Masters wrote sympathetic charts for many of the trombonist's finest pieces, utilizing an all-star nonet that could really dig into the inside/outside music...

"[1] The authors of The Penguin Guide to Jazz stated: "This session... brings back into focus a major compositional figure... the emphasis as ever falls on the very fine writing and on a band of equally undersung players.

"[4] Writing for All About Jazz, Clifford Allen commented: "Though Moncur's music gives itself well to loose improvisational settings, wherein the soloists and group are highly liberated, the cohesive and tightly arranged nature of these readings brings out their inherent logic and structure in addition to their springboard-like qualities.

'Love and Hate,' one of Moncur's darkest ballads, gives him a chance to show his highly personal side as soloist, and tenorist Harper matches the trombonist in introspection.

'New Africa,' a three-part suite, is also dominated by Moncur and Harper, but more interesting are the ensemble writing/playing and the strong walking by Drummond, free to roam in the pianoless environment.