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“Recorded between April and June of 1971, Alice Coltrane's Universal Consciousness stands as her classic work. As a testament to the articulation of her spiritual principles, Universal Consciousness stands even above World Galaxy as a recording where the medium of music, both composed and improvised, perfectly united the realms of body (in performance), speech (in the utterance of individual instrumentalists and group interplay), and mind (absolute focus) for the listener to take into their own experience. While many regard Universal Consciousness as a "jazz" album, it transcends even free jazz by its reliance on deeply thematic harmonic material and the closely controlled sonic dynamics in its richly hued chromatic palette.” – All Music

“Universal Consciousness utilizes transcriptions by free jazz cornerstone Ornette Coleman and features a line of four violinists including Joan Kalisch and Leroy Jenkins. Their presence is immediately felt on the opening title cut, aggressive, near-Modernist twists and darts hastily relieving any nagging suspicions over the syrupiness that can exude from a mal-employed string section. Added weight comes through Garrison’s bowed strings, his textures contrasting with the cascades of Coltrane’s harp. And then shortly after a minute in, the organ arrives with the abruptness of a studio edit; DeJohnette turns up the heat, his intensity rolling across the potency of her solo.” – The Vinyl District

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