Ancient Future Northern California Tour featuring Matthew Montfort and Vishal Nagar

Ancient Future Duet Concert Tour

Hi-Res Photo of Matthew Montfort and Vishal Nagar by Devki (1 MB)

Featuring World Guitar Pioneer Matthew Montfort and Tabla Virtuoso Vishal Nagar

Friday, January 10, 2014, 8 PM
The Sunflower Center
1435 N. McDowell Blvd., Suite 100
Petaluma, California 94954
Tix: $12 advance, $15 door. Advance tix at https://ancient-future-sfc.eventbrite.com
Info: Call 707-792-5304 or email info@thesunflowercenter.org
Venue website: www.lydiasorganics.com


Saturday, January 11, 2014, 8 PM
Trinity Chamber Concerts
Trinity Chapel
2320 Dana Street between Bancroft Way & Durant Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94704
Tix: $15 general, $10 senior/disabled/student. No one turned away for lack of funds.
Info and reservations: 510-549-3864 or email info@trinitychamberconcerts.com
Venue website: www.trinitychamberconcerts.com


Sunday, January 12, 2014, 7 PM
Don Quixote's International Music Hall
6275 Highway 9
Felton, CA 95018
Tix: $12 advance, $15 door. Info: Call 831-603-2294 or email tmm@cruzio.com
Venue website: www.donquixotesmusic.info



Tour Poster (122k .pdf)

Strains of passionate flamenco and ethereal Indian raga emanate from this improvisatory duet featuring world guitar pioneer Matthew Montfort accompanied by renowned Indian tabla virtuoso Vishal Nagar. The program will feature music from the ground breaking world music recordings of Ancient Future along with serenades from Matthew Montfort's solo guitar releases: Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar and Sympathetic Serenade, for which he was lauded as one of the world's 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists.

Celebrating its 35th year in 2014, Ancient Future is the world's first and longest running ensemble dedicated to world fusion music, with dozens of programs featuring master musicians from around the world. Their guitar and tabla duet program has appeared in a variety of settings, from the huge audience (police estimate of 35,000 people) at the Summer of Love 30th Anniversary Celebration in San Francisco to the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra on the golden coast of Spain near Barcelona.

"It was heart-warming to see teenage girls in swirling dresses swaying and twirling to the Indian themes (almost like morning ragas) of Ancient Future, one of the morning performing groups." —Philip Elwood, SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER (review of Summer of Love performance, that according to the San Francisco Chronicle, was famed concert promoter Chet Helm's "crowning achievement")

Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard and fretless guitars)

Hi-Res Photo of Matthew Montfort by Julie Marten (2 MB)

The leader of the world music group Ancient Future, Matthew Montfort, released his first solo recording, Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar, in 2009. He is a pioneer among guitarists who have had their fretboards scalloped in order to play various forms of world music that require intricate note-bending ornaments while still being able to play chords. Montfort immersed himself in an intensive study with vina master K.S. Subramanian in order to fully apply the South Indian gamaka (note-bending) techniques to the guitar. He is recognized as one of the world's 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists by DigitalDreamDoor.com, a curated "best of" site, along with such luminaries as Michael Hedges, Leo Kottke, Chet Atkins, John Fahey, Merle Travis, John Renbourn, Tommy Emmanuel, Doc Watson, Pierre Bensusan, Alex De Grassi, and Peppino D'Agostino. The December 2009 Les Paul issue of Guitar Player Magazine includes a full page feature on Matthew Montfort with a corresponding GuitarPlayer.Com video and lesson entitled "The Music of Jimi Hendrix Applied to Indian Raga." He has performed concerts worldwide, from the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra on the golden coast of Spain to the Festival of India in Mumbai. He has performed live on national radio and TV shows such as the Echoes Living Room Concerts on Public Radio International, and the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. He has worked with many world music legends, including tabla phenomenon Zakir Hussain and Chinese zither master Zhao Hui. Montfort wrote the book Ancient Traditions – Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through the Traditions of Africa, Bali, and India, which has been used by many musicians to improve their rhythm skills.

Vishal Nagar (tabla)

Hi-Res Photo of Vishal Nagar by Inni Singh (5 MB)

"He has magic in his hands" - Hindustan Times

Vishal Nagar is considered one of the most gifted tabla players of his generation. Born into a family of musicians, Vishal has been surrounded by music in an extremely musically creative and artistic environment. Since childhood, he has been fascinated by tabla and began to play at an early age. Vishal had his initial training for a very brief period with the late Ustad Latif Ahmed Khan of the Delhi Gharana. After his Ustad's untimely demise, Vishal continued his training under the guidance of Ustad Shamim Ahmed Khan of the same Gharana (school). Along with the dense and rare tabla repertoire taleem which was he received from his Ustad, he also has had intense rhythmic (layakari) training from his mother, the renowned and highly respected Kathak dancer and vocalist, Urmila Nagar. Vishal has been praised in the Indian press for his unique combination of melodic tabla sound production with masterful command of rhythm.

Vishal has had the privilege of performing with many renowned artists: Ustad Shujaat Khan, Guru Urmila Nagar, Vidhwan Trichur Ramachandran, Pandit Ramesh Misra and Miss. Kala Ramnath, to name a few. Vishal has also had the honor of sharing the stage with some great world music masters such as African drum legend Babatunde Olatunji, Michel Shrieve, Evyind Kang, Carmona Flamenco, and Michael Wimberley, to name few. Vishal has also expanded his cultural boundaries and collaborated with musicians from around the world. Some of his memorable works have been with the Ghanaian Guitarist Koo Nimo with whom he also appeared in WOMAD USA (a leading world dance and music festival started by Peter Gabriel). Starting his performance career at the age of eight in Patna, Vishal has performed around the globe including performances in many cities in India, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Thailand and the United States. Vishal has also been awarded with the Ministry of Culture Scholarship from the Department of Culture.

In his journey as a musician, Vishal feels that music and art are truly an ocean of knowledge and an expression of feelings and emotions. He aspires to serve the Indian music and arts through his medium of expression, the language of tabla, and hopes that he will be able to give due respect, dedication, and devotion to this great art form of his country, India.

Recent Recordings on Ancient-Future.Com Records

The Archive of Future Ancient Recordings by Ancient Future

Archive of Future Ancient Recordings by the band Ancient Future. (Ancient-Future.Com AF-2030). Recording Newsletter Package (128kbps MP3): $15. Buy Link. Download Supporter Package (320 kbps MP3): $25. Buy Link. Limited to 300 packages. Limited Edition CD Sponsor Package (CD quality .wav): $50. Buy Link. Limited to 200 packages. Honorary A & R Representative Package (Hi-res 24 bit .wav): $75. Buy Link. Limited to 100 packages.

During Ancient Future's 30th anniversary year, work started on the next project of the band: the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings (A.F.A.R.). To finance the project, a subscription system model is being employed to fund the recording through fans of world fusion music. There are already eight tracks in the archive available right now to subscribers, with more coming as money is raised for production.

Planet Passion by Ancient Future

Planet Passion by Ancient Future (Ancient-Future.Com AF 2010) $17.98: Buy Link . (audio.)


Planet Passion by Ancient Future has been re-issued with 64-Bit Tuned Harmonic Mastering to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band. The seventh Ancient Future recording features nineteen top masters of of Indian, Nepalese, African, Cuban, Celtic, Arabic, Palestinian, Jewish, Indonesian, Chinese, Eastern European and American music traditions performing music on the theme of mythical stories of love.

