[1] Entertainment Weekly wrote that "the limber and witty alto sax legend Gary Bartz serves up solos that sing and speak.

"[11] The Atlantic determined that the album finds Bartz's "rich and bluesy alto gaining luster against a two-piece brass section, while the program of standards, original ballads, and a touch of soca is quietly probing.

"[14] The Washington Post opined that "Bartz not only brings a fat, creamy tone and an ingenious harmonic grasp to the saxophone but also a maturity that enables him to say something with his technique.

"[15] The Los Angeles Daily News concluded that "Bartz takes time to breathe, and yet he plays shatteringly well when he wants to be more raucous.

"[12] Stereo Review deemed The Red and Orange Poems "an album of characteristic diversity that may well be his best to date.