Ancient Future Times: L.E.T.S. Live on Endangered Species Day

Spring 2022 Issue:

Ancient Future Times: L.E.T.S. Live on Endangered Species Day

Lustful Elephants Trumpet Spring
•L.E.T.S. Live on Endangered Species Day

L.E.T.S. Soar A.F.A.R.
•101 Minutes of Music A.F.A.R. So Far

Private Online Music Lessons
•Zoom Into Spring

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Lustful Elephants Trumpet Spring

L.E.T.S. Live on Endangered Species Day

Guitarist Matthew Montfort was the inaugural performer of a series of online Alternate Reality Concerts from the Ancient Future on his birthday in February 2021. Ancient Future’s last pre-pandemic performance was in September 2019 at the Kentucky Mine Amphitheater in Sierra City, California. Indian tabla master Aditya Kalyanpur shared a video of that concert with Jhankar, an Indian arts organization in Ohio, and they came forth to sponsor a virtual concert featuring Kalyanpur, Montfort, and keyboard wizard Frank Martin in June 2021.

The first release from the concert is set for Endangered Species Day (5/20/2022). Lustful Elephants Trumpet Spring (L.E.T.S.) was composed by Matthew Montfort after studying Rag Basant, a springtime raga that captures the feeling of separated lovers longing to unite. The caption on an associated ragamala painting read: "Bound with a peacock's feathers...his face is as a flower. Elephant-like, he joyfully wanders in the forest among the gopis. Such is Basant raga." Montfort woke up in the middle of the night dreaming of a melody that conjures elephants in mating season. It begins with a low riff that depicts an elephant's legs, and then moves to a jump from low to high like an elephant trumpeting in excitement. The piece quickly became a part of Ancient Future's live repertoire, and a studio version is in production.

L.E.T.S. Save the Elephant for Earth Day

Save the Elephant Day (4/16/22) aims to raise public awareness about the dangers elephants face, such as ivory traders and loss of habitat. The public can show their support by sharing useful information on social media and by contributing to elephant conservation organizations.

There's another meaning for "save the elephants." Digital music platforms use pre-save data to determine which new releases to feature on their official release dates. So, after you do your part to save the elephants, you can then pre-save musical elephants at your favorite digital music platform now by following this link: https://orcd.co/letslive. L.E.T.S. will then appear in your music account starting on Earth Day (4//22/22)!

orcd.co/letslive (Pre-Save Now!)

L.E.T.S. Watch from A.F.A.R.

A shortened preview video of L.E.T.S. is on YouTube. The full video with hi-res audio is currently available exclusively to supporters of the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings, Ancient Future's fan funded recording project.

Teaser Preview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qntdJZeMV-0

L.E.T.S. Share on Social Media

Ancient Future will be sharing news about the release on its social media and artist pages. Please follow Ancient Future and share the posts with your friends.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ancientfuture
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ancientfutureband
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ancient_future
Ethnocloud: https://ethnocloud.com/Ancient_Future
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5oQLP9K23E63u9BHB1b4LT

The Musicians

Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), Aditya Kalyanpur (tabla), and Frank Martin (keys)

To enable its core mission of creating world fusion music, Ancient Future has grown to become a large chamber ensemble of world music masters with many smaller ensembles within it, including this trio featuring world guitar pioneer Matthew Montfort, renowned Indian tabla virtuoso Aditya Kalyanpur, and keyboard wiz Frank Martin. L.E.T.S. was recorded at the trio's first concert in which they presented an innovative and accessible take on Hindustani classical music and contemporary jazz fusion.

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L.E.T.S. Soar A.F.A.R.

101 Minutes of Music A.F.A.R. So Far

With the addition of L.E.T.S. Live, the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings, Ancient Future's fan funded recording project, now has 101 minutes of music in it!

Getting our different ensembles together in the same room to rehearse and record has been more challenging due to the pandemic. A solution has been to make digital mock up tracks and replace all the sampled instruments with performances by master musicians. But this requires hundreds of extra hours of pre-production. Nonetheless, the bansuri, guitar, tanpura, and mock up tracks have been completed on Beyond Kalyan, a 28-minute suite that is waiting for one final overdub. The guitar and mock up tracks are completed for Innocent Explorations, the studio version of Lustful Elephants Trumpet Spring, and Fretless Camel, totaling more than 50 minutes of music in production awaiting final overdubs! Ancient Future Studios has just completed a soundproof recording room, but we do need to raise money to cover travel expenses and pay the musicians for their work.

Please become a supporter at one of the levels below, starting at just $15. And if you are already a supporter, you can still upgrade to higher quality downloads. Once you become a supporter, you will receive all of the tracks in the archive (and all of the tracks that will be added in the future), and you will be eligible to buy a limited edition CD-R of the Best of A.F.A.R. So Far, which includes all of the best tracks that will (barely) fit on a CD-R.

Supporter Levels and Premiums

• Recording Newsletter-$15 (receive 128 kbps downloads): Subscribe @ $15.
• Download Supporter- $25 (320 kbps downloads): Subscribe @ $25.
• Limited Edition CD Sponsor- $50 (all previous plus CD quality audio): Subscribe @ $50.
• Honorary A & R Representative- $75 (all previous plus video, including L.E.T.S. Live, and 24 bit audio): Subscribe @ $75.
• Donor VIP- $??: Make Additional Donation.
• A.F.A.R. So Far CD-R- $20 Additional. (SALE $15): Buy CD-R Now.

