Known to most as Leaping Tiger an energetic Auckland DJ, Denzel De Ruysscher gets to know Jacob Park, the man behind the decks.
Welcome to speed date Wednesdays, where we the Inside//Out crew give the spotlight to one of the many talented musicians / artists that inhabit our shores. This week Denzel takes the reigns and exchanges a few Q and A’s with Jacob Park, AKA Leaping Tiger, fresh off the release of his debut album “Porcelain Orca Whales”.
Yo Jacob tell the web surfers out there who you are and what you do?
My name is Jacob, I produce under the name Leaping Tiger, I’m an electronic producer and bass player from Auckland New Zealand.
You’ve recently released your debut album ‘Porcelain Orca Whales’ how did the process come about of releasing an album and what’s the reception been like?
It was a really good learning experience, overall it was sick, like just learning how to compose an album and just figuring it out along the way, it was such an interesting process. The reception has been super great, people seem to vibe to it really hard and it’s opened up a lot of doors for me for experiences such as playing at festivals.
Leaping Tiger at Cross Street Market Pic: Liam Costley
Throughout the end of 2019, start of 2020 (pre lockdown) you were starting to pop up on some line ups at some renowned NZ festivals (Soundsplash, Laneway after party, etc) plus a few self-organised gigs! How’s the turn out been for your sets? Is it still just the homies showing up or have the masses started recognising you and the crowd has started to grow?
It definitely depends on the show I’m playing, for Soundsplash the crowd was quite small and intimate, but then the Laneway after party and Cross St festival the crowd was big and insane which was good to see. The Auckland album release was the best show I’ve played to date, just because the crowd was so great, the energy and the number of people was just insane and since that show the crowds for my shows have started to grow.
Leaping Tiger at Cross Street Market Pic: Liam Costley
Any plans for the rest of 2020 that us eager listeners should be anticipating, looking out for?
Definitely more music sprinkled throughout the year, the original plan was to tour NZ and play some live shows but thanks to corona that has gone down the drain, so pretty much as soon as we’re allowed to travel again and host gigs the plan is to host some shows and play some music and have a great time.
Quick you’re an avid cereal fan (like myself) give us your top 3 cereals?
1. Captain Crunch Berries
2. Coco Pops Chex
3. Weetbix Bites Wildberry.
Leaping Tiger, a date with Jacob Park by Denzel De Ruysscher
