"[6] Richard S. Ginell of Allmusic stated "With this recording, Joshua Redman attempts a long-form composition for the first time, a series of eight numbers that form a cycle of sorts.

The promotional buzz claimed that Redman was taking stock of his music ten years after winning the Thelonious Monk competition, the event that had the effect of launching him full-blown into the big time.

Whether or not that's true, there is a predominantly reflective, thoughtful tone about this quartet session, split between written-out passages and flat-out improvisations.

The whole thing runs for a continuous yet comfortable 52 minutes, an extension of the interlude idea that Redman played with on Timeless Tales... That said, it's hard to get really worked up about much of the material presented here; there isn't much that really touches or inflames the listener in a deep way.

Ron Wynn of JazzTimes commented "On Passage of Time, Redman sounds free of having to approximate a pop hit or having to create something fresh within a shopworn concept like a tribute album; he and his mates provide music that challenges and confronts the listener.