"If the members of the United Nations formed a world-fusion band, it might look and sound a little something like Ancient Future’s re-issue of their seventh recording. Featuring instrumentation from Africa, Asia, South America and the Middle East, Planet Passion is a mythical story of love, flirtation, seduction, courtship, marriage and longing. Manose Singh’s bansuri flute and Matthew Montfort’s scalloped fretboard work stand out in this eclectic, visionary global village, where each track features its own unique set of players. At its best, Planet Passion strives to preserve the world’s vast musical heritage via international collaboration: the idea that one protects the old by creating something new. This is at the heart of fusion music and the heart of Ancient Future’s global aesthetics, too: a diverse, unified world without borders, a multicultural community, a new, reconstituted sonic reality." — Ryan Allen, LEO WEEKLY, Louisville, Kentucky

Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort

Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort. (Ancient-Future.Com AF 2008). $17.98: Buy Link . (audio.)

Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar is the debut solo recording by Ancient Future leader Matthew Montfort. The recording showcases his pioneering work on the scalloped fretboard guitar, a special modified instrument able to produce ornaments more characteristic of the sitar. This first solo effort features his improvisational music.
"Because Montfort’s guitar has a scalloped fretboard, his fingers touch only the strings, enabling him to produce ornaments more characteristic of the sitar. This album reveals a thorough knowledge of Hindustani microtonal ornaments, transferred in ways that create one of the most distinctive guitar sounds in contemporary music. However, it also reveals a lifetime of exploration in world music, which can be immediately summoned in a flash of inspiration. When this level of mastery is reached, there is no need to rewrite. The first improvisation has the depth of a reworked composition." — Teed Rockwell, INDIA CURRENTS, March 2009



Sympathetic Serenade by Matthew Montfort. (Ancient-Future.Com AF 2012). Signed Mini EP CD-R- $12.98: Buy Link. (audio.)

When Matthew Montfort was working on his debut solo recording, he recorded a series of improvisations. Were it not for some serendipitous sequencing coupled with the allure of alliteration, it's likely that this recording would have been released as the eighth improvisation on what became Seven Serenades. Instead, this evocative Spanish serenade/raga hybrid receives a mini EP treatment on Matthew Montfort's Sympathetic Serenade.

"Both Matt Montfort and his band Ancient Future have been reviewed in FAME before, and the work is always superlative, but this one, a CD 11-minute single, is an expression of solo virtuosity on a variant axe which isn't employed by very many. Primarily a Spanish composition, there's nonetheless always a generous infusion of raga structures and riffs in Montfort's work as well as more Westerly rhythmatics. Sympathetic Serenade is no exception. Brilliant modern semi-neoclassical work with very strong ties to the traditional residing within progressive annals." – Mark S. Tucker, FAME

Ancient Future 'World Without Walls' Reunion Concert to Stream Live on ConcertWindow.com October 16 at 8 PM PDT

Ancient Future Concert to Stream on ConcertWindow.com

'World Without Walls' Reunion Concert Streams Live October 16 at 8 PM PDT

In a first for Ancient Future, their upcoming 'World Without Walls' reunion concert at the Freight & Salvage will be available for viewing anywhere in the world as a live stream. This is a very rare chance for Ancient Future fans worldwide to view a live concert of the exact lineup of the pioneering world music group that performed on Ancient Future's influential World Without Walls and Asian Fusion recordings. They will perform their fourth reunion concert after a 15 year hiatus on Wednesday, October 16, at 8 PM at the Freight and Salvage, located at 2020 Addison Street in Berkeley.

Online tickets are available now for $5 at concertwindow.com/shows/ancient-future. The webshow will not be archived – it's offered only in real time starting at 8 PM Pacific Daylight Time on October 16. It is recommended to purchase a ticket in advance to sign up for an email reminder to tune in for the show at the correct time. ConcertWindow.com includes a show time count-down clock, or a site such as timezoneconverter.com can be used to calculate the local time the concert will begin streaming. For example, for music fans in Mumbai, India, the concert stream will begin at 8:30 AM on October 17.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013, 8 PM PDT
Streaming Live at ConcertWindow.com
Freight and Salvage
2020 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA 94704
Tix: $18.50 in advance, $20.50 at the door, or $5 for live stream at concertwindow.com/shows/ancient-future.
Info: Call 510-644-2020 or email info@freightandsalvage.org
Facebook Event.

'World Without Walls' Reunion Video of 'Indra's Net' Released in Celebration

Live Medley of 'Alap' and 'Indra's Net' Recorded at Yoshi's, San Francisco, 6/7/11


To celebrate Ancient Future's first worldwide live streaming video concert, a live video recording of a medley of Matthew Montfort's 'Alap' and Jim Hurley's 'Indra's Net' composition is being released, available for viewing at http://youtu.be/fCVQZLBS43c. Inspired by Hindu mythology, 'Indra's Net' was used as a soundtrack for a United Nations documentary film, Closing the Curtains of Death, about drift net fishing. This version was recorded at Yoshi's San Francisco on June 7, 2011, the day of their first performance together in 15 years. The video features Doug McKeehan on piano, Kash Killion on bass, Ian Dogole on percussion, Matthew Montfort on scalloped fretboard guitar, Jim Hurley on violin, and Patti Weiss on violin. 'Indra's Net' is the third video to be released from the reunion concert, joining '14 Steps' by Matthew Montfort (http://youtu.be/Ro0VAo7a9BY) and 'Turkish Taffy' by Doug McKeehan (http://youtu.be/e0YyuM7YTIo).

'World Without Walls' by Ancient Future on Capitol Records

Hi-Res Square Cover Art (3 MB)

Featuring Tabla Master Zakir Hussain

(Sona Gaia/MCA 163): CD - $24.98 (collectable signed copy): Buy Link. audio.
Press Audio Downloads: Lakshmi Rocks Me (Jim Hurley) MP3 (excerpt, 976k). audio.
14 Steps (Matthew Montfort) MP3 (excerpt, 1 MB). audio.

As its name suggests, World Without Walls depicts a musical world without borders. Originally released in 1990, it features performances by such world music luminaries as Zakir Hussain, the master of the North Indian tabla. World Without Walls was reissued digitally by Capitol Records in 2011 to honor Ancient Future's reunion concerts. In 2012, broadcasters worldwide voted the reissue as one of the top 5 world music releases of the year, 22 years after its initial release. The inviting melodies and ingenious use of ethnic textures make this recording one of Ancient Future's most accessible and broadly appealing releases ever.


Tabla master Zakir Hussain

Ancient Future Band Biography

Sepia photo for print (14.7" x 9.7" sepia jpg, 7.2 MB). Ancient Future circa 1990. Photo by Irene Young. Pictured: Matthew Montfort (guitars), Jim Hurley (violin), Doug McKeehan (keys), Ian Dogole (percussion).

BILLBOARD calls the group "trendsetters" for contributing to the emerging movement known as world fusion music, a term Ancient Future leader Matthew Montfort coined at the band’s inception for music that blends musical ideas from many different cultures. Formed in 1978, Ancient Future is the world's first and longest running ensemble dedicated exclusively to the mission of the creation of world fusion music. Their original music is an exhilarating fusion of exciting rhythms and sounds from around the globe that combines contemporary jazz and rock with the irresistible rhythms of African, Balinese, Indian, Middle Eastern and South American percussion, the rich harmonies of Europe, and the beautiful melodies of Asia.
In the years since the initial CD release of World Without Walls, Ancient Future has expanded from its core lineup through collaborations with noted masters of various world music traditions who are now an integral part of what is today more than just a band. Ancient Future has grown to become a large chamber ensemble of more than thirty performers from around the world with over a dozen smaller ensembles within it, enabling Ancient Future to realize its core mission of creating world fusion music.

