In Conversation with Arp Frique: A Soul Rooted in the ’70s, Bringing Gospel Funk to Life
Born in 1979 and spiritually bound to the ’70s, Arp Frique has carved out a unique sonic universe where funk, disco, and gospel collide in a vibrant explosion of rhythm and freedom. A musician, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, he has embraced his authenticity as the only path forward—never chasing trends, never seeking modernity, but creating straight from the soul.
His musical journey, deeply influenced by legends like Stevie Wonder, Bootsy Collins, and Sly Stone, now continues in his latest work, The Gospel of Jesamy. For this new chapter, Arp Frique surrounded himself with powerhouse voices, including Texas-born Brandon Delagraentiss and his choir, The Gospel Experience, who helped shape the celestial, soul-stirring atmosphere he envisioned.
We had the chance to sit down with Arp Frique to discuss everything from Arp Frique & the Perpetual Singers, the genesis of the album to his solitary creative process, his relationship with spirituality, and his collaboration with platforms like Rush Hour Music. In this conversation, the artist welcomes us into his musical world—a space with no compromises, where the only rule is to feel.
The Gospel of Jesamy has a very distinctive sound, deeply influenced by 70s funk and disco. How did the idea for this LP come about, and what story did you want to tell with it?
I am 70s, born in 1979. To me, it is the new. I am stuck in the 70s and hoping we find a way to go back to that era. Be it time travel or simply a return to innocence. This era in music was the peak of creation, creativity, inclusivity, acceptance, and joy. This is who I am; it is my DNA. It is the only output in music I can authentically generate. So there is no other way for me. I could never make a “modern” record; I don’t know how and don’t want to, either. This album is basically the evolution of me, getting closer to my roots in music. I grew up on Stevie, Sly, Bootsy, Herbie, Jimi, all the goodness. Vocals this time had to be bigger, like a new instrument I am adding to the palate, another color of my painting.
Your music has always been a vibrant fusion of global rhythms. On this LP, what new elements did you bring into your sound, and what influences were key in its creation?
From a musical point of view, I wanted to dive deeper into my love for the bass guitar. I am actually more of a bass player than a keyboardist or guitar dude. The interlocking of the bass with the drums is the basis of most of my songs. I work solo in the studio; I need to work like this for my most personal music. Like painting: if 5 people start painting simultaneously on one canvas, the outcome will probably be some kinda compromise. I don’t compromise, not anymore. So rhythmically, my emphasis on my bass playing really helped develop this music. Besides that, I had big vocals in mind from the start. I lay down my own vocals first, and after that, I bring in singers to build on top of that. It works very well for me and keeps it close to what I envision.
In many of your productions, you’ve worked solo, playing all the instruments yourself. Did you stick to that approach for The Gospel of Jesamy, or did you collaborate with other musicians in a different way this time?
The only other musician on this record is Erik “Keysie” Ritfeld. You see, in order to really connect with something greater than just cerebral music, you have to tap into the spiritual realm. That is very hard, impossible for many. Erik can do that, also because we align spiritually at all times, so before, during and after recording. He performed a bit of organ, rhodes, and piano; the rest was me. What is very different though is the vocal approach: I went deep with Brandon Delagraentiss, amazing Texan gospel singer; Rocq-E Harrell, backing singer to the stars like Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, and Barry White (so crazy); Marissa Nyamekye my homegirl; gospel singer Muriel Blijd and Dennis Bovell who needs no introduction. Brandon helped out big time and brought in his choir, The Gospel Experience, on some songs like Elena. That touched me; it gave me the “Like A Prayer” Madonna feel I was looking for.
Do you feel that The Gospel of Jesamy marks a new evolution for Arp Frique? What differences do you see between this LP and your previous work?
At its core, it’s the same. The basis of it all, funk music, has been in all my previous stuff also. The step towards gospel music does take it to a literal new dimension. In my older works, many songs were also gospel, like Nyame Ye, Paa, Kamajo, and Ijo Ya, but in languages most people don’t understand. This is much more direct. Bringing in the rock n roll version of church without religion. Music is my religion; God is the source. I do see a very strong response from a new audience. It seems we are bridging a gap here, as this appeals to other cultures as well, which is what I was hoping for. Originally, I wanted to call this album "The Big Warm Fuzzy Anti-Polarization Album," but that was crazy long. Does it sum it all up?
The global music scene has shown an increasing interest in blending different rhythms and sounds. How do you see this movement evolving, and where do you think The Gospel of Jesamy fits within it?
It is indeed somewhat of a trend I have seen develop over the past decades. This, to me, is much more of a Euro-American thing, though. And I am only throwing in the “Euro” because it is where we are based as a live band. But geographically, this music is LA, Nashville, Memphis, NY, maybe a touch of Miami.
You’ve worked with Rush Hour Music and released your music under the Colorful World label. What has your relationship with these platforms been like, and what role have they played in spreading your work?
Rush Hour has been instrumental. The support from Antal and other Rush Hour affiliates like Kamma & Massalo, Hunee, Coco Maria, and more is so important. It is really one of the most important music hubs in Holland, and from their Amsterdam HQ they are spreading the good stuff all the way over to Tokyo through Rainbow Disco Club, or the States via Louie Vega and many others, or the UK thanks to Gilles Peterson. Happy to be part of the Rush Hour family.
You’ve spoken before about your connection between music and spirituality. How do these elements come into play in The Gospel of Jesamy, and how do they shape your creative process?
The more I open myself to the spiritual growth process, the better the music becomes. It starts right at the very beginning: my status quo from the inside—that is what creates the song. And this is connected to the Most High, the higher levels of the realm, another level of consciousness. Every step of the creative process, and after that, the creation of the live show, depends on these spiritual aspects. Without this, it’s all just generic music.
What’s next for you after the album’s release? Are you planning a tour, working on new projects, or exploring other musical genres?
I have 3 more albums ready to go, and I'm doing the vocals now, all with a similar approach in terms of big-sized vocals and meaningful lyrics. And for the coming few months, I am bringing Arp Frique & The Perpetual Singers to stages all over the world, starting with stuff like North Sea Jazz, Lentekabinet, We Out Here, Flow, Oya, Way Out West, and many, many more. No sleep, only joy. I could not live and love without it.