Jumping Jack Frost is a drum and bass and jungle DJ and producer from Chelsea, United Kingdom, born in 1967. Active since the late 1980s, he starts out on the DJ circuit at 18, mixing funk, hip hop and original breakbeats before moving into acid house through the Carwash nights. He is associated with the early rave and hardcore scene and is known for a flexible style that moves between different forms of dance music.

Early career and rave scene

Frost begins playing at the Fridge in Brixton and becomes resident there with Ellis Dee, Paul Trouble Anderson and Evil Eddie Richards. As the rave scene grows, he plays at major events of the period and headlines Sunrise and Energy. He also joins Dynamix DJ Agency, run by Eddie Richards, which leads to wider international work in Germany, Japan and elsewhere. His career includes sets in Northern Ireland during a period when few other DJs are willing to travel there, as well as dates in Ibiza with Carl Cox and gigs with The Prodigy.

Recordings and releases

In 1993, Frost produces ‘The Burial’, a jungle anthem recorded under the name Leviticus. The track is made with engineer Dillinja, with Optical on the vocal mix and Frost’s sister Yolanda featured on vocals. The sound is considered too hardcore for the more experimental direction of V Recordings, leading to the creation of Philly Blunt. Frost is connected with Bryan Gee through their shared work on V Recordings, and the label’s development is tied to releases from Bristol artists Roni Size and Krust, followed by the wider growth of the scene. The V Classic album appears in 1997 and reflects the position of Frost and Gee as major figures in drum and bass on both sides of the Atlantic.

Broadcasting and clubs

Frost spends five years on Kiss 100 and wins a best radio DJ award there. He later spends two years as a resident at Twilo in New York with Bryan Gee under the Planet V banner, helping establish the project in the United States. He also holds regular residencies at the Viper Rooms in Los Angeles and Industry in Toronto, and the Planet V nights at Bagleys and The End in London are part of his club history.

Collaborations, remixes and later work

Frost remixes artists including Jamiroquai, Cath Coffey and Drizabone. He also helps develop a Brazil-focused release after meeting DJ Marky and Patife and working on a project featuring Brazilian talent. His later career remains centred on DJing, with appearances at festivals including Reading, Homelands and Tribal Gathering, and touring in places such as Puerto Rico, Tokyo, Vancouver and Moscow.

Style and standing

His reputation rests on an energetic approach, broad selection and distinctive mixing style. He remains closely associated with the formative years of jungle and drum and bass and with the wider network around V Recordings, Philly Blunt and Planet V. He is also listed with Fuzed Up and V Recordings among his associated act and label credits.