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

Ancient Future Performs at Halanda Studio in San Jose, May 11, 2013

Halanda Studio Presents Ancient Future In Concert

Celtic Raga Program

Celtic Raga Duet Hi-Res Photo by Julie Marten (5 MB):
http://www.ancient-future.com/images/celtrag300dpi10.2x6.8.jpg

Featuring Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard and fretless guitars) and Ferhan Qureshi (tabla)

Saturday, May 11, 7 pm
Halanda Studio for Dance and Fitness
1062 Lincoln Avenue
San Jose, CA 95125
Registration: $20 in advance through Halanda Studio PayPal, $25 at the door.
Info: 408-246-1129 or 408-369-1304
Email: info@halanda.com
Venue Website: http://halanda.com/calendar-e.html#AncientFuture
Ancient Future Website: www.ancient-future.com
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/586673544684834/

Celtic Raga Program

Celtic (kel'tik), adj. of the Celts, their Indo-European languages, culture, etc. raga (räg'a), n. [Hind.] a melodic recipe for a mood including ascending and descending note patterns and a hierarchy of note importance
Strains of ancient Celtic music and Indian raga emanate from this high energy improvisatory duet featuring world guitar pioneer Matthew Montfort accompanied by Ferhan Qureshi on tabla. One of the variations of the virtuoso world fusion music ensemble, Ancient Future, this 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):
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.

Ferhan Najeeb Qureshi (tabla)

Ferhan Najeeb Qureshi is a senior disciple of the legendary tabla master Ustad Tari Khan. Prior to his ongoing training with Ustad Tari Khan, Ferhan took his initial lessons in Hindustani (North Indian classical) music theory and practice with Surinder Singh Mann. Ferhan studies the Punjab gharana (school) of classical tabla which both of his teachers represent. In addition to performing tabla lehara (tabla solo), Ferhan Qureshi has also accompanied numerous distinguished classical artists (vocalists, instrumentalists and dancers) both in the United States and in Pakistan.

Mariah Parker's Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble Performs at the Freight and Salvage, Berkeley, 1/20/2013

Mariah Parker's Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble

Mariah Parker's Indo Latin Jazz Sextet (clockwise: Mariah Parker, Matthew Montfort, Paul McCandless, Kash Killion, Brian Rice, Ian Dogole). Hi-res collage by Mettagraphics (7' x 7' jpg, 3 MB)

Live Concert Recording Session and Birthday Celebration

Sunday, January 20, 2013, 8:00 PM
Freight and Salvage
2020 Addison Street
Berkeley, CA 94704
Tix: $20.50 adv. at Freight Box Office and Ticketweb.com, $22.50 door (doors open at 7:00 PM)
Info: (510) 644-2020, info@freightandsalvage.org
Facebook Event. Download Poster.

Mariah Parker's multi-faceted approach to music blends the driving rhythmic syncopations of Latin jazz, the uplifting spirit of Eastern music, and the soul of flamenco. On the evening of January 20, 2013, Mariah and her world-class Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble collaborate for a live CD recording session at the Freight & Salvage, Berkeley's premier music performance space. That evening, which is Mariah's birthday, the band will present compelling new pieces Mariah composed for a live album following up on Sangria, her critically acclaimed debut release on Ancient-Future.Com Records.

The concert features Mariah Parker (composer, piano, santur) and a stellar lineup of musicians including Paul McCandless (Grammy award-winning woodwind virtuoso with the groups Oregon and Paul Winter Consort), Matthew Montfort (pioneering guitarist with Ancient Future), Ian Dogole (global percussion), Brian Rice (Latin percussion), and Kash Killion (bass, cello, bolong).

