Trumpeter Woody Shaw became known in the ’80s and ’90s, prior to his untimely death, as a virtuoso playing acoustic hard bop at the highest level of technical skill. But his first solo album, from 1971, was a churning Bitches Brew-esque blast, featuring Gary Bartz and Bennie Maupin on reeds, George Cables on electric piano, Ron Carter and Clint Houston on acoustic and electric basses, and Lenny White on drums. The music is raucous and hard-charging, Cables’ keys and White’s drums anchoring piercing, post-free jazz solos from all three horns as the basses rumble and groan.

– Phil Freeman