super, except for the rock fusion piece
The rock fusion piece just doesn't belong with the rest of the album,
which is straight ahead cool, eminently solid Metheny jazz..
Otherwise, 5 stars to the guys.

Metheny goes Tokyo
If you already know the Studio recording "Day Trip" it is still worthwhile listening to the life performance. Highly recommendable for everyone who likes jazz phrases, variations and interpretations.
Personally I use the CD a lot in the car on long distance travels. It is really calming me down and cheering me up.
JR

Companion piece?
This five-set EP is presumably released as a companion piece to the trio's Day Trip album released earlier this year. Nonesuch could've easily released both sets at the same time, perhaps as a double album or something, but I guess the more money that can be made out of us punters, the better for business.

Not that I'm complaining. Recorded in front of a live audience in Tokyo the trio - Pat Metheny, Christian McBride & Antonio Sanchez - are at their most formidable here with Metheny on guitar, electric sitar, baritone and acoustic guitars; McBride on acoustic bass and Sanchez on drums and orchestra bells. Each tune showcases the amazing skills of the three musicians, especially Sanchez who comes alive in a way that he sadly didn't on Migration, his own recent album.

"Tromsø" is one of those spacey, atmospheric numbers that Metheny became famous for back in his ECM days; "Traveling Fast" is as the title suggests, an upbeat, almost frenetic number and closer to Metheny's present day staple. "Inori" is an acoustic ballad, and as beautiful as one might expect; "Back Arm & Blackcharge" is a noisy, rock-influenced number that I care for the least out of the five tunes and finally, we return to that wonderful acoustic sound for the album closer "The Night Becomes You".

All songs are written by Metheny and the set is produced by him and co-produced by Steve Rodby.

As I said at the top, it would probably have been kinder to the fans to release this and "Day Trip" as one double set, especially in these testing economic times - but do I feel ripped off? Not even slightly. There's some beautiful, totally unmissable music on here.

A nice companion release
This is a great companion piece to the studio release of Day Trip. Musically it's all over the map; two acoustic ballads (Inori, Night Becomes You), screaming rock fusion (Back Arm), one very esoteric ECM sort of tune (Tromsb), and one glorious straight ahead jazz piece which to me is the highlight of the entire album (Traveling Fast). If you like Metheny in a trio format then you probably loved Day Trip and I'm guessing you'll love this. His musical companions are both monster musicians themselves, so you've got the best of all worlds here. The four star rating is only because the two acoustic ballads, while terrific, is one too many for me. I would have preferred more straight ahead jazz instead. These three can seriously play....ballads have a tendency to mute that somewhat.

No matter. This is very inexpensive and it beats the hell out of lossy mp3 downloads. Make the purchase and enjoy.