaboutjazz.com. Retrieved October 17, 2013.
↑ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 995. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
↑ "Tom Hull: Grade List: Pat Metheny". Tom Hull . Retrieved October 16, 2025.

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[1] Jurek, Thom. "The Way Up - Pat Metheny Group | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved July 19, 2011.

[2] Kelman, John (January 20, 2005). "Pat Metheny Group: The Way Up". allaboutjazz.com. Retrieved October 17, 2013.

[Penguin-3] Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 995. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.

[4] "Tom Hull: Grade List: Pat Metheny". Tom Hull . Retrieved October 16, 2025.

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