Quotes

World Without Walls Media Report (13.9 MB)

Below are just a few of the rave reviews for the reissue of World Without Walls:

"Bloody hell, get me some Alzheimer's drugs, will you? Ancient Future was on Narada's Sona Gaia subsidiary with a world beat album that was ahead of it's time and they were hanging out with Zappa's world beat buddies and I don't remember any of it? Each track has a different taste and a different texture making this a world beat travelogue that gleefully genre bends whatever the crew felt like with a merger of hillbilly and Indian music, the sound of an African traffic jam and more stuff that tastes good without the over riding vibe of being good for you. And it's not empty calories either. No wonder the group labored so long and so hard to get Capitol to reissue this, it's time. More bloody hell, new copies of this are going for over $200 on Amazon! How did I miss this? This is the world beat/jazz/pop album for people that shy away from things called world beat and jazz. Fun stuff throughout that still sounds fresh and in the moment today." - Chris Spector, MIDWEST RECORD (July 2011)

"21 years after the release of the already classic 'World Without Walls,' the original lineup of 'Ancient Future' reunited in a series of shows at Yoshi's in SF. On this occasion Capitol/EMI Records launched the first digital version of this influential album that marked not just the career of the band and its members but represents a reference of the World Music phenomenon. The original album released in 1990 features 10 songs that mix Oriental, Celtic and African inspired rhythms with modern jazzy beats, and subdued lyricism with melodic creativity. As the title of the album suggests there's no walls between musical influences but we can say that there's no wall between these virtuoso performers, whose joyful interplay delights the listener with a fusion of exotic and western harmonies that sound like chamber music. The three composers of the album (Jim Hurley on violin, Matthew Montfort guitars, Doug McKeehan piano, synthesizers) looked for inspiration to ancient lands of musical tradition, bringing the African, Balinese, Chinese, Indian, Middle eastern sounds into a modern setting that preserves their original savor. It is a surprising and enchanting synthesis of classical, modern and exotic crafted with the art of a jeweler. Talking drum, bells, chimes, dumbek, udu, bass drums, sleigh bells and tabla (played by Zakir Hussain on 3 songs) keep the rhythm alive and fresh, while organically blending into the compositions. An album that is also inviting to listen more from what this legendary band has produced over the years." - Stephen Bocioaca, WORLD JAZZ NEWS (July 2011)

"Ancient Future is a well known group inside the interesting world of the World Fusion Music (or World Music with fusions of many other styles). It is a group with a perfect fit of traditional instruments (flutes, percussion of different parts of the world, violin, etc) with others more associated with rock (bass and electric guitar, synthesizers...) and is made up of musicians who are capable of playing them all, which opens up many possibilities. The band was originally formed in 1978, with what at present is one of the most long-lived formations that has been dedicated exclusively to World Music, a genre (or perhaps an assembly of genres) that is very common at present, but that was not the case at end of the 70's. Ever since their beginnings they have mixed diverse forms of music, originating from Africa, Bali, the India, the Near East, South America, Europe and Asia in general. 'World Without Walls' was originally released in 1990, but is now being re-issued, principally for Internet distribution. The 10 themes they composed gravitate between African and Asian ethnic rhythms and melodies adorned with a lot of Hindu sounds and wrapped, as is the usual custom in Ancient Future, with sounds of multiple instruments that move the disk towards rock or jazz in certain moments (such as guitars, piano and synthesizers). The Hindu influence is especially present due to the contribution of Indian percussionist Zakir Hussain. Hussain is a musician of great prestige inside the musical circle of the members of Ancient Future, so his percussive embellishments fit perfectly with World Without Walls. Zakir Hussain participates in the pieces entitled 'Lakshmi Rocks Me,' '14 Steps,' and 'Gopi Song.' 'World Without Walls' has a very appropriate title. Music is, without doubt, an authentic universal language and Ancient Future shows it, by mixing in such a stunning manner so many styles that appear antagonistic, that nevertheless, they insert perfectly upon filtration through the group's sieve ." - Jorge Sergio Iglesias, Articmist.org, (Aug 2011)

"Sona Gaia and Narada were two of the more interesting World/New Age labels to erupt as the arts scene began diversifying with a seriousness that arose following the collapse of the 60s/70s ethos. Narada was a sketchy proposition at times, tending to the New Agier side of the house, whereas Sona always held a more serious attitude, and one of their best releases—this one, Ancient Future's World Without Walls—was never quite critiqued or marketed as it should have been: as a set of works in the tradition of Mahavishnu Orchestra, Between, Shakti, and other adventurous bands with almost inhuman chops. After all, the entire World gig pretty much rooted in the inestimably superlative Oregon, an ensemble that was and still is eons ahead of its time, talented beyond compare. Thus, those who came after should have been of-a-kind and acclaimed as such, right? Ah, but then the micky-marketeers entered, and what should've been a quantum leap became, well, Private Music, Steven Halpern, and Georgia Kelley, alas… although, in Shadowfax and others, the path was never quite erased. Well, now that everyone has sobered up and finds him- and herself able to ponder backwards, a few gems are being rescued. This re-release very much demonstrates that we missed quite a bit, even though Matthew Montfort continued his musical evolution and the band itself realigned for a dazzling concert last June (go to http://www.youtube.com/ancientfuture and click on 14 Steps for a marvelous example). Along with Montfort came Ian Dogole, Doug McKeehan, and Jim Hurley, masters of their instruments, and the quartet played and still plays as though it were twice that size, complicated narrative and rhythms filling each track. 'World Without Walls' is drenched with the most enticing and hypnotic of essences, a record that, despite the passage of 21 years since its debut, cannot age, a document upholding a spirit of creativity ahead of its time hundreds of years ago and remaining so in the hands of masters such as these. Thank goodness some things never change." - Mark S. Tucker, FOLK & ACOUSTIC MUSIC EXCHANGE (Sept 2011)

"When one listens to the melodies and musical textures of the fifth release 'World Without Walls' by the group Ancient Future, words like exotic, elegant and sublime immediately come to mind. Check out the group on YouTube and see if you are not drawn into their hypnotic enchantment. Ancient Future offers a musical vision of a 'world without walls' which is both appealing and accessible to the average listener and is highly recommended for anyone wishing to explore the amazing genre of World music." - Jack Montgomery, Amplifier, BOWLING GREEN DAILY NEWS (Sept 2011)

"It's hard to remember — with the plethora of World Fusion albums currently available — a time when this sort of music was the new kid on the block. This classic album by Ancient Future was a breath of fresh air at the time of its release in 1990. With inspired skill and a great respect for the other cultures from which they took much of their inspiration, the band blended western music with that of pretty much every other continent, weaving magic with their melodies and rhythms. And you know what? 'World Without Walls' sounds as fresh and invigorating today as it did all those years ago upon its initial release. There's not a single bad moment on the album." - Charles de Lint, SleepingHedgehog.com (Nov 2011)

"Not insipid easy-listening 'World Music', 'World Without Walls' is a remastered re-release of their 1990 classic, and doesn't sound dated at all. 'World Without Walls' is a fusion of musical stylings, scales and rhythms from around the world. The main influences I hear are Middle Eastern, Indian and South American, though there's also Jamaican 'Island Music' sounds, Balinese and probably dozens of other influences too subtle for me to notice. The instruments run the gamut of acoustic instruments like violins, piano, tuned percussion instruments and tablas (by renowned master Zakir Hussain) and also electric guitar synths and synthesizers. Leader Matthew Montfort plays (along with other guitars) a unique scalloped-fretboard acoustic guitar which allows for subtle pitch-bending and timbre-modulation effects. A careful listen will reveal that this is way beyond the usual health-food store 'World Music' offerings and is instead a high-energy, very experimental fusion of styles from around the world. Highly recommended." - Fred Trafton, GILBRALTAR ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PROGRESSIVE ROCK (Nov 2011)

Ancient Future Performs 'World Without Walls' Reunion at the Freight and Salvage, Berkeley, 10/16/13

Ancient Future World Without Walls Reunion Concert
Freight and Salvage, Berkeley, October 16, 2013

World Jazz featuring Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), Jim Hurley (violin), Doug McKeehan (keyboards, piano), Ian Dogole (percussion) and Kash Killion (bass)

Ancient Future Performs '14 Steps' at "World Without Walls" Reunion

Wednesday, October 16, 8 pm
Freight and Salvage
2020 Addison Street
Berkeley, CA 94704
Tix: $18.50 in advance, $20.50 at the door.
Info: Call 510-644-2020 or email info@freightandsalvage.org
Poster (703k pdf). Facebook Event.

