Bright DOg Red

Bright Dog Red (BDR), the alt-jazz, genre-fluid ensemble from Albany, New York, will release two albums simultaneously, Bad Magic and Hegemonitized, on April 26, 2024. The double release marks the ensemble’s sixth and seventh albums since signing with Ropeadope in 2018.

Despite being hailed as the “best kept secret in the avant-jazz underground” (JazzTimes), BDR continues to produce music with a fervent prolificacy. After releasing five albums in four and a half years, the “celebrated group” (Bandcamp) began working on what would become Bad Magic. As with earlier BDR projects, Bad Magic began with a set of themes to inspire the individual contributors, the prevalence of misinformation, antiscientific thinking, and other forms of deception subverting online platforms and cultural and political discourses. The initial sessions for Bad Magic produced some tracks that were more aggressive in nature, that had a harder edge for the “free-form jazz, funk, rock, and hip-hop” ensemble (Glide Magazine). Those tracks became Hegemonitized, a collection of material reflecting yet another, albeit closely related, set of themes, intractable problems such as corporate rapacity, hostility toward collectivism, and strident political discord.

Bad Magic features 10 tracks, recorded over a period spanning early 2022 to late 2023. Hegemonitized features 9 tracks, recorded over that same time period. In addition to evincing the group’s prolificacy, both albums represent a range of stylistic musings “impossible to pin down” (JazzTimes). 

The 19 tracks that comprise Bad Magic and Hegemonitized were created by recording live, improvised sessions with various members of the collective, creating foundational tracks on which other members could overdub ideas, and finessing pastiche compositions drawn from each of those approaches. Bandleader Joe Pignato, who produced both releases, explained the links between the albums.

As we started making Bad Magic, the sessions took on two palpably distinct characters. Some improvisations had a contemplative or atmospheric air, but others were more aggressive, reflecting a kind of urgency. It became clear that we were developing two discrete yet related concepts simultaneously. Those more forceful tracks became Hegemonitized.

Bright Dog Red’s "proudly unanchored improvisation" (Downbeat) has been widely lauded for “blending a potpourri of styles, while presenting a sonic personality and conceptual direction…propelled by gripping narratives of sociopolitical struggle” (Downbeat). Louis Marks, Ropeadope CEO, summed up Bright Dog Red’s appeal:

In a world of increasingly fragmented ‘songs’, Bright Dog Red continues to present albums as art; permanent records of musical inspiration and improvisation. Their venue is the world; past, present, and future.

Described as “part Ornette Coleman and Prime Time, part Lounge Lizards, part A Tribe Called Quest” (JazzTimes). Others have compared the group to “Mahavishnu Orchestra meets Digable Planets” (Paul Schulman), “Romantic Warrior era Return to Forever” (Rimas e Batidas), and “electronic Ahmad Jamal" (Don Lucoff).

Founded by Joe Pignato, BDR features an alternating cadre of contributors. In addition to Pignato (drums, percussion, concepts), Bad Magic and Hegemonitized feature Tim Lefebvre (electric bass), Tyreek Jackson (electric bass and guitar), Cody Davies (sounds), Mike LaBombard (tenor saxophone, effects, keys), Anthony Berman (acoustic and electric bass), Matt Coonan (poetry, freestyling, voice), and newest member of the collective, Martín Loyato (trumpet and flugelhorn). 

Prior to signing with Ropeadope, BDR released two independently distributed EPs, 2017’s Bullet Proof Shoes and 2015’s Teasers, prompting bloggers Peck and JT to declare, "Put Albany’s Bright Dog Red on your radar as this jazzy psychedelic hip hop posse has potential for some progressive golden era goodness."

Bad Magic

Release Date: April 26, 2024

All compositions Bright Dog Red

Produced and mixed by Joe Pignato, at the Disco Studio, Delanson, New York

Mastered by Bryan Brundige, Boston, Massachusetts
℗ © 2024 Bright Dog Red, LLC ASCAP

Personnel:
Joe Pignato | Drums, percussion, concepts

Tim Lefebvre | Electric bass (track 7)

Tyreek Jackson | Guitar, electric bass (tracks 2, 4, 5, 6, 8)

Anthony Berman | Acoustic bass, electric bass (tracks 1, 3)

Martín Loyato | Trumpet, flugelhorn

Mike LaBombard | Tenor saxophone, effects
Cody Davies | Sounds
Matt Coonan | Poetry, freestyling, voice

Hegemonitized

Release Date: April 26, 2024

All compositions Bright Dog Red

Produced and mixed by Joe Pignato

at the Disco Studio, Delanson, New York

Mastered by Bryan Brundige, Boston, Massachusetts
℗ © 2024 Bright Dog Red, LLC ASCAP

Personnel:
Joe Pignato | Drums, percussion, concepts

Tim Lefebvre | Electric bass (tracks 1, 2, 4, 7, 8)

Tyreek Jackson | Guitar, electric bass (tracks 6, 9)

Anthony Berman | Acoustic bass (track 3), electric bass (track 5)

Martín Loyato | Trumpet, flugelhorn

Mike LaBombard | Tenor saxophone, effects
Cody Davies | Sounds

Matt Coonan | Poetry, freestyling, voice

All compositions Bright Dog Red
Produced and mixed by Joe Pignato, the Disco Studio, Delanson, New York
Vocal tracking by Brian Temme, Long Island, New York
Mastered by Bryan Brundige, Boston, Massachusetts

℗ © 2022 Bright Dog Red, LLC ASCAP

RAD-655

Personnel:
Joe Pignato - Drums, percussion, concepts 
Tim Lefebvre - Electric bass (tracks 2, 4, 7, 10)
Tyreek Jackson - Guitar, electric bass (tracks 1, 3, 5, 12)
Anthony Berman - Acoustic bass (tracks 6, 8, 9, 11)
Eric Person - Soprano and alto saxophones, flute, effects
Mike LaBombard - Tenor saxophone, effects
Cody Davies - Sounds
Matt Coonan - Poetry, freestyling, voice

All compositions Bright Dog Red
Produced, edited, and mixed by Joe Pignato, the Disco Studio, Delanson, New York
Recorded by Caroline Olbert (engineer) and Astrid Asmundsson (assistant engineer), ShapeShifter Lab, Brooklyn, New York on November 7, 2020
Mastered by Bryan Brundige, Albany, New York

Personnel:
Joe Pignato - Drums, concepts 
Eric Person - Soprano and alto saxophones, flute
Tyreek Jackson - Guitar
Cody Davies - Sounds
Anthony Berman - Acoustic bass
Matt Coonan - Poetry, freestyling