PAT METHENY GROUP: THE WAY UP

On The Way Up, Pat Metheny - and, of course, the Pat Metheny Group - displays an exceptional mastery of a wide range of jazz fusion styles. The album slips in more jazz-leaning moments reminiscent of early fusion works by Miles Davis or Weather Report, more firey playing following the precedent set by the likes of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, and moments of playfulness which remind me of Canterbury scene groups like Hatfield and the North or National Health.

That said, this shouldn't be mistaken for a box-ticking exercise in nostalgia; the album has a thoroughly modern sound, reminiscent of recent work by the likes of the Esbjorn Svensson Trio, which recontextualises jazz fusion techniques into new compositional structures. In terms of tone and aesthetic, things are generally more mellow and gentle than the harder-edged fusion outfits of the 1970s - again, a point the album has in common with works from the Canterbury scene - so if you're after something with more bite it might not appeal, but otherwise it's an excellent choice for jazz fusion listeners who want to convince themselves that there's still something novel to be done in the genre.