Johnny Hunter is a British jazz drummer, composer, and bandleader based in the north of England. He is primarily known for his work in the fields of jazz, improvisation, and contemporary composition.
Background and Career
Hunter comes from a background spanning both avant-garde and more mainstream jazz. He leads several of his own groups, each concerned with new methods of integrating improvisation and composition. He was named an "artist to watch in 2017" by Jazzwise magazine. He has performed at notable venues including Ronnie Scott's in London, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Manchester Jazz Festival, and Kings Place in London. He also regularly tours Europe as part of the Anglo-Swiss collaboration MoonMot.
His "chordless" quartet, established to explore the freedom and limitations of performing without a chordal instrument, has been recorded and broadcast by BBC Radio 3 and has performed across the United Kingdom.
Discography
As leader/co-leader
- While We Still Can by Johnny Hunter Quartet (Efpi, 2015)
- Fragments by Fragments (2017)
- Has It Been Found? by Beck Hunters (2019)
- Going Down The Well by MoonMot (2020) – recorded live at BeJazz Club Bern, Switzerland, 2019
- Pale Blue Dot (Northern Contemporary, 2020) – recorded live at Jazz at the Lescar in Sheffield, 2018
- Revival Room by Revival Room (2021)
- Spinningwork (2022) – with Olie Brice, Cath Roberts, and Tom Ward
As sideman
- Felicity's Ultimatum (2017) – with Martin Archer, Graham Clark, and Stephen Grew
- Dismantle Yourself by Sloth Racket (Luminous, 2019)
- Article XI: Live in Newcastle by Anton Hunter (Discus, 2020)
- Winifred Atwell Revisited (Efpi, 2022) – with Adam Fairhall
- Fire Hills (West Hill, 2022) – with the Olie Brice Octet
- Divisions (Discus, 2023) – with Olie Brice and Mark Hanslip
- Something Happened (2023) – with Michael Moore and John Pope
- Practical Dreamers by Ron Caines (Discus, 2024)
Note on Name Ambiguity
It should be noted that "Johnny Hunter" is also the name of a post-punk five-piece band originally from Australia that relocated to the United Kingdom. This article refers specifically to the British jazz drummer, composer, and bandleader based in northern England.
