West of JazzTimes wrote: "Like many live jazz albums, A Rift in Decorum amplifies Ambrose Akinmusire's best qualities (his beautiful, penetrating trumpet sound and postbop melodies) as well as his worst (his proneness to being too hip for the room).

"[9] Matt Collar of Allmusic observed: "An expansive two-disc concert album, Ambrose Akinmusire's 2017 effort, A Rift in Decorum: Live at the Village Vanguard, is a sophisticated production on par with his previous studio recordings.

Rather than returning to those familiar surroundings for his fourth album, Akinmusire instead brought his quartet to the Vanguard along with a set of newly penned original compositions.

While Akinmusire has made a very different album from Coltrane's, A Rift in Decorum does find the trumpeter in a similarly challenging mood, balancing the highly introspective and cerebral nature of his studio albums with the unpredictable and often explosive nature of his live shows.

"[1] Frank Alkyer of DownBeat wrote: "It's music that sneaks into your soul because whether fiery or quiet, nothing is ever rushed by these musicians; everything is thought out and purposeful... That depth of self-reflection makes Akinmusire an amazingly effective composer—one who should be heard, studied and enjoyed.