Record Store Day Black Friday 2025 Releases

Although the main Record Store Day event occurs every year in April, the Black Friday drop gives record collectors a chance to find some one-of-a-kind releases to wrap up the year. The list always features music from a wide range of genres, and, of course, there are plenty of jazz releases available. However, these are limited-edition releases offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Checking the list of available titles beforehand is always helpful, but given the number of titles, it's easy to overlook a few. To help with the search, here is a brief overview of some jazz releases, along with a few extras. There is one caveat. The list on the Record Store Day website occasionally changes, so there may be additions or deletions before release day.

Albert Ayler and Don Cherry
Europe 1964 Box Set
ORG Music
Quantity: 1200

Don Cherry once described his first meeting with Albert Ayler as if he had known him before. The two musicians immediately developed a close musical bond, which culminated in the album Ghosts (Debut 1964), later reissued as Vibrations (Freedom 1973). In their brief but intense collaboration, Albert Ayler and Don Cherry created music that thrived on spontaneity. In his review of their music, All About Jazz writer Chris May stated, "This is Ayler during his most happening period, and if you are still reading this, you know that already." The Europe 1964 Box Set features live sessions from Copenhagen's Jazzhus Montmartre and a VARA Radio broadcast in the Netherlands, with Ayler on saxophone, Cherry on trumpet, Gary Peacock on bass and Sunny Murray on drums. Remastered and compiled for the first time on vinyl, this four-album box set includes detailed liner notes by Brian Morton and captures the dynamic energy of two free-jazz pioneers.

Ray Barretto
Together
Craft Records
Quantity: 1800

Ray Barrretto delivered some of the most intense Latin funk around. Together, initially released in 1969 on Fania Records, blends Latin jazz, soul, boogaloo, Afro-Cuban and funk rhythms into an ultra hip collection that grooves hard. The diverse elements come through loud and clear on tracks like "Vive y Vacila," "No Olvido a Caracas" and a cover of Dizzy Gillespie's "Tin Tin Deo." This Record Store Day reissue appears on 180-gram black vinyl, faithfully reproducing the original paper-wrapped jacket.

Larry Coryell
Riviera '76
Culture Factory USA
Quantity: 2000

Guitarist Larry Coryell was at a creative peak during the mid-seventies when he appeared at the Riviera '76 jazz festival. Riviera '76 captures Coryell and The Eleventh House with newly discovered material from the French Radio Archives. Jazz fusion was at a high point when the Riviera '76 festival arrived, and since Coryell is remembered as the Godfather of Fusion, he was in his element here. The festival has often been seen as a sort of jazz-rock Woodstock, and Coryell was part of an all-star lineup that also included Jean-Luc Ponty and Stanley Clarke as well as Pat Martino and John McLaughlin. This material has never been officially released previously, and the single LP package includes an OBI side spine, full-color printed inner sleeve and clear vinyl.

Miles Davis
Live At The Plugged Nickel: December 23, 1965 Second Set
Legacy Recordings
Quantity: 5900

The Plugged Nickel recordings capture Davis's legendary quintet featuring Davis on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums. This double album is a sort of teaser for the upcoming 10-LP box set due for release in early 2026 as the first part of a centennial celebration of Davis and his music. With over an hour of incredible performances, this RSD release includes classic takes on standards like "On Green Dolphin Street" and "My Funny Valentine" along with Miles originals like "So What" or "Agitation."

Bill Evans
Portraits at the Penthouse: Live in Seattle
Resonance Records
Quantity: 4000

Bill Evans has become something of a Record Store Day staple. Practically every recent drop features classic reissues or previously-unreleased live sets, and the 2025 Black Friday event is no exception. While this might seem like just another Evans release, keep in mind that this is one of the most legendary jazz pianists, and we are fortunate to have such high-quality recordings available. Portraits at the Penthouse, recorded in May 1966 with Eddie Gomez on bass and Joe Hunt on drums, captures Evans in peak form. The album features an extensive booklet with interviews with Gomez, Hunt and pianist Bob James, among others. Gomez describes this period with Evans as "sort of a dream-like experience," and Hunt explains how the players had "a sort of telepathic sense" between them. Sourced from KING-FM radio tapes by Jim Wilke, the release features mastering by Matthew Lutthans and liner notes by Marc Myers. Packaged with rare photos and interviews, this release continues Resonance's stellar series of archival Evans projects.