"Parker and friends blend the rhythmic syncopations of Latin jazz music with the entrancing, asymmetrical meters of East Indian rhythms resulting in first-class world music. Intriguing melodies that draw musical inspiration from the tempos of Brazil, Cuba, India and Spain make for an uplifting serene yet passionate musical journey into an ideal world." - LATIN BEAT MAGAZINE

"Mariah Parker's Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble packed Yoshi's in Jack London Square, and the incredible live performance had the audience screaming for more of the Indo-Latin jazz rhythms filling the celebrated jazz club." - BERKELEY DAILY PLANET

"Mariah Parker's Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble creates voodoo... when I saw them live at Kuumbwa Jazz Cafe they were purely raw and fearless." - JOHN SHELTON IVANY, TOP 21 (former editor of Hit Parader and Rock and Soul national magazines)

Ancient-Future.Com Recording Artist Mariah Parker and Her Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble

Mariah Parker's Indo Latin Jazz Sextet (from left: Mariah Parker, Fred Randolph, Matthew Montfort, Paul McCandless, Brian Rice, Ian Dogole). Hi-res photo by Ted Cohen (8 x 4 jpg, 1.6 MB)

Mariah Parker (composition, piano, santur)

Mariah Parker. Hi-res photo by Ross Pelton (5 x 7 jpg, 2.3 MB)

www.mariahparkermusic.com
Mariah Parker is a composer and multi-instrumentalist whose main instruments are santur and piano. Her first instrument was the piano which she began playing at age 5. Later in music school, she fell in love with the sound of the santur when she heard it drifting across campus. The transition was a natural one given that the santur, along with its Western offspring, the hammered dulcimer, is the ancestor of the piano. The strings of the santur are played directly with delicate hammers, creating a beautiful shimmering sound, while the strings of the piano are mechanically triggered by striking the keys.

While completing her degree in music at UC Santa Cruz, she worked with ethnomusicologist Fred Lieberman and Mickey Hart on the Planet Drum project. She has performed in the US and Europe, and worked with many musicians of note including acoustic guitar icon Alex de Grassi, composer Pauline Oliveros, the late Zimbabwean composer Dumisani Maraire, and the innovative world music group Ancient Future.


Mariah Parker with santur. Hi-res photo by Ross Pelton (5 x 4 jpg, 1.6 MB)

Matthew Montfort (Scalloped Fretboard Guitar)

Recently recognized as one of the world's 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists, Montfort is a pioneer of the scalloped fretboard guitar (an instrument combining qualities of the South Indian vina and the steel string guitar). The leader of the seminal world fusion music ensemble Ancient Future, Montfort's first solo guitar recording, 'Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar,' debuted at #8 on the 2009 ZMR World Radio Chart. He has performed world wide, including at the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra in Spain and the Mumbai Festival at the Gateway of India.

Paul McCandless (Reed Virtuoso)

During a distinguished career spanning three decades, Paul McCandless has brought a soaring lyricism to his playing and composing that has been integral to the ensemble sound of two seminal world music bands, the original Paul Winter Consort and the relentlessly innovative quartet, Oregon. A gifted multi-instrumentalist and composer, McCandless has specialized in an unusually broad palette of both single and double reed instruments that reflect his grounding in both classical and jazz disciplines.

Brian Rice (Latin Percussion)

Brian Rice is a freelance percussionist with a B.M. in Percussion Performance and Ethnomusicology from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. A well-rounded musician, Brian is a highly acclaimed performer, educator and recording artist adept at numerous musical styles including Latin, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and contemporary music. Brian currently performs with several groups including Mike Marshall with Choro Famoso and the Antionio Calogero Quartet (featuring Paul McCandless and Mike Manring).

Ian Dogole (Global Percussion)

For three decades, Ian Dogole has articulated his vision of Global Fusion Music as a multi-percussionist, bandleader, educator, recording artist, composer and producer. He is a member of Ancient Future, and has recorded and performed with artists such as Hamza el Din, Tito La Rosa, and Alex de Grassi 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.

Kash Killion (Bass, Cello, Bolong)

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, and Reggie Workman as well as the Sun Ra Arkestra.

Videos

www.youtube.com/mariahparker


Mariah Parker's Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble performs 'Affinity Minus One' at Yoshi's


Ancient Future performs 'Sangria' by Mariah Parker at 30th Anniversary Concert at Freight & Salvage

Sangria by Mariah Parker

Hi-res CD cover art of Sangria (3.2 MB)


Sangria by Mariah Parker (Ancient-Future.Com AF 2017). $17.98: Buy 1 Now. audio.

