It was the first album by her Black Earth Strings, a band that brings African rhythms, contemporary sounds and swinging improvisation to a chamber music setting.

[1] In his review for AllMusic, Alex Henderson notes that "Baker and Reid's strings do a lot to shape the sound of Mitchell's quintet, which incorporates elements of Euro-classical chamber music but has strong African, Asian, and Middle Eastern influences as well.

"[2] The Down Beat review by Peter Margasak says "With a composer open to exploring as many sounds and approaches as Mitchell, it’s important to have a group that keep things grounded, and despite the range of the pieces here, the music never feels dilettantish or erratic.

"[3] The All About Jazz review by Troy Collins states "Avoiding eclectic posturing by virtue of her compositional acumen, Mitchell's writing eschews stylistic boundaries to embrace a multiplicity of genres, making each one her own.

As is the case with her other projects, Mitchell manages to make listening to jazz a teachable moment, but without the pedantry that has become part and parcel of such exercises since the rise of the Neo Cons.