The authors of the Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings awarded the album 3½ stars, and commented: "Altered Spaces is the most ambitious work the Ensemble has tackled... Impressive... for its sheer cross-grainedness."[3]
Writing for AllMusic, Don Snowden remarked: "this is very much in the chamber jazz zone, closer to the European avant-classical wing than any rhythm-driven freedom pulse variant... It's challenging stuff with lovely moments, for sure, and probably made for an absorbing ride in concert, but as a pure listening experience, the ebb and flow is a bit too dry and severe to fully make the transition to disc. Altered Spaces is fine for advanced Reggie Workman fans, but tough for beginners who can find more accessible discs for an introduction to his music as a leader."[2]