Mariah Parker's debut recording on Ancient-Future.Com Records, Sangria, features her original compositions that draw musical inspiration from Brazil, Cuba, Spain, and India. Her Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble accompanies her and includes musicians from the bands Ancient Future, Oregon, Sun Ra, and Herbie Hancock's Headhunters.

To date, Sangria has received airplay on over 408 New World, Jazz, and Latin radio programs including two tracks on the Smooth Jazz Now Top 100 Songs of 2009 Chart, and earned rave reviews such as the following:

"Dazzling debut.... Parker’s subtle and sensuous sounds reflect exotic flavors of India, the Middle East and Latin America." - PALO ALTO DAILY NEWS

"Spicy tantalizing flamenco melodies cross pollinate with East Indian rhythms." - MAXIMUM INK MUSIC MAGAZINE

End of the Beginning of the Ancient Future Celebration

End of the Beginning of the Ancient Future

World Without Walls by Ancient Future. (Capitol/Sona Gaia 163). Reconditioned CD - $24.98: Buy Link. audio.

End of the Beginning (Matthew Montfort. 5:15). audio.

Celebrate the End of the Mayan 'Time of No-Time' with the Music of Ancient Future!

There's been much ado concerning the end of the current 5125 year cycle of the Mayan Long Count calendar on December 21, 2012. Legend has it that the first of seven Mayan prophecies refers to the last 20 years of this cycle (1992-2012) as the 'The Time of No-Time.' But far from being the end of the world, evidently the end of the 'Time of No-Time' is party time! According to USA TODAY, Sandra Noble of the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies says, "For the ancient Maya, it was a huge celebration to make it to the end of a whole cycle." What more appropriate way to celebrate and shape the new era to follow than with the music of Ancient Future?

With that in mind, Ancient Future announces the 'End of the Beginning.' Says Ancient Future leader Matthew Montfort, "In 1990, I wrote this piece to capture a feeling of something ending to create hope for a new beginning in which the environment would be thought of as the giver of all life that must be protected rather than something simply to be exploited. It suddenly seems very appropriate for this moment in time. Now that I know about the Mayan 'Time of No-Time, I can see that I wrote the 'End of the Beginning' near the beginning of the end of the beginning!"

To celebrate the composition's coming of age as a perfect fit for the end of this era, from now through December 21, 2012, a complimentary media promo copy of World Without Walls by Ancient Future, which includes 'End of the Beginning,' will be sent to anyone who spends $51.25 or more on music from the Ancient-Future.Com store.

As its name suggests, World Without Walls by Ancient Future depicts a musical world without borders. This 1990 recording features Ancient Future members Matthew Montfort (guitars), Jim Hurley (violin), Doug McKeehan (keys), and Ian Dogole (percussion), plus special guest performances by world music legend and tabla master Zakir Hussain. The inviting melodies and ingenious use of ethnic textures make World Without Walls one of Ancient Future's most accessible and broadly appealing releases ever.

Long out of print, by 2011World Without Walls had become a collector's item, with a rare unopened original CD copy going for over $200 on Amazon.com. Then, on June 7, 2011, the exact lineup of Ancient Future that performed on World Without Walls reunited to perform for the first time in over 15 years at Yoshi's San Francisco. To celebrate the reunion, and capitalize on pent up demand, Capitol Records released the first ever digital download version of World Without Walls on iTunes and all major digital retailers. The reissue debuted at #39 on the October 2011 ZMR Airplay Chart, which covers many different radio genres, from Ambient to Folk, Jazz, and World, and at #34 on the CMJ New World Chart in November 2011. In 2012, World Without Walls was nominated by broadcasters worldwide as ZoneMusicReporter's top 5 Best World Albums of 2011.

For those who prefer CDs (the audio quality is much better, and the ritual of actually listening to music is preserved), a limited number of rare collectible original 1990 edition copies reconditioned and signed by Ancient Future leader Matthew Montfort are on sale exclusively at Ancient-Future.Com. So while there are no new CD copies in stores, Ancient Future does have a stash of media promo copies left over from the promotion campaign. This sale is a once-in-an-era chance to get ahold of a new CD copy of this rare release free with a music purchase of $51.25 or more at Ancient-Future.Com.

