Consisting of a single half-hour track, it was recorded during June 1969 in Bremen, Germany, and was issued on vinyl later that year by FMP as the label's inaugural release.

[1][2][3][4][5] Writer Bill Shoemaker compared the album to John Coltrane's Ascension, but noted that, although both albums alternated solos and short tutti passages, European Echoes included extended sections for smaller units of the ensemble, including a passage for three pianos, a drum set duet, and a double bass trio.

"[6] In a review for AllMusic, Stewart Mason wrote: "European Echoes is primarily of interest to free jazz historians and fanciers of the extreme.

"[7] AAJ's Derek Taylor described the ensemble as "a veritable dream orchestra populated by youthful incarnations of many of free improvisation's leading lights," and remarked: "Some listeners are likely to feel slighted by the album's brevity, but it bears considering that this single piece is meant to stand-alone.

"[10] Writing for JazzWord, Ken Waxman called the album a "wild ride," and noted: "With the examples of controlled chaos that other large ensembles like New York's The Jazz Composer's Orchestra, GUO and Brötzmann's Machine Gun band already created, this disc is most valuable providing aural views of important EuroImprovisers early in their career.