“When Marquis Hill won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition in 2014, the rest of the world started to discover what Chicagoans already knew: that Hill stands as an emerging trumpeter of uncommon melodic grace, technical command and improvisational ingenuity.” - Chicago Tribune
“The groove-laden arrangements provide the perfect soundscape for Hill’s fluid improvisational style, which, with its glass-like lucidity, recalls the crisp elegance of hard-bop stalwart Donald Byrd. It’s no coincidence that Byrd, an early pioneer of merging jazz and r&b, is the subject of a lovely homage by Hill, who leads the group through a touching version of the late trumpeter’s ‘Fly Little Bird Fly.’ Sultry and swaggering, it’s a poignant example of modern jazz done the Chicago Way.” - DownBeat
“Marquis Hill has a brawny but mellow sound on the trumpet, and an evenness of attack across the breadth of his range. His articulation, precise but unlabored, calls to mind the precedent of Clifford Brown, while his bravura phrasing suggests an equal immersion in Freddie Hubbard and Woody Shaw.” - JazzTimes
“Most of the tunes are jazz standards, but the arrangements and attack follow the flavor of Hill’s previous album, covering a broad terrain and adding bits of R&B and hip-hop.” - Chicago Reader
“The Way We Play is undoubtedly Marquis Hill’s best work up to this point in his musical recording journey. The main reason why this album is so good is that it has a broad appeal that might be considered exceptional, and the musical arrangements by Hill are impeccable. He combined the sound of Freddie Hubbard and Donald Byrd with the innovations of a John Coltrane to create his own unique sound. The Way We Play is definitely Straight – No Chaser!” - San Diego County News