Plus, the four latest releases on Ancient-Future.Com Records are on sale for only $11 each with any other purchase at Ancient-Future.Com. Just purchase any book, CD, or make a donation to support the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings (the fan funded project to produce the eighth Ancient Future release), and have the option of purchasing any of the CDs below for only $11!



Planet Passion by Ancient Future (Ancient-Future.Com AF 2010). Digipak CD - $17.98 (End of the Beginning Sale: $11 with any other purchase): Buy Link. audio.

"If the members of the United Nations formed a world-fusion band, it might look and sound a little something like Ancient Future. 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." - LEO WEEKLY




Sympathetic Serenade for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort. (Ancient-Future.Com EP AF-2012). EP CD-R $12.98 (End of the Beginning Sale: $11 with any other purchase): Buy Link. audio (Excerpt)

In response to the release of this new EP, Matthew Montfort was honored as one of the world's 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists.

"Anyone whose ever been taken with the inventions of Fahey, Basho, etc. when they wander off the beaten, song structured path will enjoy this instrumental, raga flavored diversion. A fine work that extends the guitar vocabulary." - MIDWEST RECORD




Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort. (Ancient-Future.Com AF 2008). Digipak CD - $17.98 (End of the Beginning Sale: $11 with any other purchase): Buy Link. audio.

"This unusual guitar album brings together world instruments to complement the scalloped fretboard guitar. I must admit that sometimes ragas played by guitar players seem to wander on forever, changing a note here and there and weaving a kind of slow, hypnotic journey. However, this guitar work is stunning, intricate and wonderfully melodic. If you are looking for good listening and something different for your CD shelf, this is it." - VICTORY REVIEW ACOUSTIC MUSIC MAGAZINE




Sangria by Mariah Parker (Ancient-Future.Com AF 2017). Digipak CD - $17.98 (End of the Beginning Sale: $11 with any other purchase): Buy Link. audio.

"Parker and friends blend the rhythmic syncopations of Latin jazz music with the entrancing, asymmetrical meters of East Indian rhythms resulting in first-class world music. Intriguing melodies that draw musical inspirations from the tempos of Brazil, Cuba, India and Spain make for an uplifting serene yet passionate musical journey into an ideal world." - LATIN BEAT MAGAZINE

World Without Walls Reunion Concert

Since this performance at Yoshi's San Francisco on June 7, 2011, Ancient Future has been invited to perform their World Without Walls Reunion program at festivals from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Bangalore, India.

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.


Tabla master Zakir Hussain

Quotes

Hi-Res Square Cover Art (3 MB)

"What's an album like World Without Walls doing in the GEPR (Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock)? 'That's not prog!' I hear you say. Well, in my view it's definitely progressive, in the true sense of the word, rather than the 'sounds like Yes, Genesis or King Crimson' sense. Ancient Future coined the phrase 'World Fusion' to describe their 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. 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." - GIBRALTAR ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PROGRESSIVE ROCK

"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. It showed up when much of the music on the radio was pretty much disposable (something that, unfortunately, hasn't changed so much), when the new jazz at the time was still inspired by polyrhythms rather than melody, and the alt music scene was . . . well, kind of grungy. 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." - SleepingHedgehog.com

"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. World-class musicians including award-winning guitarist, Matthew Montfort, composer/violinist Jim Hurley and Zakir Hussain, master of the North Indian Tabla have blended these various musical styles and phrasings into a musical fusion that honors and yet transcends the cultural and political boundaries. Check out the group on YouTube and see if you are not drawn into their hypnotic enchantment." - BOWLING GREEN DAILY NEWS

