[3][4] The recordings were made during a tour of Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia, with the musicians acting as cultural ambassadors, and feature extensive audience participation.

[6][7] In a review for AllMusic, Steve Loewy wrote: "The exquisite percussion of Famoudou Don Moye... and Hartmut Geerken colors every tune with a Dionysian joy.

John Tchicai blows hard and convincingly, as he belts out simple riffs and improvises melodically and passionately... there is a unique enlightening quality to the bells and whistles that engulfs the saxophone in a meditative cloud of vaporous cacophony.

"[8] The authors of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings stated that the album "is not the easiest of listens comprising as it does a rather personal diary of encounters with local people, some trained musicians, most not.

"[5] Derek Taylor, writing for One Final Note, remarked: "the trio's sounds left an indelible mark on the ears they touched.