Funk Music is magical and amazing. It is one of the most generous sounds, as it thrives on spontaneity and infectiousness. Fronted by Arp Frique, Arp Frique & The Perpetual Singers bring a refreshing twist to this landscape by merging gospel and disco elements into Arp Frique’s funk creations. His innovative approach revitalizes the genre, infusing it with spiritual undertones and danceable beats that challenge conventional boundaries. Drawing from diverse cultural influences and employing modern production techniques, Arp Frique crafts contemporary and deeply rooted music.
“The Gospel of Jesamy,” released through COLORFUL WORLD (Rush Hour Music), is a vibrant fusion of P-funk and gospel disco. Bursting with infectious energy, it’s a joyful, deeply spiritual tribute to the birth of his daughter and the profound magic of fatherhood.
Today, we bring you a deeply insightful interview with Arp Frique, and we really think you’re all going to love what he so thoughtfully had to say.
Arp. When and how did you fall in love with funk music?
It all started in my teens when I discovered Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit. My mom hated it, so I loved it. It made me pick up the guitar—my very first attempt to express some emotion. In the same era, the Red Hot Chili Peppers were buzzing, and that grabbed my attention. I went deep into their older stuff and found out George Clinton produced some of their early stuff, which kicked it off, and I absorbed the entire P funk catalogue, Bootsy, Worrell, Eddie Hazel, and anything. Also, they played some covers like Higher Ground, which was my introduction to one of the biggest funk artists ever in my book (Stevie). Parallel movement: from the guitar angle, I became obsessed with anything Jimi Hendrix. That was the gateway to 60s/70s rock and psychedelic stuff like Cream, Derek & The Dominos, Jeff Beck, Leon Russell, and the whole Woodstock era. Later on, I discovered the more jazz-funk side of things, artists like Herbie/Headhunters, Chick Corea’s Return To Forever, Don Blackman, Bernard Wright, Norman Connors, Roy Ayers, and so many more. It all shaped me, I guess; it all happened in my earlier days. I was born in 1979, which probably has to do with my affection for this old stuff.
Without spoiling any surprises that we may hear, what can you tell us about “The Gospel of Jesamy”?
It might sound different for fans of my previous stuff, but to me, it’s the same music. The same approach; it did come out in a different shape and form. I learned a lot from Antal and the Rush Hour movement about the dance floor: What is it that makes you want to move to a song? I make my music moving while I do the trick. If it makes me move, I’m on the right path. If it doesn’t, I start over. From there on, it’s like a coloring book; I can already see the result in my mind, and it’s just a matter of finding the right colors to fill the composition up all the way. I like busy, intense, and over-the-top; I love doing it big. More is more. Since the music came out a lot bigger in my opinion, I felt I needed bigger vocals as well. That is why I reached out to Brandon Delagraentiss and his choir, Rocq-E Harrell, Denis Bovell, and Muriel Blijd. A wide array of colors, together with my longtime collaborator Marissa Nyamekye. It is another step closer to who I am music-wise.
Which song in the album hits the hardest for you at the moment?
The first single, the first track on the record, is Elena. Funny thing is, I didn’t feel it until Antal played it at some big festivals in Japan and the UK, and that opened my eyes. The song is about a gorgeous woman I met on the road years ago. It was so tempting to go all the way for her, and she was up for it—all the right ingredients. Unfortunately, before anything happened, I decided to jump ship. The reasons for this are complex and have a lot to do with my personal life, and the physical distance between us has to do with sacrificing something beautiful for something more important. I had to write a song about this encounter; that is what the song is about.
The album is so refreshingly faith-forward; how do you feel making something like this can inspire others in their own spiritual journeys?
I like how you pose the question: indeed, it is a “spiritual journey.” I believe we are all on this journey, although most people are not aware of this. I find it incredibly important and fascinating. Existential questions, a philosophical take on situations, the school of life. Religion is a weird thing: so many things wrong about it, so many good things hidden inside. I study it all from all angles. I take the good; I leave the bad. In the lyrics of the songs, I tried to translate personal struggles into a positive and universal message. Some people might get turned off by the words “God” and “Jesus,” I understand. You can make it easy for yourself: replace “God” with “love.” Essentially the same thing, at least how I mean it in the lyrics. I am in a world in turmoil, and with so much suffering going on, I think we need to focus on the things that connect us and not the things that divide us. This music is my contribution to our collective healing process.
In what ways do you feel your sound has evolved since your earlier works?
I put a lot more emphasis on the quality of the lyrics, the intensity of the songs, and the size of the vocals. The new album houses many aspects I love in music. Gospel, funk, rock n roll, disco, and some blues are even in there. I also went a bit deeper with the basslines and worked hard on my chops to get this done. I also gave the good ol’ piano a bigger role than ever before. The organ, new for me in my recordings, finally made sense. In terms of gear, it’s all the same stuff I used previously but in a different context. For instance, on Elena and Look Up Johnny, I went big with my Solina, using it for chords and basslines. I love surprises in my music; I don’t care if it is radio-friendly or not. All my better stuff comes from a faraway and deep place—intuitive playing, not cerebral. I feel like I am channeling when I am creating music, translating whatever energy I am picking up into sound. That can be radio-friendly or not; I never think about that. I leave that to the professionals to pick the singles and what works best for radio. The more I let go of trying to make something people would possibly pick up, the more it seems to make sense. It is also why I don’t like to listen to other people’s music when I am in creation mode: It needs to come from deep and far and from the inside out, not from somebody else.
What lessons have you carried from your collaborations with legends like Ronald Snijders into this new project?
Many different lessons. Every collaboration is part of the school of life. Ronald Snijders is something else; we have the weirdest conversations, totally X-rated and full of fantasy and fun. Same with Ed Motta. Orlando Julius was more of a spiritual teacher; just his presence was enough to make you grow into something more beautiful. The main lesson from all these people is in the way I collaborated with them: I can only make something meaningful with someone else if we connect, and this takes time. A lot of time. Days, weeks, years, it differs. There needs to be a reason for me to work together, which is more than just your musical talent. Whenever Marissa Nyamekye comes over to my Timewarp Studio to record vocals, we can not stop talking for at least 5 hours before we start recording something. The recording itself would usually take 10 to 20 minutes. Those 5 hours can be heard in the recording. This is how I work—very inefficiently. I love it. It creates sparks in the vocals.
What’s up next for you and the Perpetual Singers?
Worldwide superstardom and domination. But I am already happy with making stuff and being able to do it live, so for me, it doesn’t need to conquer the charts. We are first gearing up for the European festival season, with shows lined up all across, like We Out Here, North Sea Jazz, Way Out West, Oya, Flow, and the list keeps growing. And I have about one and a half albums in the works now, ready to go, so much more music. I feel like I just started. If I could, I would release an album every couple of months, but that might not be super smart to do. Anyway, loads more music is coming up, exploring my new mixture of ingredients. This new group of singers that joined me for the ride is so full of energy and harmony that I need to study and explore this further. It will probably go deeper and harder at the same time. And yes, I will always think about the dance floor; why not throw it all in there? More is more, right?
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