Ghost-Note
Fortified
Mixto Records
Quantity: 1500

Ghost-Note's debut record, Fortified, is seeing its first release on vinyl. The album features Robert Searight and Nate Werth's unique approach to rhythm. It also includes an impressive selection of guest musicians. This funky blend of jazz, hip hop and soul includes members of Snarky Puppy, Kamasi Washington's band and MonoNeon. With its groove-heavy modern fusion sounds, this should be a fun album to drop the needle on.

Vince Guaraldi
Charlie Brown Christmas (60th Anniversary) Pop-Up Gatefold LP
Craft Recordings
Quantity: 4000

A perennial holiday favorite, this collector's edition celebrates both the 60th anniversary of the Peanuts classic and the 75th anniversary of the characters themselves. The pop-up gatefold design adds visual charm to the timeless music of "Linus and Lucy" and "Christmas Time Is Here."

Charlie Haden
Live at the Jazz Record Mart
Denmark Records, LLC
Quantity: 1000

Charlie Haden is a jazz bass legend. From his work with Ornette Coleman to his collaborations with Pat Metheny, he has influenced countless jazz players. Live at the Jazz Record Mart presents Hazden in an intimate solo bass performance recorded in Chicago by engineer Ken Christianson and produced by Haden's son, Josh. This previously unreleased live set highlights Haden's deep melodic sensibility and warm tone.

Jazz Sabbath
Jazz Sabbath Live
Blacklake
Quantity: 2750

Jazz Sabbath presents its fourth offering for Record Store Day with Jazz Sabbath Live. For those new to the party, Jazz Sabbath reimagines Black Sabbath's music through a jazz lens. While this may seem like an unusual combination, longtime Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne keyboardist, Adam Wakeman, always makes it work. Recorded at Paradox Jazz Club in the Netherlands, this double album on translucent orange vinyl captures raw improvisations that stretch familiar riffs into unpredictable explorations.

Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Vibrations in the Village: Live at the Village Gate
Resonance Records
Quantity: 1200

Vibrations in the Village: Live at the Village Gate is a rare recording of the brilliant multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk, recorded live at the legendary Village Gate. A significant archival discovery, this 1963 live set captures the endlessly inventive Kirk alongside pianists Horace Parlan, Melvin Rhyne, and Jane Getz, with Henry Grimes on bass and Sonny Brown on drums. Lost for six decades, the recordings have been meticulously restored by Matthew Lutthans. Liner notes by John Kruth and May Cobb accompany reflections from Dorthaan Kirk, Steve Turre, and James Carter. Vibrations in the Village presents Kirk's genius in full force.

Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Seek and Listen: Live at the Penthouse
Resonance Records
Quantity: 1200

Seek and Listen features previously unreleased recordings of Rahsaan Roland Kirk, recorded live at the Penthouse jazz club in Seattle in 1967. A companion piece to Vibrations in the Village, this performance presents Kirk with pianist Ron Burton, bassist Steve Novosel and drummer Jimmy Hopps. The music is upbeat, unpredictable and undeniably Kirk in all his quirky glory. Alternating between blues medleys and uncharted improvisation, Seek and Listen is another jewel from Resonance's deep vaults.

Yusef Lateef
Golden Flower: Live in Sweden
Elemental Music
Quantity: 1750

This album brings together two never-before-released performances by the visionary multi-instrumentalist Yusef Lateef, taken from the original tape reels at Swedish Radio and newly prepared for a deluxe double-album package. The album features a 12-page booklet including rare photos and essays. One session was recorded in Stockholm in 1967 with pianist Lars Sjosten, bassist Palle Danielsson and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. The second set was recorded in 1972 with Kenny Barron on piano, Bob Cunningham on bass and "Tootie" Heath on drums. These historic concerts showcase Lateef's iconic voice on tenor saxophone and flute across repertoire that spans elegance, fire, and deep groove.

