Gareth Grundy of The Observer declared it a "succinct documentary of the glory years of reggae wayward little brother" that would appeal to newcomers and aficionados alike. John Doran of The Quietus praised Soul Jazz for "concentrating on the cream of the many excellent riddims and styles the genre threw up rather than giving space to the objectionable.", referring to not including more homophobic dancehall songs like "Boom Bye Bye" by Buju Banton. Doran echoed Grundy's review that it would appease novice dancehall fans and general fans and lives up to the high standards of their other comps such as Rumble in the Jungle and In the Beginning There Was Rhythm. Gervase de Wilde of The Daily Telegraph praised the album as being comprehensive, and that it "showcases both its relentless innovation and moments of crossover appeal."
Stevie Chick found the album was "like a wide-ranging survey of the greatest Jamaican pop of its loosely-defined era" and "feels less like a dry old musicology lecture and more like a party-proof all-killer mixtape culled from arguable Golden Age."
