Ancient Future Times: Nearer A.F.A.R., Summer Shows, and Skype Studies Sale
Summer 2016 Issue:
Nearer A.F.A.R.
•New Tracks Added to the Fan Supported Recording Series by Ancient Future
Skype Lesson Sale
•Study in the Comfort of Home with Ancient Future Leader Matthew Montfort
Global Guitar Summit Tour Dates
•Konarak Reddy (India), Matthew Montfort (USA), and Teja Gerken (Germany)
Friday Nights at Open Secret July 8
•Emam Presents World Guitar Pioneer Matthew Montfort and Multi-Instrumentalist Gari Hegedus
Nearer A.F.A.R.
New Tracks Added to the Fan Supported Recording Series by Ancient Future
Bui Huu Nhut and Abbos Kosimov Recording A.F.A.R.. Photos by Michael Braden
6/16/16 Update Adds Six New Pieces
On 6/16/16, six new pieces and a video make their debut in the fan funded Archive of Future Ancient Recordings, which gives supporters access to Ancient Future recordings as they are created. There are four new tracks, two of which feature two compositions, the first serving as an introduction to the second. There are now 13 tracks totaling 86 minutes and 51 seconds of music in the archive. Two of the new tracks are live versions of pieces originally recorded during Ancient Future's major label days, and two are brand new studio tracks, including Ancient Future's first ever cover of a popular song, a world fusion version of Jimi Hendrix's Purple Haze showcasing Bui Huu Nhut on Vietnamese dan bau, a one string instrument with a whammy bar! The piece also features Uzbeki percussion master Abbos Kosimov, who performs frequently with tabla phenom Zakir Hussain, and it is the very first studio recording featuring Matthew Montfort on his Godin Glissentar fretless guitar.Tres Tarantas Tres (Montfort. 4:32). Based on the flamenco form Tarantas, but with a rhythmic structure of three groups of three, this piece also makes a foray into impressionism ala Eric Satie. Lineup: Matthew Montfort (flamenco guitar).
Gamarock (Montfort. 12:10). Recorded live 4/29/15, this piece from Dreamchaser fuses Balinese gamelan with rock and roll. Lineup: Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitars), Vishal Nagar (tabla), Jason Everett (7 string fretless bass).
Prelude/Bookenka (Montfort/Doug McKeehan 6:50). Recorded 10/16/13 at the World Without Walls Reunion Concert at the Freight & Salvage. Lineup: Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), Doug McKeehan (piano), Kash Killion (bass), Ian Dogole (percussion), Mariah Parker (santur), Jim Hurley (violin).
Purple Nam/Purple Haze (Montfort/Jimi Hendrix. 4:44). A Vietnamese version of Montfort's Purple Raga sets up an adventurous excursion into Hendrix's classic rock piece with Vietnamese dan bau instead of electric guitar. Lineup: Bui Huu Nhut (dan bau), Matthew Montfort (Godin Glissentar fretless 11 string guitar, fretless bass), Abbos Kosimov (Uzbeki percussion), Mariah Parker (keys).
The concept of the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings (A.F.A.R.) is to involve fans of world fusion music in supporting the production of an archive of live and studio recordings of cross cultural collaborations. The best of these recordings will be selected to be released commercially at a "future" date, at which point they will be on their way to becoming "ancient" recordings, hence the title.
Because forces within the tech industry seeking to profit from free content have destroyed financial support for music by promoting the meme that free music is good for musicians, recordings have gone from being a source of income to an expense. Their argument is that musicians gain exposure and will make money playing concerts. However, concert attendance has not increased just because music is available free, and because so many extremely famous musicians no longer make money from their recordings, they now have to be on the road most of the year to make a living. This has driven down performance fees and made it harder to book viable concert tours for unusual acts like Ancient Future.
Ancient Future is dedicated to the idea that cross-cultural collaboration can help to create a better world, and now more than ever needs your help to continue to create world fusion music. To finance A.F.A.R., Ancient-Future.Com Records has been providing financial supporters access to select files from Ancient Future's archives of alternate takes, live concerts and radio performances along with new studio recordings as they are created. To date, 18% of the fundraising goal has been raised at concerts, on Ancient-Future.Com, and through the Ancient Future Times. The full archive of recordings is available during the project exclusively to supporters, and when the archive is complete, a portion of the recordings will be selected for commercial release on Ancient-Future.Com Records.
There are four supporter thank-you packages available ranging from $15 to $75, and while donations to the A.F.A.R. project are not currently tax deductible, donations of any amount are greatly appreciated! There are a range of benefits for the various packages, including the A.F.A.R. email newsletter, immediate access to downloads of the recordings placed in the archives, digital liner notes, limited edition CD-R's of the archives when complete, video and 24 bit audio files for hi-res playback on computers, and a 30% discount on the advance copies of the final commercial release. Please do what you can to support the music. Detailed information on the various supporter packages and the benefits included can be found at www.ancient-future.com/afar.html.
Live Video of New A.F.A.R. Track
Watch video on Ethnocloud
A live medley of Prelude and Bookenka (The Adventurer), which was originally recorded on Ancient Future's Asian Fusion release,has been added to the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings. Fans can check it out on Ethnocloud at 720p now, and then get it in full resolution beautifully shot HD 1080p video and rich 96-kHz/24-bit audio as a thank-you for becoming a hi-res supporter of A.F.A.R.!
Skype Lesson Sale
Study in the Comfort of Home with Ancient Future Leader Matthew Montfort
Guitar Player Magazine Feature on Matthew Montfort Plus Online Lesson (1.4 MB pdf).
