her arrangements, especially those with weston, show a flexibility that transcends her musical upbringing in the bebop 1940s, whether working in the styles of swing, post-bop, african musics, or motown. her command of rhythmic gestures, grooves, and polyrhythms is particularly notable (as illustrated in "uhuru afrika" and "highlife"). her instrumental parts demonstrate an active use of harmonic possibilities; although her arrangements suggest relatively subdued interest in the explorations of free jazz ensembles, they use an extended tonal vocabulary, rich with altered harmonic voicings, thick layering, and dissonance. her work throughout her career has been well received by both critics and audiences alike.