Bill Lee
The Descendents of Mike and Phoebe: A Spirit Speaks (Deluxe Edition)
Strata East Records
Quantity: 1500

One of many projects on Strata-East spearheaded by bassist, composer, and arranger Bill Lee (legendary film director Spike Lee's father), The Descendants of Mike and Phoebe's only album, A Spirit Speaks, enlists Lee's brother and sisters, Cliff Lee, Grace Lee Mims and Consuela Lee Moorhead, to form a group named in tribute to their enslaved ancestors. Combining elements of jazz, gospel, soul, and blues, among other influences, A Spirit Speaks has become a highly sought-after album.

Longineu Parsons
Longineu Parsons
Ubiquity Records
Quantity: 1500

Although most of the Record Store Day releases feature familiar artists, they almost always sneak in a title or two from someone who is not as well known. Such is the case with Longineu Parsons, who might be best described as a musician's musician. Widely recognized for his mastery of the trumpet, Parsons has appeared with a host of musicians, ranging from Cab Calloway and Nat Adderley to Branford Marsalis. The recordings under his name, however, are pretty limited. This album, originally pressed as a limited run in 1980, has since become highly sought after among jazz collectors. The Record Store Day reissue, remixed from the original tapes, revives Parsons' visionary blend of modal jazz and groove-based experimentation.

Jazz Dispensary
Green Bullets
Craft Recordings
Quantity: 4100

The latest entry in the Jazz Dispensary series plays like the soundtrack to a lost 1970s crime flick. Funk and fusion collide with the help of Dizzy Gillespie, Isaac Hayes, Merl Saunders and Mongo Santamaria, all pressed on "Green Thunder" vinyl. It's an irresistible cinematic ride.

Lester Young
Lester Leaps In: Live at Birdland 1951-1952
Liberation Hall
Quantity: 1500

This previously unreleased set captures one of the most influential tenor saxophonists of all time, live at NYC's iconic jazz venue Birdland. Featuring eight tracks recorded on four different dates in 1951 and 1952 for ABC Radio's infamous "Jumpin with Symphony Sid" program. The backing bands feature pianists John Lewis, Cyril Haynes, and Earl Knight; percussionists "Papa" Jo Jones and Lee Abrams; bassist Gene Ramey and trumpeter Jesse Drakes. The vinyl release features rare photos with extensive liner notes from jazz historian Scott Yanow.

Along with the jazz albums, here are some other noteworthy releases:

Bob Dylan
The Original Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Legacy Recordings
Quantity: 13,000

This should be an essential release for all Dylan collectors. The super-rare 13-track original version of Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, with four withdrawn songs, finally sees daylight. The album had a last-minute track listing change, leaving only a handful of copies printed. These original pressings are among the most valuable in vinyl history, often fetching tens of thousands of dollars. This RSD edition gives us a more budget-friendly version of this classic album.

Grateful Dead
The Warfield, San Francisco, Oct. 4 & 6, 1980
Rhino
Quantity: 4300

There's nothing like a Grateful Dead concert, and this period in their history is certainly no exception. This features acoustic sets from the band's 15th anniversary shows, and this should be familiar territory for fans of 1981's Reckoning (Arista). The set includes many standards from the Dead's repertoire, such as "Ripple" and "Dire Wolf," along with some material more closely associated with these concerts, such as "Monkey and the Engineer" and "Oh Babe, It Ain't No Lie." pressed on double vinyl with a tip-on jacket.

John Lee Hooker
Chill Out (30th Anniversary)
BMG
Quantity: 1500

Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Hooker's 1995 album featuring Van Morrison, Carlos Santana, Charles Brown, and Booker T. Jones. Previously only available on vinyl in Europe, this is the first pressing in 30 years. Produced by Roy Rogers, Santana and Hooker himself, the album reached #3 on the Billboard Blues chart and was awarded a W.C. Handy Award for Traditional Blues Album of the Year. Sourced from the original tapes and presented on blue vinyl, exclusively for RSD Black Friday.

Jorma Kaukonen
Wabash Avenue
Culture Factory USA
Quantity: 2000

Jorma Kaukonen gained recognition during his time as a guitarist for The Jefferson Airplane and later for Hot Tuna. As many of his fans know, he is also an expert in traditional country blues. During the early sixties, he was totally immersed in this music. Wabash Avenue is a brand-new collection of unreleased tracks from 1965, recently discovered by Jorma's wife in a family storage bin. These tracks have been restored from the original reel-to-reel master tape. They are being released exclusively for RSD Black Friday 2025 to celebrate Jorma's 85th Birthday Celebration tour, which is taking place in the US throughout November.

