In his review for AllMusic, Jonathan Widran states that "Not every tune has a strong focus, as the title track almost seems like an avant-garde experiment searching for a slight melody halfway through."[2]
Joel Roberts, in a review for All About Jazz, wrote: "These veterans of the avant-jazz wars... combine musical excellence and compositional skills with a shared sensibility that's well summed up by the album's title, Open Ideas... There's a staggering amount of knowledge and history on display here... While the trio's roots stretch back to the free-jazz movement of the '60s... and none of its members has ever shied away from tackling difficult music, this set makes for highly accessible, though challenging, listening. Not just for avant-gardists, Open Ideas is recommended for all those with open ears."[3]
