In 1999, The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz also gave Holiday for Pans a four-star review. Writing for The Rough Guide to Jazz in 2004, Ian Carr selected Holiday for Pans as one of three touchstone recordings by Pastorius that readers should seek out. Carr describes the album as "Pastorius in collaboration with Michael Gibbs and an ensemble which includes the great Toots Thielemans, in a joyfully creative orchestral deployment of West Indian steel drums.
In 1999, The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz also commended Holiday for Pans with four stars. In 2004, Ian Carr highlighted Holiday for Pans as one of three must-listen recordings by Pastorius that readers should investigate. Carr portrays the album as "Pastorius in collaboration with Michael Gibbs and an ensemble featuring the exceptional Toots Thielemans, in a joyfully creative orchestral deployment of West Indian steel drums.