In a review for
All About Jazz, John Eyles called the album "extraordinary" and "a rich and varied portrait of [Rutherford] that is powerful evidence of his pre-eminence." He wrote: "Solo, with or without electronics, he managed to construct dialogues with himself that invariably draw the listener in. In groups with others, be they duos or trios, he never seemed to hog the limelight but was a generous collaborator; nonetheless, time and again, it is the humanity of his playing that captures listeners' attention." Writer Raul Da Gama commented: "what Mr Rutherford celebrates in grand, breathtaking manner forms a sort of central theme of human liberty... [he] seems to be rejoicing in the empirical fact that it is by means of music that the individual breaks free of every shackle... This disc... is a timely reminder of his musical legacy; a worthy tribute to one of the great musical masters of our time." Regarding the solo track,
Point of Departure's Michael Rosenstein remarked: "There is nothing in the least bit reductive in his strategies. Instead, there is more patience in the way he lets the arc of the solo unfold. He also makes particularly effective use of the juxtaposition of the extremes of register of the horn, leaping effortlessly from the lowest growls to the highest, clarion peals." Writing for
The New York City Jazz Record, Clifford Allen praised Emanem founder Martin Davidson for extracting the music from the label's "treasure trove of archival recordings," and called the trio track "a joyous coda to a life truly lived," consisting of "eliding flicks, pointillist chunks... and... harried harmonic gestures." In an article for
JazzWord, Ken Waxman stated that the album "provides a notable cross section of [Rutherford's] innovative skills through an almost 40-year time frame." Chris Callaghan of the
Morning Star described the album as "revelatory," and commented: "Many of Rutherford's qualities are there in the music of
In Backward Times... His outrageous wit, the griot's stories in the solo improvising tracks, his revolutionary horn sound, his respect and comradeship with brilliant co-musicians... and the sheer collectivism and democratic principles that mark the music he made with others are all there." ==Track listing==