The exact lineup of Ancient Future that performed on the band's influential World Without Walls and Asian Fusion recordings will reunite to perform at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley. The reunion show features the original lineup of Matthew Montfort on scalloped fretboard guitar, Jim Hurley on violin, Doug McKeehan on keyboards, and Ian Dogole on percussion, plus Kash Killion on bass.
This lineup of Ancient Future played over a hundred concerts together from 1988 to 1995. In 2011, they reunited for the first time in 15 years to perform concerts at Todos Santos Plaza in Concord and Yoshi's in San Francisco. In honor of the reunion concerts, World Without Walls was released digitally by Capitol Records for the first time ever at major digital retailers such as iTunes. Twenty two years after its initial release in 1990, broadcasters worldwide voted the record as one of the top 5 world music releases of 2012. More concerts were planned, but bandleader Matthew Montfort suffered wrist and shoulder injuries, so performances were suspended until September 2012, when the band performed at the Frick Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This show at the Freight and Salvage will be their fourth reunion concert, and will be the first time that Ancient Future performs at the stellar new location of the Freight and Salvage, now one of the Bay Area's very best concert venues.

Ancient Future Performs 'Turkish Taffy' at "World Without Walls" Reunion

Band Bio

Ancient Future circa 1990. Hi-Res Photo by Irene Young (14.7" x 9.7" jpg, 7.2 MB)
"Ancient Future is a rare kind of band that might simultaneously aggravate purists, confound New Age dilettantes, seduce skeptics, and dazzle just about everybody else. Delicious compositions, intricate arrangements, crisp playing and impeccable production put these ambitious voyagers in a league of their own." -Derk Richardson, San Francisco Bay Guardian
Formed in 1978, Ancient Future is the first and longest running musical organization dedicated exclusively to the mission of creating world fusion music. The term was coined by bandleader Matthew Montfort to describe Ancient Future’s unusual blend of musical traditions from around the world. BILLBOARD calls the group "trendsetters" for their early contributions to the movement, which seeks to show how people from different cultures can grow by learning from each other. Ancient Future's uptempo virtuoso world fusion music is an exhilarating mix of jazz improvisation with the exciting rhythms, exotic sounds, and enchanting melodies of world music.
Ancient Future has released seven full length studio CDs selling over 150,000 units: Visions of a Peaceful Planet, Natural Rhythms, Quiet Fire, Dreamchaser, World Without Walls, Asian Fusion, and Planet Passion. Over one million legal mp3 files from three of these releases on Ancient-Future.Com Records have been distributed commercially. Ancient Future is also featured on samplers selling millions of units on labels such as Putumayo and Narada.
Ancient Future has headlined such venues as San Francisco's Great American Music Hall and Eugene's Hult Center for the Performing Arts, appeared at numerous jazz festivals such as the Sacramento River Jazz Festival, Cotati Jazz Festival, Valhalla Jazz Festival, and Sand Harbor, and shared bills with other leading jazz and contemporary music artists including Fourth World with Flora Purim and Airto, Tower of Power, Craig Chaquico, Acoustic Alchemy, and Ottmar Liebert. Ancient Future was the subject of numerous features in publications such as JAZZIZ and MÚSICA GLOBAL. A selection of these articles has been uploaded to the archives of Ancient Future history, providing an interesting perspective on a period of growth in the world music movement.
Over the years, Ancient Future has expanded its musical vision through collaborations with master musicians from more than two dozen countries, cultures, and musical traditions who are now an integral part of what is today more than just a band. Ancient Future has grown to become a large multinational music ensemble with many smaller ensembles within it, enabling Ancient Future to realize its core mission of creating world fusion music. Through cross cultural exchange, Ancient Future has created a musical world without borders.

Matthew Montfort (band leader, scalloped fretboard guitar)

Matthew Montfort is the leader of the world fusion music ensemble Ancient Future. He is a pioneer of the scalloped fretboard guitar (an instrument combining qualities of the South Indian vina and the steel string guitar). Montfort spent three months in intensive study with vina master K.S. Subramanian in order to fully apply the South Indian gamaka (note-bending) techniques to the guitar. In 2009, he released his first solo guitar recording, Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar, which reached #8 on Zone Music Reporter's World Radio Chart. He is recognized as one of the world's 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists by DigitalDreamDoor.com, a curated "best of" site, along with such luminaries as Michael Hedges, Leo Kottke, Chet Atkins, John Fahey, Merle Travis, John Renbourn, Tommy Emmanuel, Doc Watson, Pierre Bensusan, Alex De Grassi, and Peppino D'Agostino. The December 2009 Les Paul issue of Guitar Player Magazine includes a full page feature on Matthew Montfort with a corresponding GuitarPlayer.Com video and lesson entitled “The Music of Jimi Hendrix Applied to Indian Raga.” He has performed concerts world wide, including at the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra on the golden coast of Spain near Barcelona and the Mumbai Festival at the Gateway of India in Bombay. He has performed live on national radio and TV shows such as the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. Montfort wrote the book Ancient Traditions - Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through the Traditions of Africa, Bali, and India, which has been used by many musicians to improve their rhythm skills.

Jim Hurley (violin)

Jim Hurley, multi-instrumental performer, composer and educator, began playing violin in the Livermore public schools, and later explored rock guitar and bass, jazz and world music, improvisation and composition. Influenced profoundly by South Indian violinist L. Shankar, he incorporates styles from bebop to zydeco, European classical to Zairean soukous. He studied violin with Dr. Madeline Schatz, protege of Jascha Heifetz and Josef Gingold, at Humboldt State University, where he earned his B.A. in Music, and attended master classes with Rostislav Dubinsky, Gabor and Peter Rejto, and Kathleen Winkler. Jim's professional credits include performances and recordings with Queen Ida's Grammy-winning Bon Temps Zydeco Band, Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, all-China zheng virtuoso Zhao Hui, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra (with Jon Anderson from Yes), Kenneth Nash (Weather Report, Herbie Hancock, Dizzie Gillespie alumnus), Dan Hicks, Al Stewart, Josh Groban, Smokey Robinson, Stanley Jordan, the Waybacks, Tempest, and many other artists. TV credits include appearances on NBC's Saturday Night Live and CNN's Worldbeat and Showbiz Today. Radio credits include appearances on A Prairie Home Companion and West Coast Weekend, and airplay of Jim's original music on over 300 stations. Notable live performances include the New Orleans and Monterey jazz festivals, the Philadelphia, Winnipeg and Strawberry folk music festivals, a few stadiums, a dozen or so european castles, and audiences in 15 countries.