"Ancient Future was all about 'world fusion' before world music was even a genre. Violinist Jim Hurley came on board for this long-out-of-print 1990 outing, joining the core group of guitarist Matthew Montfort, keyboardist Doug McKeehan and percussionist Ian Dogole and remaining as a member for the rest of the group's seven studio albums. Tabla player extraordinaire Zakir Hussain was recruited for three songs. Other highlights are 'Lakshmi Rocks Me,' a tribute to south Indian violinist L. Shankar; 'End of the Beginning,' a mashup of ancient Celtic and Indian influences; 'Turkish Taffy,' boasting a triple-lead attack comprising guitar, piano and acoustic violin; 'Indra's Net,' inspired by Hindu mythology and featured in the soundtrack for the drift-net fishing documentary 'Closing the Curtains of Death'; and 'Gopi Song,' a tip of the hat to Pandit Ram, master of a north Indian bowed string instrument called the sarangi." - GOOD NEW MUSIC

"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." - MIDWEST RECORD


MediaWorldWithoutWalls.pdf(7.9 MB Media Report)

Scalloped Fretboard Guitar Pioneer Matthew Montfort Added to DigitalDreamDoor.com List of 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists

Scalloped Fretboard Guitar Pioneer Matthew Montfort Makes 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists List

DigitalDreamDoor.com's 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists

DigitalDreamDoor.com is a website featuring Greatest 100 Music, Movie, and Book lists. On August 12, 2012, scalloped fretboard guitar pioneer Matthew Montfort was added to their 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists list. Inclusion on the list is based on originality, innovation, technique, and influence on other acoustic guitarists. The list is intended for musicians whose primary instrument is the acoustic guitar, but not including the pioneers of jazz, classical, or flamenco, as DigitalDreamDoor.com maintains separate lists for those genres. Matthew Montfort joins luminaries such as Michael Hedges, Leo Kottke, Chet Atkins, John Fahey, Adrian Legg, Merle Travis, John Renbourn, Tommy Emmanuel, Doc Watson, Pierre Bensusan, Toni Rice, Alex De Grassi, Stefan Grossman, Artie Traum, Joni Mitchell, and Peppino D'Agostino in receiving this honor.

Biography

Video of 'Soul Serenade' from Matthew Montfort's Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar

As leader of the world music group Ancient Future, Matthew Montfort has devoted himself to the scalloped fretboard guitar since 1978. 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 has worked with many world music legends, including tabla phenomenon Zakir Hussain and Chinese zither master Zhao Hui. He has performed hundreds of concerts worldwide since 1978, from New York City's Carnegie Recital Hall to the Atlantis nightclub in Beirut, Lebanon. His scalloped fretboard work was featured in 2003 and 2005 at the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra on the golden coast of Spain, which showcases top guitarists from all over the world. He toured India in 2006 and 2008, performing at the prestigious Festival of India in Mumbai with sitar master Pandit Habib Khan and tabla maestro Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri. He has performed live on national shows such as the Echoes Living Room Concerts on PRI, and the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. He holds a B.A. in World Music and Composition and an M.A. in Arts and Media Technology from Antioch University. For his M.A. thesis, 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. Matthew Montfort teaches all styles of guitar along with music theory and repertoire for all instruments. He offers private lessons, music tutorials, and group classes in the San Francisco Bay Area and online via Skype, and is available to teach master classes and workshops worldwide.

Scalloped Fretboard Guitar

In late 1978, luthier Ervin Somogyi carved out the wood between the frets of Montfort's Gibson SJ Deluxe so that the pads of his fingers touch only the strings, reducing friction while bending them to produce ornaments more characteristic of the sitar. While visually subtle, the difference in sound is striking. Montfort had his fretboard scalloped in order to play various forms of world music that require intricate note-bending ornaments while still being able to play chords. He uses the South Indian vina method of bending notes: the strings are pulled across the frets in order to raise the pitch.

Sympathetic Serenade for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort (Ancient-Future.Com Records EP AF-2012)

Sympathetic Serenade for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort. Ancient-Future.Com EP AF-2012. iTunes. >audio (Excerpt)

Matthew Montfort was added to the 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists List partly in response to the release of his new EP. When Montfort was working on his 2009 debut solo recording for scalloped fretboard guitar, he recorded a number of spontaneously improvised serenades. Were it not for some serendipitous sequencing coupled with the allure of alliteration, it's likely that 'Sympathetic Serenade' would have been released as the eighth improvisation on what became Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar. Instead, this evocative Spanish serenade/raga hybrid receives a mini EP treatment on Matthew Montfort's Sympathetic Serenade for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar. The nearly 11 minute long track is now available as a download complete with nine pages of digital liner notes at digital retailers such as iTunes, and as a signed CD-R exclusively at Ancient-Future.Com.

