He recalled: "The poetry of that phrase fit the message of the trio's music... the gamut of life experiences — the whole human picture and range of emotions.

[16] In a review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine described the album as "the place where [Corea] put all the pieces in motion for his long, adventurous career," and wrote: "There's an intellectual rigor balanced by an instinctual hunger that makes for music that's lively and challenging while also containing a patina of comfort... it captures the pianist at the brink: it's kinetic, exciting, and filled with endless possibilities.

"[12] The editors of MusicHound Jazz awarded the album a full 5 stars, and writer Ralph Burnett noted that it "features Corea's best original writing and a superb trio.

"[11] Will Layman of PopMatters included the recording in his article "The 11 Best Chick Corea Albums," and stated: "Can an artist sum up their career in what was essentially a debut?

"[19] Writer and historian Loren Schoenberg remarked: "it is refreshing to go back to this... to hear how original his style sounded bounding out of the context of the 1960s... Corea's compositions and free-flowing concept set him apart from the pack even at this early date.