Doug McKeehan (keys)

Doug McKeehan started his piano studies at age five, and began his first professional work at the age of twelve. He studied music at the Oberlin Conservatory, Kent State University, and the University of Otago (New Zealand). He has toured Europe twice and spent considerable time in India studying with notable Indian music teachers such as Pandit Ram Narayan, Ustad Kursheed Khan and Pandit A.G. Bhattacharya. He has composed original music for stage and T.V. productions in San Francisco and Los Angeles and has been musical director of two original musical comedy productions. In 2008 he was commissioned to compose and perform live music for the Diablo Ballet's production Jazz Fever. He cofounded Air Craft with violinist Bruce Bowers, which released a highly acclaimed new age/jazz album, So Near, So Far. He is a first call jazz pianist in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Ian Dogole (percussion)

For over 30 years, Ian Dogole has articulated his vision of global fusion music as a multipercussionist, bandleader, educator, recording artist, composer and producer. He has released seven records and a DVD as a leader – Along the Route, Dangerous Ground, Ionospheres, Night Harvest, Convergence, Crossroads, Outside the Box – Jazz Journeys & Worlds Beyond and Ian Dogole & Hemispheres In Concert (DVD). Ian has recorded and performed with artists such as Hamza el Din, Tito La Rosa, Richie Cole, Paul McCandless and Alex de Grassi. He performs on a wide variety of percussion instruments, including udu, cajon, hang, African talking drum, kalimbas, cymbals and dumbek. Ian has received numerous grants, including a Jazz Performance Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, two recent grants from the San Francisco Friends of Chamber Music (SFFCM) to present musical tribute concerts in honor of jazz legends Woody Shaw and Wayne Shorter, and multiple grants from the Marin Arts Council. Ian is very active as a music educator – having presented assemblies to more than 60,000 elementary school students in his four seasons with the San Francisco Symphony’s Adventures in Music program and he has just completed his third season presenting a global world music appreciation series to students at Redwood High School in Larkspur, CA. Ian has also offered his music education programs through numerous nonprofit organizations, including Bread & Roses, Young Imaginations, Youth in Arts and Young Audiences of the Bay Area.

Kash Killion (bass)

Kash Killion has played extensively with such icons as Cecil Taylor, John Zorn, Sun Ra, Butch Morris and George Lewis. His interest in avant garde jazz was ignited by Sun Ra in 1978, and further heightened by meeting and playing with Pharoah Sanders. Playing cello, bass and assorted Middle Eastern stringed instruments such as, sarangi and esraj, Kash's concert history includes performances with Donald Byrd, George Cables, Billy Higgins, Reggie Workman as well as the Sun Ra Arkestra.

Recordings Featuring World Without Walls Lineup

World Without Walls by Ancient Future

(Sona Gaia/MCA 163): CD - $24.98 (collectable signed copy): Buy Link. >audio.
Press Audio Downloads: Lakshmi Rocks Me (Jim Hurley) MP3 (excerpt, 976k). >audio.
14 Steps (Matthew Montfort) MP3 (excerpt, 1 MB). >audio.
As its name suggests, World Without Walls depicts a musical world without borders. Originally released in 1990, it features performances by such world music luminaries as Zakir Hussain, the master of the North Indian tabla. World Without Walls was reissued digitally by Capitol Records in 2011 to honor Ancient Future's reunion concerts. In 2012, broadcasters worldwide voted the reissue as one of the top 5 world music releases of the year. The inviting melodies and ingenious use of ethnic textures make this recording one of Ancient Future's most accessible and broadly appealing releases ever.
"World Without Walls speaks to a cultural enrichment, a melding of world culture with Ancient Future's own lush sense of melody and rhythmic drive." - John Diliberto, JAZZIZ

Asian Fusion by Ancient Future

(Narada Equinox ND-63023): CD - $24.98 (collectable signed copy): Buy Link. >audio.
Press Audio Download: Mezgoof (Ian Dogole) MP3 (excerpt, 800k). >audio
Asian Fusion, the second recording featuring this band lineup, is a musical travelogue spanning the vast geographic and cultural expanse of Asia showcasing some of the top performers in the Asian music field, including Zhao Hui, China's preeminent master of the gu zheng (Chinese zither) and Bui Huu Nhut, a leading performer of the Vietnamese dan bau (a one-string Vietnamese instrument with an indigenous version of a whammy bar). Asian Fusion received much critical acclaim. It made the Tower Pulse! Top 10 Best Contemporary Instrumental Releases of 1993 List (#4) and was Guitar Player magazine's "Pick" for April 1994.
"This compilation of 12 songs influenced by the Far East has all the sweeping impact of epic movies such as 'The Last Emperor.'" - CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Planet Passion by Ancient Future

(Ancient-Future.Com AF 2010): CD - $17.98: Buy Link. >audio.
Press Audio Download: Socha Socha (Khan/Montfort) MP3 (short version, 3.6 MB). >audio
The classic lineup of Ancient Future performing these special reunion concerts also was featured on one cut on the Planet Passion CD: the song Socha Socha on which they accompanied sitar master Pandit Habib Khan. Originally released in 2002, it was remastered and re-issued in 2009 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the first Ancient Future concert.
"If the members of the United Nations formed a world-fusion band, it might look and sound a little something like Ancient Future’s re-issue of their seventh recording. At its best, Planet Passion strives to preserve the world's vast musical heritage via international collaboration: the idea that one protects the old by creating something new. This is at the heart of fusion music and the heart of Ancient Future's global aesthetics, too: a diverse, unified world without borders, a multicultural community, a new, reconstituted sonic reality." - Ryan Allen, LEO WEEKLY, Louisville, Kentucky

Acoustic Guitar Concert July 13th at The Old Princeton Landing in El Granada, California

A Meeting of Acoustic Minds at The Old Princeton Landing

Featuring Matthew Montfort, Mark Kostrzewa and Steve Baughman

Saturday, July 13th, 2013, 3:30 PM to 6 PM
The Old Princeton Landing
460 Capistrano Rd.
El Granada, CA 94018
Tel: 650-728-7096
Venue Website: theoldprincetonlanding.com
Adm: $10 advance/$12 door. 12 and under free.
Tix: Advance tickets at the O.P.L or call 650-728-7096
Three amazing acoustic guitarists will hold a "Meeting of Acoustic Minds" at the Old Princeton Landing in El Granada. World music guitar pioneer Matthew Montfort is known as leader of the seminal world fusion music band Ancient Future and has been recognized as one of the world's 100 greatest acoustic guitarists. Mark Kostrzewa is well known in the Northern California acoustic guitar scene for his coastal-inspired progressive finger-picking originals. Steve Baughman is well known from several CD's for his melodic fingerstyle guitar, drawing upon Celtic, Appalachian, and various ethnic and folks traditions and has five books to his credit with Mel Bay Publications.

Matthew Montfort

www.matthewmontfort.com

Matthew Montfort Hi-Res Photo by Julie Marten (2 MB):
http://www.ancient-future.com/images/matthewmontfort600.jpg
The leader of the world music group Ancient Future, Matthew Montfort, released his first solo recording, Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar, in 2009. He is a pioneer among guitarists who have had their fretboards scalloped in order to play various forms of world music that require intricate note-bending ornaments while still being able to play chords. Montfort immersed himself in an intensive study with vina master K.S. Subramanian in order to fully apply the South Indian gamaka (note-bending) techniques to the guitar. He is recognized as one of the world's 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists by DigitalDreamDoor.com, a curated "best of" site, along with such luminaries as Michael Hedges, Leo Kottke, Chet Atkins, John Fahey, Merle Travis, John Renbourn, Tommy Emmanuel, Doc Watson, Pierre Bensusan, Alex De Grassi, and Peppino D'Agostino. The December 2009 Les Paul issue of Guitar Player Magazine includes a full page feature on Matthew Montfort with a corresponding GuitarPlayer.Com video and lesson entitled “The Music of Jimi Hendrix Applied to Indian Raga.” He has performed concerts worldwide, from the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra on the golden coast of Spain to the Festival of India in Mumbai. He has performed live on national radio and TV shows such as the Echoes Living Room Concerts on Public Radio International, and the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. He has worked with many world music legends, including tabla phenomenon Zakir Hussain and Chinese zither master Zhao Hui. Montfort wrote the book Ancient Traditions – Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through the Traditions of Africa, Bali, and India, which has been used by many musicians to improve their rhythm skills.

