The drummer Johnny Hunter is a key instigator in the North West of England local live scene mostly based around Manchester and Liverpool. He plays everything from modal – he's currently a member of ‘spiritual jazz’ saxophonist Nat Birchall's band – and post-1960s free jazz through to reggae and dub. Formed in 2011 and releasing an EP Appropriations two years later, his Manchester-based quartet are a new signing to the Beats & Pieces' big band leader Ben Cottrell adventurous DIY label Efpi. Hunter opens his account with a CD titled While We Still Can that demonstrates a solid base in harmony that stretches out on modal jazz orthodoxies while riding on the freedom of playing without a chordal instrument. It's also hard-grooving jazz that's filtered through the leader's investigation of more unfamiliar dance metres and folk melodies from Turkey and other parts of the Middle East. There are references in the press notes to Hunter's use of harmonic devices and exotic scales in his writing processes, but it's clear that this is ‘people’ music and enjoyment of the listener always comes first.