Red Hook Records

By Ken Waxman

Although it’s a young label – five years and counting – New York’s Red Hook’s modus operandi is not unlike that of such classic independent jazz companies of the 1950s as Candid and Riverside. “With Red Hook, we provide the practical services of a label at the highest standards”, explains Sun Chung, label founder and main producer. “But the primary focus is to create productions from the ground up, with musicians that have a unique voice and develop projects that may not always fit within conventional industry models but possess lasting musical value. Obviously the concept is working since the label is hosting a fifth anniversary celebration at Roulette September 18 and 19 featuring performances by musicians who have or will release albums with the imprint.

This philosophy is one of the reasons Red Hook has only put out 10 albums in its history. Many record companies are only “mechanism to release completed masters,” says Chung, but Red Hook’s ultimate goal “is to create a label where listeners can discover music that vibrates with a clear perspective and a strong sense of aesthetics. It’s to build a catalog of distinctive character, where each release contributes to a larger picture. In that sense, Red Hook is as much a production company as it is a record label. Ten albums may not sound like many, but every one reflects an enormous investment of time, collaboration, and creative work.”

Certainly Red Hook has so far with lauded releases presented unique situation for both veteran and younger players. The  albums include better-known musicians such as pianist/vocalist Amina Claudine Myers and trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, and lesser-known stylists like organist Kit Downes and sound designer BlankFor.ms. Going into late 2027 there are plans to release new discs by RJ Miller, Kalia Vandever, Thomas Morgan, and Patrick Corrigan. Adds Chung: “Ultimately the goal is to create a label where listeners can discover music that vibrates with a clear perspective and a strong sense of aesthetics. It’s to build a catalog of distinctive character, where each release contributes to a larger picture.”

While  the imprint also calls upon input from designers, photographers, filmmakers, publicist, and recording, mixing, and mastering engineers, Chung is the only full time employee. And his varied experience led him to formulate the Red Hook’s goals. Initially a guitarist he was in the jazz program at The New School. Deciding he’d rather write music, he studied composition at the New England Conservatory (NEC).  His interest in production work intensified around that time and when his friend, bassist Ben Street invited him to observe an ECM session he was on, Chung met label head Manfred Eicher. Eventually he was hired in 2012 as assistant producer, moved to Germany and honed his skills in that position until 2020. Involved in the creation of more than a dozen albums the experience “gave me a deep understanding of the artistic and practical aspects of making records, as well as the importance of setting the right environment for musicians to express themselves,” he adds.

The next step was Red Hook, named for the Brooklyn neighborhood where he then lived. Initially financed by Chung’s personal savings but now it sells enough copies to be sustainable. He describes this as “a real success for a label that doesn’t have a clear commercial genre. The goal has always been to build something that can grow organically while remaining artistically independent.” At this point all Red Hook albums are available for download and streaming. Still, as Chung notes “physical formats remain our preferred format, for the quality of the listening experience. A great deal of care is put into the album as a complete musical journey, and the physical edition allows that vision to be fully experienced through the sequencing, artwork, design, and overall presentation. The physical format remains an essential part of the relationship between the artist, the music, and the listener.” Three or four singles are also put out from each production, leading up to the release of the full album.

Every Red Hook project is designed on a per album basis,” reports Chung. “I believe that collaborations should continue because both parties are genuinely inspired to continue working together, not because of contractual obligations. Creativity should not be bound by exclusivity or commitments made outside of the artistic process. When a partnership feels meaningful and both the artist and the label believe there is more to explore together, we continue that relationship naturally.

“This approach of making albums is a very demanding process. The pre-production phase alone can easily take a year or more, as we work with musicians to shape the artistic direction of a project. The work doesn’t end once the recording is finished either. Editing, and when appropriate, overdubbing often require 50 to 100 hours of careful listening and musical decision-making before the final form of the album begins to emerge. Then of course there is mixing and mastering, A significant portion of what makes an album, happens long after the musicians leave the studio,” notes Chung.

Brooklyn-based composer and electronic musician BlankFor.ms who has been part of two Red Hook discs with pianist Jason Moran and drummer Marcus Gilmore explains how for years he and Moran had been thinking about a project featuring both electronic musicians and improvisers, but needed a proper context. So when Chung contacted him with a similar idea “Sun and I began to discuss it and it became clear that this might be a great home for that project”.

He was interested he said since “Red Hook’s philosophy is entirely different from the other labels I have been working with. My other solo and collaborative albums have been with primarily electronic music labels, where they often accept a completed work with minor notes if any. Being present for the entire process, and having a voice in the entire process, is central to Sun’s conception of Red Hook. It hasn’t come without its challenges. We don’t always tend towards the same solutions to some problems. But more often than not we all find different aspects to focus on, and the end result is better for it.”

Adds Harlem-based pianist/educator Jason Moran who was also part of that session: “Sun is a very, very, very supportive ear in the studio. His attention to the fidelity is part of the success.  Especially after hearing the sounds he captures from the piano are uniquely intimate and special. When our sessions emerge, it is tranquil, and nonjudgemental.  In essence, we are literally finding a sound while the tape is rolling.” BlankFor.ms was a student of Moran’s at the NEC interested in experimental electronic music and analog manipulation. Yet the pianist also stresses that Shards was primarily BlankFor.ms’ session “I greatly enjoyed being a passenger on the ride, even though it feels like the piano is primarily driving the conversation. “

That said, Peace Anthems, the imprint’s most recent release is both a departure and a continuation of Red Hook’s ideals. With exceptional music unreleased from previous albums, publicist Lydia Liebman suggested creating a fifth anniversary compilation. “Given the terrible conflicts taking place around the world today, it felt that the project could become something more than a compilation,” explains Chung. “I decided to invite additional musicians to participate and create an album dedicated to the idea of peace,. The artists contributed performances of their music pro bono, and 100% of profits from the sales will be donated to the International Red Cross, along with any additional donations made through Bandcamp.

“I actually see the album as a natural extension of the label’s philosophy. At its core, Red Hook has always been about collaboration, listening, community, and making great albums. This project brings those same values together while also allowing the music to support a broader humanitarian purpose.”