Mark Kostrzewa

www.markkostrzewa.com

Mark Kostrzewa Hi Res Photo:
http://markkostrzewa.com/wp-content/themes/Faded/uploads/MarkKostrzewa-1.jpg
"Coastal-inspired progressive finger-picking originals influenced by Leo Kottke and Michael Hedges. Haunting melodies on 6 and
12-string, along with rip-roaring slide guitar. Kostrzewa has performed along with many of the bay-area's finest acoustic players and was featured as part of the "Further Reaches of the Acoustic Guitar" at the Acoustic Vortex. His sophomore release in early 2013 "From Ear to There" is a top-notch follow up to his first CD "55 Miles" and has firmly placed him in the greater San Francisco acoustic guitar scene. Offering double-stops, string bending, Rio articulation, beautiful chord passages, washboard popping and a nice way of phrasing to let the cool air in - Mark Kostrzewa is having a string conversation and its magic." - Jean Bartlett, Managing Editor, Jean's Magazines Music Reviewer, Pacifica Tribune

Steve Baughman

www.celticguitar.com

Steve Baughman Hi Res Photo:
http://celticguitar.com/images/promoPics/6.jpg
Steve Baughman is known for his melodic fingerstyle guitar, drawing upon Celtic, Appalachian, and various ethnic and folks traditions. Preferring to make tears fall rather than jaws drop, Steve's dynamic playing ranges from gently expressive to pyrotechnic. Steve is a pioneer of the unique clawhammer guitar technique, playing old time fiddle tunes on guitar with an infectious groove and rhythm. In addition he is also a fine vocalist, composer, and a dynamite clawhammer banjo player. Steve has several CD's to his credit as well as five books with Mel Bay Publications. He appears with Pierre Bensusan, Martin Simpson, and Pat Kirtley on the Rounder Records album Rambel to Cashel. Steve is a regular teacher at guitar camps across the country, including the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, Swannanoa Gathering, and the California Coast Music Camp.

A Meeting of Acoustic Minds at The Old Princeton Landing Featuring Matthew Montfort, Mark Kostrzewa and Steve Baughman

A Meeting of Acoustic Minds at The Old Princeton Landing

Featuring Matthew Montfort, Mark Kostrzewa and Steve Baughman

Saturday, July 13th, 2013, 3:30 PM to 6 PM
The Old Princeton Landing
460 Capistrano Rd.
El Granada, CA 94018
Tel: 650-728-7096
Venue Website: theoldprincetonlanding.com
Adm: $10 advance/$12 door. 12 and under free.
Tix: Advance tickets at the O.P.L or call 650-728-7096
Three amazing acoustic guitarists will hold a "Meeting of Acoustic Minds" at the Old Princeton Landing in El Granada. World music guitar pioneer Matthew Montfort is known as leader of the seminal world fusion music band Ancient Future and as been recognized as one of the world's 100 greatest acoustic guitarists. Mark Kostrzewa is well known in the Northern California acoustic guitar scene for his coastal-inspired progressive finger-picking originals. Steve Baughman is well known from several CD's for his melodic fingerstyle guitar, drawing upon Celtic, Appalachian, and various ethnic and folks traditions and has five books to his credit with Mel Bay Publications.

Matthew Montfort

www.matthewmontfort.com

Matthew Montfort Hi-Res Photo by Julie Marten

The leader of the world music group Ancient Future, Matthew Montfort, released his first solo recording, Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar, in 2009. He is a pioneer among guitarists who have had their fretboards scalloped in order to play various forms of world music that require intricate note-bending ornaments while still being able to play chords. Montfort immersed himself in an intensive study with vina master K.S. Subramanian in order to fully apply the South Indian gamaka (note-bending) techniques to the guitar. He is recognized as one of the world's 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists by DigitalDreamDoor.com, a curated "best of" site, along with such luminaries as Michael Hedges, Leo Kottke, Chet Atkins, John Fahey, Merle Travis, John Renbourn, Tommy Emmanuel, Doc Watson, Pierre Bensusan, Alex De Grassi, and Peppino D'Agostino. The December 2009 Les Paul issue of Guitar Player Magazine includes a full page feature on Matthew Montfort with a corresponding GuitarPlayer.Com video and lesson entitled “The Music of Jimi Hendrix Applied to Indian Raga.” He has performed concerts worldwide, from the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra on the golden coast of Spain to the Festival of India in Mumbai. He has performed live on national radio and TV shows such as the Echoes Living Room Concerts on Public Radio International, and the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. He has worked with many world music legends, including tabla phenomenon Zakir Hussain and Chinese zither master Zhao Hui. Montfort wrote the book Ancient Traditions – Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through the Traditions of Africa, Bali, and India, which has been used by many musicians to improve their rhythm skills.

Mark Kostrzewa

www.markkostrzewa.com

Mark Kostrzewa Hi Res Photo

"Coastal-inspired progressive finger-picking originals influenced by Leo Kottke and Michael Hedges. Haunting melodies on 6 and
12-string, along with rip-roaring slide guitar. Kostrzewa has performed along with many of the bay-area's finest acoustic players and was featured as part of the "Further Reaches of the Acoustic Guitar" at the Acoustic Vortex. His sophomore release in early 2013 "From Ear to There" is a top-notch follow up to his first CD "55 Miles" and has firmly placed him in the greater San Francisco acoustic guitar scene."
"Offering double-stops, string bending, Rio articulation, beautiful chord passages, washboard popping and a nice way of phrasing to let the cool air in - Mark Kostrzewa is having a string conversation and its magic." - Jean Bartlett, Managing Editor, Jean's Magazines Music Reviewer, Pacifica Tribune

Steve Baughman

www.celticguitar.com

Steve Baughman Hi Res Photo

Steve Baughman is known for his melodic fingerstyle guitar, drawing upon Celtic, Appalachian, and various ethnic and folks traditions. Preferring to make tears fall rather than jaws drop, Steve's dynamic playing ranges from gently expressive to pyrotechnic. Steve is a pioneer of the unique clawhammer guitar technique, playing old time fiddle tunes on guitar with an infectious groove and rhythm. In addition he is also a fine vocalist, composer, and a dynamite clawhammer banjo player.
Steve has several CD's to his credit as well as five books with Mel Bay Publications. He appears with Pierre Bensusan, Martin Simpson, and Pat Kirtley on the Rounder Records album Rambel to Cashel. Steve is a regular teacher at guitar camps across the country, including the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, Swannanoa Gathering, and the California Coast Music Camp.

World Rhythm Workshop at Gryphon Strings, Palo Alto, June 22, 2013, from 1 to 4 PM

Got Rhythm? Get the Beats of Africa, Bali, and India with Ancient Future Leader Matthew Montfort

Saturday, June 22, 2013, 1 PM to 4 PM
Gryphon Strings
211 Lambert Avenue
Palo Alto, California 94306
Cost: $50. Seats are limited, so it is highly recommended to call or stop by Gryphon Strings to get your ticket in advance.
Info: 650-493-2131
Venue Website: gryphonstrings.com
Rhythm Training Website: ancient-future.com/rhythm.html
Poster: ancient-future.com/pdf/6_22_13gryphon.pdf
Facebook Event: facebook.com/events/601812856519537/


This workshop the weekend of the equinox is a wonderful way to welcome summer with improved timing skills. Matthew Montfort is the author of Ancient Traditions – Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through the Traditions of Africa, Bali and India. The book, which is the basis for this world music workshop, received rave reviews in publications such as GUITAR PLAYER, ELECTRONIC MUSICIAN, DRUMS AND DRUMMING, and the SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE. Material from the book has been used by many teachers and musicians around the world, including Reinhard Flatischler, founder of the TaKeTiNa rhythm training process, and Steve Smith, famed jazz and rock drummer.
The workshop is presented in an easy to follow, entertaining yet educational format for all music lovers. African polyrhythms, Balinese kotèkan and Indian classical music were chosen as the source material for the training because these three traditions in combination cover the major types of rhythmic organization used in most of the world's music. Not just for musicians and percussionists, this training can help anyone with a desire to improve their rhythmic skills. The workshop is open to all levels, and no musical background is required. Very simple to play percussion instruments will be provided, and participants are free to bring any percussive instrument they enjoy playing.

