[2][3] The album was a hit record, as was the accompanying single "Compared to What", with both selling millions of units.

[1] The album was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of best jazz performance, small group.

[8][9] A Billboard writer commented in 2006 that "what put Montreux on the recorded-live-in-concert map was the legendary Swiss Movement album".

[10] Writing in AllMusic, Richie Unterberger calls Swiss Movement "one of the most popular soul jazz albums of all time, and one of the best.

"[4] The tapes of this impromptu concert were originally recorded by the festival's organisers and then passed on to Atlantic, who decided to release them after paying a fee of less than $100.