Will Smith (Omaha World Journal) wrote that Zankel sounded like an "unswinging" Jimmy Lyons and is "mostly colorless" while Andy Bartlett (Coda) called it in part "starkly beautiful" and "torrentially powerful." He also said the date was "inventive and daring" while the Penguin Guide found it "Wearying stuff." Allen Morales (Victory Music) recommended it "If you enjoy music that causes you to think …" Bart Grooms ( Option) said "there's so little standard tonality and enough wild squawkouts that [he didn't] feel compelled to keep listening" but recommended it to devotees of the genre. However, John Murph (JazzTimes) found that "Zankel unravels succinct musical statements that are lullingly conversational and utterly lyrical." Dave McElfresh (JazzNow)noted that "Zankel does not … play cute Jazz for the granola crowd." Stereo Review found it "both ruminative and dynamic, lyrical but steel-ribbed.