The 33-minute title track is based on the notion of what Reed calls "collective arranging," "an approach in which the structural development, harmony, and shape of a piece of particular music was created spontaneously by the entire band.

[3] In a review for DownBeat, Michael Jackson wrote: "Reed devised a system of colored paddles to signal changes of texture and note value.

"[6] Troy Collins of All About Jazz stated: "Mitchell's congenial rapport with Reed's young quintet establishes a historical continuum hearkening back to his early days as founder of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago... A cross-generational summit meeting between one of the organization's key founders and its newest heir, Empathetic Parts truly embodies the AACM's credo, Great Black Music, Ancient to the Future.

But the members of Loose Assembly support rather than dominate one another, so that the music slips fluidly from full-steam-ahead ensemble swinging to spiky staccato exchanges.

"[7] Writing for The New York City Jazz Record, Ken Waxman remarked: "the percussionist's stylistic timekeeping - alarm clock-like ringing paradiddles to cumulative back beats and rim shots - solders together the disparate techniques into a throbbing narrative... Creatively busy, Reed's Loose Assembly proves to be loose only in its ability to accommodate an additional voice, but not in creative performance.