On the album, Abdullah is joined by members of the band called NAM: saxophonist and clarinetist Alex Harding, bassist Masa Kamaguchi, and drummer Jimmy Weinstein.

[1][2][3] In a review for AllMusic, Steve Loewy wrote: "Abdullah is not so much a radical interpreter as an individualist with an old-time approach to the trumpet applied to modern harmonics.

He growls, 'gets down,' and often sticks to a blues aesthetic, yet he also incorporates a style that hearkens to early Ornette... Much of the CD amounts to almost a highly effective blowing session, with the horns taking lengthy solos.

"[1] Peter Margasak of JazzTimes noted that "Abdullah never loses sight of how his contribution fits into the performance at large," and stated: "Taking on a wonderfully diverse program... this group... keenly investigates the avant garde's periphery.

"[7] The authors of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings noted that "Abdullah's interest in the nexus of New Orleans and Africa is a dominant concern," and praised "Song of Tenderness," stating that his "muted solo floats over a bass-line that old Fred [Hopkins] would have loved.