[1][2] All of the musicians had participated in the recording of Cobham's 1974 studio album Total Eclipse,[3] and Abercrombie and the Brecker brothers had previously appeared on Crosswinds (1974) as well.

[5] In a review for AllMusic, Robert Taylor wrote: "All of the songs are blowing sessions allowing each musician ample time to develop their ideas...

"[1] The authors of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings stated: "Shabazz turned up the dials to 11...

The recording is classic '70s 'in concert' fare, cavernous and booming, with the drums mixed well up, but still perfectly listenable.

"[6] Exposé Online's Jon Davis commented: "This band is in absolute top form... Shabazz is a great sounding recording for both performance and audio quality, and deserves a place as one of the best live fusion albums of the 70s.