[1] In a review for AllMusic, William Ruhlmann wrote: "Bluiett holds down the rhythm and the bottom, allowing fellow founding member David Murray and his compatriots to take off... Like competing ghosts of John Coltrane, they sometimes achieve near cacophony in spots, occasionally seeming to imitate the sound of a herd of angry elephants... World Saxophone Quartet is always a challenging listen... but the results can be exhilarating, and they seem to be to the enthusiastic audience that whoops and hollers at this show.

"[2] Bill Milkowski, writing for Jazz Times, stated: "In this two-tenor onslaught, Murray and Carter can hardly be distinguished, especially when they launch into simultaneous altissimo flights... Murray's title track, recorded just two months after President Obama's inauguration, is a soulful fanfare brimming with optimism that highlights Carter's uncanny virtuosity on soprano.

"[6] In a review for the Financial Times, Mike Hobart called the recording a "blast of optimism," and commented: "New recruit James Carter matches founder-member David Murray's energy and agility, and the hell-for-leather free-for-alls are balanced by languorous harmonies.

"[5] The Guardian's John Fordham remarked: "Post-Coltrane free jazz, elegant Ellingtonian four-part harmonies and the powerful personalities of the four members... make it a highly varied set...

"[4] In a review for Stereophile, Fred Kaplan stated: "Yes We Can is the most jolting, swinging, all-round best album by the World Saxophone Quartet in nearly 20 years.