The Funk Ark

"Bringing it and taking listeners on a global funk journey that will have you melting into the dancefloor." - Giant Step Washington D.C. native, Will Rast (of Antibalas), has been composing music and playing professionally since the age of 14. A love of vintage Funk and Soul, as well as a wide range of instrumental jazz styles were the impetus behind the formation of The Funk Ark in 2007. As a member of Washington DC's fast growing community of artists, it was easy to find incredibly talented musicians to form a group big enough to create the range of sound he wanted. The band began with compositions that were reminiscent of Lonnie Liston Smith, or Herbie Hancock, but it was Will Rast's growing interest in the Afro Beat music of Fela Anikulapo Kuti and Mono Mono of Nigeria, as well as Mulatu Astatke and Mahmoud Ahmed of Ethiopia, and the legendary Salsa ensemble The Fania Allstars, that caused the band's direction to the shift towards a more polyrhythmic, dance-inspiring, funk sound. The musical journey of Will Rast, which currently includes being a member of international touring sensations, Antibalas, has helped The Funk Ark to amass a wild, beautiful collection of albums over the years, revealing his personal evolution of funk and rhythm. And through these albums, and The Funk Ark’s live shows, the group keeps audiences awe-inspired and sweaty on the dancefloor. Their latest album, “Man Is A Monster” is “a collection of songs from a period of two years during which I traveled more than I ever had before, spending time in countries, most of which, I had never visited. The songs were conceived in that spirit of exploration, in a global sense, but also of our musical and technical abilities. This album's eclectic sound is an indication of the many influences and experiences of the group, as well as our intent to take the emphasis away from traditional 4/4 rhythms and channel those influences into something deeper and more challenging than our previous work." -Will Rast For Press Inquiries: Please Contact Ryan Romana // ryan@pressjunkiepr.com "MAN IS A MONSTER" out now on Ropeadope Records. Check out our music on Spotify!