Matthew Montfort is now offering all styles and levels of guitar instruction as well as lessons on any of the subjects on the Ancient-Future.Com world music education web site via Skype and other web conferencing services. Instruction is tailored to the individual needs of the student.
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 on their instrument of choice. For all instruments and voice, instruction and coaching is also available on improvisation, solo development, rhythm training, reading Western notation, reading Indian notation, composition, music theory, record production, and world music forms such as Balinese gamelan, West African polyrhythms, Indian raga and tala, Arabic maqam, and Latin rhythms.
Guitar lessons are available in any style ranging from folk, jazz, blues, rock, and classical, to world music forms including flamenco, Indian, Arabic, and African music. Instruction including instrumental technique is also available for bass, fretless bass, mandolin, ukulele, sitar, charango and other unusual plucked instruments.
Music lessons make an excellent gift, and introductory sale rates on individual Skype lessons are being offered for a limited time. For further information, visit www.matthewmontfort.com or send an email to info@ancient-future.com.
Summer Skype Sale
30 Minute Skype Lesson. Normally $50. Sale $36. Buy 1 Now.45 Minute Skype Lesson. Normally $65. Sale $48. Buy 1 Now.
60 Minute Skype Lesson. Normally $75. Sale $60. Buy 1 Now.
Custom private online lesson via Skype or other video conferencing service. If desired, the time can be split between an email or phone consultation, creation of a custom .pdf of the lesson plan with written music, and a private Skype session.
Recommended Training Manual
Ancient Traditions – Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through the Traditions of Africa, Bali and India by Matthew Montfort (Ancient Future Music, 1985. ISBN 0-937879-00-2). Sale $52.95. Buy 1 Now. A must-have for all students of world music, plus there is an additional discount on a Skype lesson with your online purchase at Ancient-Future.Com!
Global Guitar Summit Tour Dates
Konarak Reddy (India), Matthew Montfort (USA), and Teja Gerken (Germany)
Konarak Reddy, Matthew Montfort, and Teja Gerken Hi-Res Photo (1.9 MB):
www.ancient-future.com/images/konarak_matthew_teja300dpi5x7.jpg
Sunday, July 31, 6:30 PM - 9 PM
Fenix
919 Fourth Street
San Rafael, CA 94901
Tix: $12 advance, $15 door. For advance tix and reservations, visit www.fenixlive.com/dining/reservations, call 415-813-5600 or email info@www.fenixlive.com
Venue website: www.fenixlive.com
Thursday, August 4, 2016, 7:30 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
Saturday, August 6th, 6:30 PM
Gryphon Stringed Instruments
211 Lambert Ave.
Palo Alto, CA 94306
Tix: $20 suggested donation. Info: Call 650-493-2131 or email michael@gryphonstrings.com
Venue website: www.gryphonstrings.com
Friday, August 12th, 8 PM
Sebastopol Community Center Annex
425 Morris St.
Sebastopol, CA 95472
Tix: $20 advance, $23 door. For advance tix and reservations, call Kevin at 707-824-1858 or email krussellmft@aol.com
Venue website: www.seb.org
Poster (100 k .pdf): www.ancient-future.com/pdf/pdf/global_guitar_summit2016poster.pdf
This Global Guitar Summit presents three international acoustic guitar virtuosos who will perform solo and ensemble pieces. The summit features Indian nylon string guitarist Konarak Reddy, American scalloped fretboard and fretless guitar pioneer Matthew Montfort, and German fingerstyle guitarist Teja Gerken.
Hailing from Bangalore, India, Konarak Reddy is a legend among music aficionados in his home country. From the start, Konarak drew his inspiration from multiple sources, immersing himself in both Western classical theory on guitar and traditional Indian music on the sarod, which he studied with Debi Prasad Ghosh and Rajeev Taranath. Konarak later studied jazz improvisation at Boston's Berklee College of Music and the Musician's Institute in Hollywood, from which he graduated with honors. Today, his playing integrates Hindustani and Carnatic styles into contemporary solo guitar masterpieces. His two albums, Searching for the Goddess and Solar Avatar have received critical acclaim.
Matthew Montfort 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. He has released two solo CDs: Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar and Sympathetic Serenade, for which he is recognized as one of the world's 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists by DigitalDreamDoor.com .
German-born Teja Gerken is a contemporary steel-string fingerstyle guitarist whose playing merges the styles of European guitar pioneers such as John Renbourn and Pierre Bensusan with the distinct sounds of American players such as Leo Kottke and Michael Hedges. Known for his original compositions, many of which employ alternate tunings, two-handed tapping, percussive effects, and other extended guitar techniques, Teja will also bring Celtic, jazz, and classical styles to the Global Guitars show.
Friday Nights at Open Secret July 8
Emam Presents World Guitar Pioneer Matthew Montfort and Multi-Instrumentalist Gari Hegedus
Friday Nights World Music at Open Secret is a new music series produced and presented by Emam, who performs with each artist on the series.
Gari Hegedus (AKA Gary Haggerty) has been performing traditional music from Ireland, Scotland, France, Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa for the past twenty years. Gari performs on a wide range of traditional instruments including oud, violin, Turkish saz, and mandocello. Matthew Montfort is a world guitar pioneer and leader of Ancient Future. Emam has been trained in North Indian Classical drumming by the grand masters of tabla: Ustad Alla Rakha and Ustad Zakir Hussain and also studied the Delhi Gharana of tabla with the late Ustad Inam Ali Khan. Emam will perform on tabla and dumbak.
Friday July 8, 2016, 8 PM
Open Secret Bookstore
923 C St.
San Rafael, CA 94901
Info: 415-457-4191
Tix: $20 donation at the door. No one will be turned away for lack of funds!
Venue website: opensecretbookstore.com
