The label celebrates its growing catalog with upcoming albums, a compilation of Red Hook artists, and a two-night Brooklyn showcase at Roulette this September
Five years after its founding, Red Hook Records celebrates a milestone anniversary in 2026 with a growing catalog of critically acclaimed releases, new albums including a soon-to-be announced compilation from leading voices in contemporary creative music, and a two-night anniversary concert at Roulette in Brooklyn this September.
Founded by producer Sun Chung, Red Hook Records launched in 2021 with its first release, the late pianist Masabumi Kikuchi’s Hanamichi – The Final Studio Recording. In the years since, the label has developed a distinctive catalog rooted in creative dialogue, interweaving musical genres. The label’s productions have received widespread critical recognition, including praise from major outlets across the jazz and audiophile worlds.
“Red Hook is a label dedicated to exploration, discovery and pushing boundaries,” wrote Philip Watson in The Wire, while TIDAL described the imprint as “an innovative record label bent on dissolving musical boundaries.” Audiophile magazine The Absolute Sound has also highlighted the label’s recordings, noting that “audiophiles should be aware of Red Hook.”
Despite its formal registration in Europe, Red Hook Records has always been deeply connected to New York. “In every meaningful sense, we are a New York label,” says Chung. “The only difference is our registered address, which reflects the fact that I was living in the EU when I founded the company. We are now planning to relocate operations to New York.”
Approximately ninety percent of the label’s productions take place in the city, and the vast majority of its artists live on the East Coast. Chung himself spent a decade in New York and two years in Boston, earning his undergraduate degree at The New School before completing a master’s degree in composition at the New England Conservatory.
The label emerged from a pivotal moment in Chung’s career. “Red Hook Records grew out of a professional crossroads,” he explains. “As a producer, I could have either worked freelance for various outlets or established my own label. After nearly a decade producing exclusively for ECM, I felt the need for greater artistic freedom — freedom to make decisions without adhering to another label’s framework.”
Starting a label was the more demanding path, but it allowed Chung to pursue a broader vision: building a catalog with a coherent sonic identity, in the tradition of classic producer-led labels where sound and aesthetic direction are central.
That vision has shaped a catalog featuring collaborations among some of the most inventive artists working today, including Wadada Leo Smith, Amina Claudine Myers, Qasim Naqvi, Kit Downes, Jason Moran, Marcus Gilmore, and Caroline Davis, among many others.
Looking ahead, Chung envisions a carefully paced expansion. “Practically speaking, I aim to release between five and ten albums each year,” he says. “For an independent label, about ten releases annually feels like the right balance. Beyond that, it becomes difficult to give each project the attention it deserves. Artistically, the focus remains on refinement and clarity. “Each year, I try to clarify what defines the label’s sonic identity and to raise the standard — seeking music that speaks as honestly as possible.”
Red Hook Records’ fifth anniversary will be marked by several major projects throughout the year. In July 2026, the label will release Peace, a special compilation bringing together many of the label’s artists and collaborators. Additionally, two major new albums will be released this year, Shards from Jason Moran, BlankFor.ms and Marcus Gilmore in May, and in September, a new release from Caroline Davis, Qasim Naqvi and Grey McMurray.
The anniversary celebrations will culminate in a two-night concert event at Roulette in Brooklyn on September 18–19, bringing together artists from across the label’s catalog including Moor Mother, Amina Claudine Myers, Wadada Leo Smith / Qasim Naqvi / Andrew Cyrille, Caroline Davis / Qasim Naqvi / Grey McMurray and finally, Jason Moran / BlankFor.ms / Marcus Gilmore
Since its debut release in 2021, Red Hook Records has steadily built a catalog spanning avant-garde jazz, experimental composition, and genre-crossing collaborations. Early highlights include Masabumi Kikuchi’s final recordings Hanamichi, the Deutscher Jazz Prize winning Two Centuries by Qasim Naqvi, Wadada Leo Smith, Andrew Cyrille, and the duo project Central Park’s Mosaic of Reservoir, Lake, Paths and Gardens by Wadada Leo Smith and Amina Claudine Myers. These projects have amassed universal praise from outlets such as The New York Times, The Financial Times, the Guardian, The New York Review of Books, Pitchfork and more. Amina Claudine Myers’ Solace of the Mind was selected as the #2 Best Jazz Album of the Year by The New York Times.
As the label enters its sixth year, Red Hook Records continues to expand its catalog while remaining focused on the philosophy that inspired its founding: creating space for musicians to meet, experiment, and pursue new artistic paths.