The Way Up turned out to be the final Pat Metheny Group album, and it’s fitting, as the record felt like both a creative peak and a culmination of everything the band had been working toward for the prior quarter-century-plus. Structured as a through-composed suite, clocking in at just over an hour, the piece demonstrated how adept Metheny and pianist/co-composer Lyle Mays had grown at balancing complexity with accessibility, and meticulous writing with moments of inspired spontaneity. (Mays himself proudly called the record his “doctoral thesis.”) Built around a handful of recurring themes, including at least one that’s earworm-catchy, the work showcases the virtuosity of the supporting cast — including bassist Steve Rodby, drummer Antonio Sanchez, trumpeter-vocalist Cuong Vu and harmonica player Gregoire Maret — as it moves through a stunning array of textures, from futuristic fusion to Steve Reich-ian minimalism and placid balladry. Like the best of the PMG’s prior work, it feels coherent and melodically engaging even as it pushes the limits of genre and form.