About Matthew Montfort

Matthew Montfort Hi-Res Photo by Julie Marten (2 MB)
As leader of the world music group Ancient Future, Matthew Montfort has devoted himself to the scalloped fretboard guitar since 1978. He spent years of study with some of the world's best musicians, such as gamelan director K.R.T. Wasitodipuro, North Indian sarod master Ali Akbar Khan, and vina master K.S. Subramanian, with whom he did an intensive study of South Indian note-bending techniques. He is recognized as one of the world's 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists by DigitalDreamDoor.com, a curated "best of" site, along with such luminaries as Michael Hedges, Leo Kottke, Chet Atkins, John Fahey, Merle Travis, John Renbourn, Tommy Emmanuel, Doc Watson, Pierre Bensusan, Alex De Grassi, and Peppino D'Agostino. He was interviewed in the December 2009 Les Paul issue of Guitar Player Magazine about the scalloped fretboard guitar and the application of the rules of Indian raga to the music of Jimi Hendrix as exemplified by 'Purple Raga' from his debut solo recording, Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar. He has performed concerts worldwide, from the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra on the golden coast of Spain to the Festival of India in Mumbai. He has worked with many world music legends, including tabla phenomenon Zakir Hussain and Chinese zither master Zhao Hui.

Rhythm Training Materials

Ancient Traditions – Future Possibilities

Ancient Traditions – Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through the Traditions of Africa, Bali and India by Matthew Montfort. Book/Enhanced Audio CD Set with MIDI Soundfiles:$52.95 (SALE! Normally $69.95): Buy Link.

Quotes

"You've heard Afro-Pop, sitar, gamelan and world music for years. But do you know what they are and how they work? Better yet, would you like to play those twisted cross-rhythms and melodies? In Ancient Traditions--Future Possibilities, Matthew Montfort, a founding member of the world music band Ancient Future, has put together the book for people who want to dig into world music with both hands. The first section of the book covers traditional music of West Africa, Bali and India with theories and exercises. Wherever possible, Montfort has provided beat counts alongside the standard musical notation so even if you can't read music, you can still learn the rhythms.The last section of the book mixes patterns from different cultures, demonstrating the powerful music these simple exercises can generate." – Richard Kadrey, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
"A hands-on exploration of Balinese, African, and Indian rhythms that should appeal to all musicians. One needn't play percussion instruments, or any instruments at all, for that matter, to use and benefit from the book." – DRUMS AND DRUMMING
"Very highly recommended for any instrumentalists hoping to expand their rhythmic horizons. If you've never investigated the beautiful clash of African polyrhythm, the incredible interlocking textures of Balinese music, or the complex metric structure of Indian classical music, check out Ancient Traditions--it will blow your mind and deepen your groove." – GUITAR PLAYER MAGAZINE
"If you're tired of programming your drum machine with the same old 4/4 back-beat, or you want to sharpen your rhythmic chops, this book is highly recommended." – ELECTRONIC MUSICIAN

Melodic Training Materials

Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar

(audio)
Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort. (AF 2008). $17.98: Buy Link.
The debut recording by Ancient Future leader Matthew Montfort showcases his pioneering work on the scalloped fretboard guitar, a special modified instrument able to produce ornaments characteristic of the sitar.

Free Educational Liner Notes

Download 18 pages of educational liner notes from Seven Serenades including sheet music and in depth explanations of melodic concepts utilized in world music. Digital Liner Notes (1.7 MB).

Online Raga Lesson

Now on GuitarPlayer.Com: "The Music of Jimi Hendrix Applied to Indian Raga" by Matthew Montfort

Quotes

Download the 65 page report of media placements for Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar. Complete reviews, photos, and links to online reviews. MediaMatthewMontfort.pdf (3.9 MB).
"A true guitar wizard." – Jello Biafra, ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES RECORDS
"This album reveals a thorough knowledge of Hindustani microtonal ornaments, transferred in ways that create one of the most distinctive guitar sounds in contemporary music. However, it also reveals a lifetime of exploration in world music, which can be immediately summoned in a flash of inspiration. When this level of mastery is reached, there is no need to rewrite. The first improvisation has the depth of a reworked composition." – Teed Rockwell, INDIA CURRENTS
"Matthew’s playing is always impeccable, filled with subtle emotion and even wanderlust. I don't know of anyone who plays quite like Matthew. His mastery of the scalloped fretboard guitar seems unequaled. For a richly rewarding journey into the magic of acoustic world fusion music, look no farther than 'Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar.'" – Steve Ryals, FRESH TRACKS
"Leader of the world-music band Ancient Future since 1978, Matthew Montfort has adapted many string instrument styles – from sitar to zither – to his guitar. His special scalloped fretboard allows him to tweak the strings in unique ways, but his virtuosity is a lot more than technical." – David Rubien, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
"It isn't every day that acoustic guitarists make their instrument sound a lot like an Indian sitar, but that is exactly what Matthew Montfort accomplishes on the instrumental 'Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar.' Through it all, Montfort demonstrates that even though he has considerable chops and technical prowess, he is much more interested in feeling and expression than technique. This 56-minute CD is an adventurous, consistently engaging demonstration of what Montfort can accomplish on the scalloped fretboard guitar." – Alex Henderson, ALL MUSIC GUIDE
"Though he plays guitar, Montfort's music isn't merely guitar music; it's a sonic environment that features a guitar. Strong Indian and Balinese influences permeate these seven exotic soundscapes. Beautifully recorded, this sumptuous music creates a unique wall of sound that you won't soon forget." – Steven Stone, VINTAGE GUITAR MAGAZINE

World Music Workshop Testimonials

Workshop participants Larry Stack and Mara Fiore talk about their experiences at Matthew Montfort's world music workshop at Esalen New Year's Day Weekend, January 1-3, 2010. Play Video.

Ancient Future Performs Summer Solstice Serenades at Garden Gate, Berkeley, June 21, 2013

Summer Solstice Serenades by Ancient Future at Garden Gate

Matthew Montfort and Vishal Nargar Hi-Res Photo by Devki (1 MB)

Duet Featuring World Guitar Pioneer Matthew Montfort and Tabla Virtuoso Vishal Nagar Performs in Berkeley June 21

Friday, June 21, 8 pm
Garden Gate Creativity Center
2911 Claremont Ave. @ Ashby Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94705
Tix: $25 at the door and brownpapertickets.com/event/388073
Info: Call Rebecca Trujillo at 510-472-2834 or Diana Rowan at 510-717-7148
Email: gardengatecenter@gmail.com
Venue Website: gardengatecreate.com
Artist Website: ancient-future.com
Poster: ancient-future.com/pdf/6_21_13garden.pdf
Facebook Event: facebook.com/events/169841449849805/




Summer Solstice Serenades with strains of flamenco, ancient Celtic music, and Indian raga will emanate from this improvisatory duet featuring world guitar pioneer Matthew Montfort accompanied by renowned Indian tabla virtuoso Vishal Nagar. The program will feature music from the groundbreaking world music recordings of Ancient Future along with serenades from Matthew Montfort's solo guitar releases: Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar and Sympathetic Serenade, for which he was lauded as one of the world's 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists.
One of the variations of the virtuoso world fusion music ensemble, Ancient Future, this guitar and tabla duet has performed in a variety of settings, from the huge audience (police estimate of 35,000 people) at the Summer of Love 30th Anniversary Celebration in San Francisco, to a standing room only three hour bar gig in Southern Oregon, to the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra on the golden coast of Spain near Barcelona.
"It was heart-warming to see teenage girls in swirling dresses swaying and twirling to the Indian themes (almost like morning ragas) of Ancient Future, one of the morning performing groups."--Philip Elwood, SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER (review of Summer of Love performance, that according to the San Francisco Chronicle, was famed concert promoter Chet Helm's "crowning achievement")

