Joseph Pignato is a Professor in the Department of Music at State University of New York, College at Oneonta. He is also a composer and music education-scholar. Joe teaches music industry courses, beat production, and directs ensembles that perform experimental music. He leads Bright Dog Red, an improvising collective recognized for its innovative mesh of jazz, hip-hop, and electronica. Their debut album is out now on influential Philadelphia based Ropeadope Recordings.