In a review for
AllMusic,
Scott Yanow wrote: "The music... finds the pianoless group sounding halfway between the
Gerry Mulligan/
Chet Baker Quartet and the late-'50s
Ornette Coleman/
Don Cherry group... The advanced and passionate solos... and the close communication between the four highly individual improvisers make this a notable and highly recommended release." The authors of
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings stated: "This doesn't feel like fully three-dimensional Altschul. In the absence of a piano, he takes on an accompanist's role and does it very successfully, often leaving Helias to keep the count, though his own metre is rock steady. Rava and Surman don't quite gel early on and the album really comes alight only towards the end." Steve Holtje of
MusicHound Jazz called the album "Altschul's masterpiece as a leader," and noted that the musicians "walk the fine line between adding their own considerable inspiration yet not overwhelming the leader's concepts." ==Track listing==