Matthew Montfort

Matthew Montfort Hi-Res Photo by Julie Marten (2 MB)

The leader of the world music group Ancient Future, Matthew Montfort, released his first solo recording, Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar, in 2009. He is a pioneer among guitarists who have had their fretboards scalloped in order to play various forms of world music that require intricate note-bending ornaments while still being able to play chords. Montfort immersed himself in an intensive study with vina master K.S. Subramanian in order to fully apply the South Indian gamaka (note-bending) techniques to the guitar. He is recognized as one of the world's 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists by DigitalDreamDoor.com, a curated "best of" site, along with such luminaries as Michael Hedges, Leo Kottke, Chet Atkins, John Fahey, Merle Travis, John Renbourn, Tommy Emmanuel, Doc Watson, Pierre Bensusan, Alex De Grassi, and Peppino D'Agostino. The December 2009 Les Paul issue of Guitar Player Magazine includes a full page feature on Matthew Montfort with a corresponding GuitarPlayer.Com video and lesson entitled “The Music of Jimi Hendrix Applied to Indian Raga.” He has performed concerts worldwide, from the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra on the golden coast of Spain to the Festival of India in Mumbai. He has performed live on national radio and TV shows such as the Echoes Living Room Concerts on Public Radio International, and the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. He has worked with many world music legends, including tabla phenomenon Zakir Hussain and Chinese zither master Zhao Hui. Montfort wrote the book Ancient Traditions – Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through the Traditions of Africa, Bali, and India, which has been used by many musicians to improve their rhythm skills.

Vishal Nagar (tabla)

Vishal Nagar Hi-Res Photo by Inni Singh (5 MB)

"He has magic in his hands" - Hindustan Times

Born into a family of musicians, Vishal has been surrounded by music in an extremely musically creative and artistic environment. Since childhood, he has been fascinated by tabla and began to play at an early age. Vishal had his initial training for a very brief period with the late Ustad Latif Ahmed Khan of the Delhi Gharana. After his Ustad's untimely demise, Vishal continued his training under the guidance of Ustad Shamim Ahmed Khan of the same Gharana (school). Along with the dense and rare tabla repertoire taleem which was he received from his Ustad, he also has had intense rhythmic (layakari) training from his mother, the renowned and highly respected Kathak dancer and vocalist, Urmila Nagar. Vishal has been praised in the Indian press for his unique combination of melodic tabla sound production with masterful command of rhythm.
Vishal has had the privilege of performing with many renowned artists: Ustad Shujaat Khan, Guru Urmila Nagar, Vidhwan Trichur Ramachandran, Pandit Ramesh Misra and Miss. Kala Ramnath, to name a few. Vishal has also had the honor of sharing the stage with some great world music masters such as African drum legend Babatunde Olatunji, Michel Shrieve, Evyind Kang, Carmona Flamenco, and Michael Wimberley, to name few. Vishal has also expanded his cultural boundaries and collaborated with musicians from around the world. Some of his memorable works have been with the Ghanaian Guitarist Koo Nimo with whom he also appeared in WOMAD USA (a leading world dance and music festival started by Peter Gabriel). Starting his performance career at the age of eight in Patna, Vishal has performed around the globe including performances in many cities in India, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Thailand and the United States. Vishal has also been awarded with the Ministry of Culture Scholarship from the Department of Culture.
In his journey as a musician, Vishal feels that music and art are truly an ocean of knowledge and an expression of feelings and emotions. He aspires to serve the Indian music and arts through his medium of expression, the language of tabla, and hopes that he will be able to give due respect, dedication, and devotion to this great art form of his country, India.

Recent Recordings on Ancient-Future.Com Records

The Archive of Future Ancient Recordings by Ancient Future

Archive of Future Ancient Recordings by the band Ancient Future. (Ancient-Future.Com AF-2030). Recording Newsletter Package (128kbps MP3): $15. Buy Link. Download Supporter Package (320 kbps MP3): $25. Buy Link. Limited to 300 packages. Limited Edition CD Sponsor Package (CD quality .wav): $50. Buy Link. Limited to 200 packages. Honorary A & R Representative Package (Hi-res 24 bit .wav): $75. Buy Link. Limited to 100 packages.
During Ancient Future's 30th anniversary year, work started on the next project of the band: the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings (A.F.A.R.). To finance the project, a subscription system model is being employed to fund the recording through fans of world fusion music. There are already eight tracks in the archive available right now to subscribers, with more coming as money is raised for production.

Planet Passion by Ancient Future

Planet Passion by Ancient Future (Ancient-Future.Com AF 2010) $17.98: Buy Link . (audio.)

Planet Passion by Ancient Future has been re-issued with 64-Bit Tuned Harmonic Mastering to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band. The seventh Ancient Future recording features nineteen top masters of of Indian, Nepalese, African, Cuban, Celtic, Arabic, Palestinian, Jewish, Indonesian, Chinese, Eastern European and American music traditions performing music on the theme of mythical stories of love.
“If the members of the United Nations formed a world-fusion band, it might look and sound a little something like Ancient Future’s re-issue of their seventh recording. Featuring instrumentation from Africa, Asia, South America and the Middle East, Planet Passion is a mythical story of love, flirtation, seduction, courtship, marriage and longing. Manose Singh’s bansuri flute and Matthew Montfort’s scalloped fretboard work stand out in this eclectic, visionary global village, where each track features its own unique set of players. At its best, Planet Passion strives to preserve the world’s vast musical heritage via international collaboration: the idea that one protects the old by creating something new. This is at the heart of fusion music and the heart of Ancient Future’s global aesthetics, too: a diverse, unified world without borders, a multicultural community, a new, reconstituted sonic reality.” — Ryan Allen, LEO WEEKLY, Louisville, Kentucky

Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort

Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort. (Ancient-Future.Com AF 2008). $17.98: Buy Link . (audio.)
Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar is the debut solo recording by Ancient Future leader Matthew Montfort. The recording showcases his pioneering work on the scalloped fretboard guitar, a special modified instrument able to produce ornaments more characteristic of the sitar. This first solo effort features his improvisational music.
“Because Montfort’s guitar has a scalloped fretboard, his fingers touch only the strings, enabling him to produce ornaments more characteristic of the sitar. This album reveals a thorough knowledge of Hindustani microtonal ornaments, transferred in ways that create one of the most distinctive guitar sounds in contemporary music. However, it also reveals a lifetime of exploration in world music, which can be immediately summoned in a flash of inspiration. When this level of mastery is reached, there is no need to rewrite. The first improvisation has the depth of a reworked composition.” — Teed Rockwell, INDIA CURRENTS, March 2009


Sympathetic Serenade by Matthew Montfort. (Ancient-Future.Com AF 2012). Signed Mini EP CD-R- $12.98: Buy Link. (audio.)
When Matthew Montfort was working on his debut solo recording, he recorded a series of improvisations. Were it not for some serendipitous sequencing coupled with the allure of alliteration, it's likely that this recording would have been released as the eighth improvisation on what became Seven Serenades. Instead, this evocative Spanish serenade/raga hybrid receives a mini EP treatment on Matthew Montfort's Sympathetic Serenade.
"Both Matt Montfort and his band Ancient Future have been reviewed in FAME before, and the work is always superlative, but this one, a CD 11-minute single, is an expression of solo virtuosity on a variant axe which isn't employed by very many. Primarily a Spanish composition, there's nonetheless always a generous infusion of raga structures and riffs in Montfort's work as well as more Westerly rhythmatics. Sympathetic Serenade is no exception. Brilliant modern semi-neoclassical work with very strong ties to the traditional residing within progressive annals." – Mark S. Tucker, FAME