B.B. King
Broadcasting the Blues: Live from Germany and Sweden
Time Traveler Records
Quantity: 2500

Broadcasting The Blues is the first official release of two concerts from the "King of the Blues": recorded live for the "Swing In" TV show on January 19, 1968, and broadcast on WDR in Germany, and at the Stockholms Konserthus in Sweden on June 22, 1974, broadcast on Swedish television. This is an official release in cooperation with the B. B. King Estate and Reelin' in the Years Productions. Transferred from the original tapes, restored, and mastered by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab, Live in Europe was pressed at the respected audiophile pressing plant Le Vinylist in Quebec, Canada. The limited-edition 180g 2-LP set (and deluxe 2-CD set) includes an extensive booklet with rare photographs, newly commissioned liner notes, and interviews and testimonials from artists inspired by B. B. King.

Love
The Complete Elektra Albums
Rhino
Quantity 2000

Love is one of the most famous bands from the psychedelic era of the 1960s, and they still have a strong following sixty years after their formation. This RSD release features their first four Elektra albums, starting with their groundbreaking self-titled debut, the experimental jams of Da Capo, the classic Forever Changes tunes and the edge of Four Sail.

Joni Mitchell
Rolling Thunder Revue
Rhino
Quantity: 5500

In late 1975, Joni Mitchell joined Bob Dylan's legendary Rolling Thunder Revue, hitting the road for several shows and embarking on the long road trip journey that would lead to songs on her classic album Hejira (Asylum 1976). These recordings were released for the first time as part of Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 4 at the end of 2024, with many tracks making their first vinyl appearance here.

Old & In The Way
Live at Sonoma State 11/4/73
Round Records
Quantity: 5500

Live at Sonoma presents one of the last live performances by the legendary bluegrass supergroup Old & In The Way. Featuring a line-up of Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Peter Rowan, John Kahn and Vassar Clements, the group is in outstanding form, singing and playing nineteen classic tunes in their inimitable style. Also included are two songs with special guest Ramblin' Jack Elliott, who was also on the bill that day. This double album features gatefold packaging and artwork designed by D. Norsen and Taylor W. Rushing.

Charley Patton
The Father of Delta Blues: Selections From Paramount Recordings, Vol. 2
ORG Music
Quantity: 1500

Charley Patton is one of the most influential Delta blues musicians, and ORG Music is releasing its second installment of Father of the Delta Blues: Selections from Paramount Recordings. These tracks capture Patton at his most powerful and unfiltered, delivering fierce slide guitar, hollering vocals, and lyrics steeped in mystery, defiance, and deep Mississippi soul. This volume continues the excavation of Patton's singular legacy: part preacher, part trickster, part storyteller. Lovingly restored and remastered by Dave Gardner, Volume Two is not just a document of early blues. It's a glimpse into the roots of American music itself, where rhythm met rebellion and history was etched into shellac and pressed on color vinyl exclusively for RSD Black Friday 2025.

Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee
Live from the Ash Grove
Liberation Hall
Quantity: 1200

Vinyl debut of a rare recording of an eight-song 1973 performance from blind harmonica wizard Sonny Terry with legendary blues guitar picker Brownie McGhee, recorded at the Ash Grove in Hollywood. Includes two bonus tracks also recorded at the Ash Grove in 1965. The acclaimed duo had a 35-year partnership that helped define the 1960s folk/blues revival movement—released as part of RSD Black Friday on Purple Grape vinyl.

T-Bone Walker
T-Bone Blues (Expanded Edition)
Rhino
Quantity: 3000

T-Bone Walker's T-Bone Blues is a classic 1959 Atlantic Records release, which is now making its Record Store Day debut. This is T-Bone Walker at his best, and the recording features some of his most famous tunes like "T-Bone Shuffle," "Papa Ain’t Salty No More" and "Stormy Monday Blues." This edition also includes four bonus tracks recorded during the same sessions but not featured on the original LP, pressed on a separate 10-inch.

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