Quotes

"I first realized Matthew Montfort was a true guitar wizard when he called me on the phone and played me one flawless Hendrix riff after another. We were in the seventh grade. By the time we escaped high school, Matt had gone acoustic, turning coffee house basements into his own planet with fierce improvisations. Now a pioneering master of world fusion, his knowledge and depth are staggering, yet he doesn't let it get in the way of the joy and spirit and soul that we like about music in the first place." — Jello Biafra, Dead Kennedy singer turned spoken word artist

"Matthew Montfort is an American Ravi Shankar on guitar." —Pandit Habib Khan, sitarist

"Matthew Montfort's synthesis of styles and sounds isn't superficial — he plucks the essential musicality of several traditions without discounting them. Beautiful world fusion music." — Roger Carlberg, ELECTRONIC MUSICIAN

"The most beautiful, soulful guitar I have ever heard!!"— Chandi Devi, Editor-in-Chief, KARMACAFE.COM

"Master of the scalloped fretboard guitar." — J. Poet, EAST BAY EXPRESS

"Matthew Montfort plays a special, scalloped fretboard acoustic instrument that lets him get the bends of an Indian sitar. He uses it to weave seductive melodies." — John Diliberto (host of ECHOES, syndicated on PRI stations)

"Thorough knowledge of Hindustani microtonal ornaments, transferred in ways that create one of the most distinctive guitar sounds in contemporary music. 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

"This guitar work is stunning, intricate and wonderfully melodic." — J.W. McClure, VICTORY MUSIC

"The mind-bending playing abilities of guitar virtuoso, Matthew Montfort, stem from the note-bending capabilities of the scalloped fretboard guitar." — Matthew Forss, INSIDE WORLD MUSIC

"Matthew Montfort conjures lovely Asian zither-like inflections with a scalloped fretboard guitar." — GUITAR PLAYER

Ancient Future Nominated for North Bay Bohemian 2012 NorBay World Music Award

Ancient Future Artist Photo. Pictured: Emam (tabla), Doug McKeehan (keys), Irina Mikhailova (vocals), Matthew Montfort (guitars), Pandit Habib Khan (sitar).

The world music group Ancient Future is a finalist in the NORTH BAY BOHEMIAN 2012 North Bay Music Awards in the World/Reggae category. There are five finalists in each category. Reader's votes will determine who wins the 2012 NorBay Gold Record Award. Bohemian.com readers and fans of Ancient Future can vote for the band in the World Music category at:

http://posting.bohemian.com/northbay/Survey?survey=2295166

Voting closes July 11 at 5 PM. The rules appropriately only allow for one vote per reader.

The BOHEMIAN 2012 North Bay Music Award is Ancient Future's third world music award nomination of the year. On February 12, 2012, 'World Without Walls' by Ancient Future with special guest Zakir Hussain was nominated by ZoneMusicReporter.com broadcasters worldwide for Best World Album of 2011, and then on February 21, 2012, About.com readers nominated Ancient Future for the About.com World Music Trailblazer Award.

Ancient Future Band Biography

Ancient Future Reunion Band circa 1990. Pictured: Matthew Montfort (guitars), Jim Hurley (violin), Doug McKeehan (keys), Ian Dogole (percussion).

Formed in 1978, Ancient Future is the world's first and longest-running band dedicated to the creation of world fusion music! 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. 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.

Over the years, 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.

Ancient Future has released seven full length studio albums 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. They are currently working on their eighth release, the fan supported 'Archive of Future Ancient Recordings.' Fans can participate in the process by subscribing at http://www.ancient-future.com/afar.html. There are already seven tracks in the archive totaling more than fifty minutes, available immediately to subscribers. More tracks will be added as additional funds are raised for recording.