Bright Dog Red is perhaps the most unique band to grace the halls of Ropeadope, and that’s quite an accomplishment. Founded by drummer and composer Joe Pignato, BDR is comprised of a rotating cast of players. Their new album, How’s by You?, features founding members Cody Davies (electronics) and Anthony Berman (bass), as well as long standing members Mike LaBombard (tenor sax) and MC Cully (rhyming and freestyling). The collective has its genesis in a series of freewheeling jam sessions led by Pignato, a professor at the State University of New York, Oneonta. Bright Dog Red hits the stage without charts or set list - they simply start playing and improvise, taking cues from each other and from the audience and room. It’s adventurous, and due to the skill and rapport of the players, surprisingly cohesive.