SPIN SETS Presents: Jason Leech
Jamtronica keyboardist and producer Jason Leach was the opening act for Griz, Galantis and Big Gigantic. But he's not a DJ. No USB. No vegetables. Instead, opt for a keyboard stand and a pair of headphones, and from there choose all the live leads, beats and pads. Fusing elements of bass and electronica, Leech's stage presence and understanding of tension and relaxation allow him to connect with electronic music audiences like the great DJs.
Uploading a video of his bedroom performance to IG and TikTok, Leech caught the attention of DEAD REZZ, Excision, ILLENIUM, CloZee, Griz and ZEDS royalty as they praised Leech for his innovative songwriting. Since his first Brownie and Lemonade performance in 2017, he's booked tickets to Electric Forest, Lost Lands, Secret Dreams, Interstellar and Asterian and hasn't slowed down.
We spoke with Jason Leach about his roots in classic rock, what it took to break into the electronic music scene as a hybrid solo artist, what's on the horizon for his original music, how he sees electronic music changing, and more. Stream Ghost here and check out his SPIN SET below. want more? Check out SPIN TV for the latest and greatest DJs and producers pushing the boundaries of electronic music.
Who is Jason Leach and what do you represent?
I am a keyboardist/producer and enjoy making and performing music. I hope to use my platform to encourage creative people to share their work with the world, even if it feels out of place. I have seen the benefits first hand and it has given my life so much meaning. I'm chasing your dream no matter what.
Tell us about your sound: where does your style come from and who has been your biggest visual, social and sonic influence?
I grew up listening to my parents' music: classic rock like The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Deep Purple. These bands really opened my eyes to using keys outside of the piano. I was played on organs, synthesizers, etc. encouraged to play. to play Soon after I discovered electronic music through Daft Punk and the early days of UKF with Skrillex, Zeds Dead and Flux Pavilion. When I heard Scary Monsters and Beautiful Sprites I thought "is this guy playing all the keyboard parts?" Even if Skrillex didn't do it that way, I knew I wanted to make music that way. In order to continue my musical career as a keyboard player, I thought I should find my place in an orchestra. These artists opened my eyes to the possibility of solo performances.
Another big influence on me was an early YouTuber named Ronald Jenkis. He set up a camera near the keyboards and recorded a video of the performance playing over the backing track. It sounded like a lot of fun and got a positive response online. This inspired me to start making my own keyboard videos, which started my entire career.
You take this unique hybrid approach to your sets. When did you start playing piano/keyboard/synthesizer? Have you ever been in bands or have you always been solo?
I started playing the piano when I was 5 years old. I was lucky enough to take piano lessons as a child. A few years later I got my first electronic keyboard and loved that I could play thousands of different sounds using the skills I learned on the piano. As a child I played in several bands, I started playing pop punk with my school friends. After that I played in a funky college jam band, The Manor & Friends, where I got to play on different stages and for different people. Performing with them helped my stage performance a lot.
Has your success improved?
I've never had a bigger impact in my career than playing Electric Forest last year. I played two sets on a 360° stage in front of the biggest crowd I've ever played with. People come from all over the country to this festival, so even though I'm not performing there right now, I have someone from the Forest at one of my gigs. I know a lot of people from EF who bring all their friends to see me when I play in their town. These sets have opened so many doors for me, for which I am very grateful.
When did you realize the extent of your impact on the industry/community?
Over the past few years, I feel like I've stepped away from being a keyboard player, posted videos online, and entered the music industry. The artists I admired and mingled with in my clips became friends with whom I worked and collaborated. Being a fan in 2018, I made a video mixing CloZee songs on the keyboard. Like last year, I have a collaboration with him, an original album on his label, and I performed at the Voyage festival. I continued to listen to Marvel Years and study his guitar live while playing his set. Right now I'm in the Marvel Years trio and we're playing the Envision festival in Costa Rica next week. When I started making keyboard videos, I never thought I would get to where I am now. It's been an incredible journey and it's been very interesting to see how it will play out in the real world.
Where do you want to go with your music and what can your fans expect from the next releases?
I want to make the piano more prominent in my mixes. I love playing classical piano pieces and I think this sound goes very well with electronic music. I recently made a remix video of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata and it instantly became my most viewed video. I play Komuz Fur Elise Remix live and it always gets a response from the audience. There is something I would like to investigate.
Where did you not do what you wanted?
Red rocks!
How did you push yourself beyond your limits?
I never thought I'd be doing anything other than posting keyboard videos online. I remember thinking about turning my keyboard performance into a live show, but never got around to it. I told myself that this was too strange a move to get any support. I had never seen this before, so there was no evidence that it would work. Even if you wanted to do this, it would take many hours to complete the watch set. I spent years digging through the contents of my room. However, I started getting referrals from big artists and gained more and more followers. I've had comments from people asking if I play live. The love and support of the online community made me realize that I needed to step out of my comfort zone. It's funny, I'm on tour right now playing all over the country and I miss being able to make keyboard videos in my room. I'm still trying to find that balance, but I'm very grateful for the opportunity to play live.
What's next for Jason Leach?
I want to play more original music. I love making videos mixing other artist's songs, but I feel like I now have the production skills to release EPs and albums. I also want to work with more singers. I just released the original "Ghost" with the amazing singer Raddix and I had so much fun creating the track to complement his vocals. I can reproduce almost any sound with a synthesizer and keyboard, but I can never make out a singer's voice.
What do you want from the future of electronic music? In which direction would you like it to develop?
I wish more artists would include live instruments in their lineup. The human factor added to the performance greatly affects the sound. Our ears love it when certain beats and notes in a song fit together perfectly, and playing an instrument on stage can really bring out that special rhythm. I know a lot of DJs who play instruments very well, but I don't think they can or should include them in their sets. I think if live performances were more common, artists would be more willing to try them. It can produce more original styles and sounds, taking electronic music even further.
Any final words for the SPIN universe?
Thank you to everyone who supports my music in any way. I am very lucky to be able to experience this and I owe it all to the people who listen and share my music. Your words of encouragement to keep going have also helped me through difficult times. If you don't know my music, thanks for watching this interview! I enjoyed answering these questions and can't wait to release my new single "Ghost" and keyboard mix for SPIN.
Click here for a list of the 100 Greatest Rock Stars of All Time.
SPIN Sets Present: Jason Leach makes his first appearance on SPIN.
Originally published