Make a Tax Deductible Contribution

• Make a Tax Deductible Donation. Ancient Future was accepted for fiscal sponsorship with InterMusic SF, a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization, and now donations made through them on behalf of Ancient Future are 100% tax deductible to the full extent of the law!

Make a Purchase

Ancient Future's 2020 Vision sale on recordings and educational materials has been extended to encourage support. Purchases at the Ancient-Future.Com World Music Store directly support the artists and the music, and this sale offers bargain prices.

• L.E.T.S. by Ancient Future. Digital Liner Notes- $1.98 SALE $1.50. Buy 1 Now.
• Yearning for the Wind by Ancient Future. Signed Audio/Video E-CD-R. List $17.98. SALE $10. Buy 1 Now.
• Planet Passion by Ancient Future. CD. List $17.98. SALE $10. Buy 1 Now.
• Planet Passion Limited Edition Poster. $15.00. Buy 1 Now. In 2021, a few 11" x 17" posters from the original 2001 printing were found deep in the Ancient Future archives. Includes the 8.5" x 11" version while supplies last.
• Sangria by Mariah Parker. CD. List $17.98. SALE $10. Buy 1 Now.
• Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort. CD. List $17.98. SALE $10. Buy 1 Now.
• Sympathetic Serenade by Matthew Montfort. Signed EP CD-R. List $12.98. SALE $10. Buy 1 Now.
• Visions of a Peaceful Planet by Ancient Future. Original Vinyl Pressing. Very Limited Stock. LP- $40.00: Buy LP Now. Enhanced Audio/Video E-CD-R- $19.98: Buy E-CD Now.

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Private Online Music Lessons

Zoom into Spring

Private Online Lessons with Ancient Future Bandleader Matthew Montfort. Study any of the musical traditions featured on the Ancient Future web site, all styles of guitar (and other fretted instruments including ukulele, bass, mandolin, charango, and sitar), record production, composition, world rhythms, music theory, and repertoire for all instruments.

• 60 Minute Lesson- $75. (Sale $60 for new students): Buy 1 Now. Custom private one hour online lesson.
• 45 Minute Lesson- $65. (Sale $50 for new students): Buy 1 Now. Custom private 45 minute online lesson.
• 30 Minute Lesson- $50. (Sale $40 for new students): Buy 1 Now. Custom private 30 minute online lesson.

 

Secret Code for the Future

Ancient Future Times: Secret Code for the Future
May 2019 Issue:
Future40 Secret Code
•40% Off Tix for 5/26/19 @ SFIAF
Guitar A.F.A.R.
•First Recording of Martin Scalloped Fretboard Guitar
World Fusion for the Future
•Movement Needs Young People
Honoring the Departed
•In the Ancient Future Beyond
Free Sonoma County Library Concert Series
•Each Concert Program Features Different Material!

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Future40 Secret Code

40% Off Tix for 5/26/19 @ SFIAF

Ancient Future 'World Without Walls' Reunion Concert

Photo by Irene Young of Ancient Future circa 1990
Sunday, May 26, 2019, 5 PM
San Francisco International Arts Festival
Gallery 308, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94109
Tix: $25 general. $30 reserved table, $35 reserved front table, $15 youth 17 and under.
Box office: 415-345-7575.
40% Off Tix (Enter Discount Code Future40 at Checkout Through May 11)
Press Release
Invite Friends on Facebook


Poster (1.1 MB .pdf)

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 San Francisco International Arts Festival. 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 re-released by Capitol Records. Twenty two years after its initial 1990 release, broadcasters worldwide voted the record as one of the top 5 world music releases of 2012. This show at the San Francisco International Arts Festival will be their fifth reunion concert.

'World Without Walls' Reunion Video

YouTube Video of Ancient Future Performing Bookenka at 'World Without Walls' Reunion
"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

Releases Featuring This Lineup

World Without Walls by Ancient Future (Sona Gaia/MCA 163).
Asian Fusion by Ancient Future (Narada Equinox ND-63023).
Planet Passion by Ancient Future (Ancient-Future.Com AF 2010).

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Guitar A.F.A.R.

First Recording of Martin Scalloped Fretboard Guitar

Montfort's custom guitar is the result of a collaboration between Montfort, Dick Boak of the Artist Relations Department of C.F. Martin & Co., and San Francisco luthier Alan Perlman. Starting in 2014, Dick Boak worked with Montfort to help design the instrument, which features a very large sound hole to add volume, an extra upper bout sound hole so that Montfort can hear the guitar better, a cutaway with extra frets protruding into the sound hole to accommodate his extended playing range, and a short scale yet wide neck to allow for greater string bending capability. Master luthier Alan Perlman scalloped the fretboard and added other finishing touches to complete this amazing instrument in 2016.

The instrument is now broken in, and the first recording featuring it is in the works. The rehearsals for the Ancient Future's 40th Anniversary Concert helped put a focus on a new 30-minute suite in production for the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings, Ancient Future's fan funded recording project that already includes over 86 minutes of music available exclusively to supporters.
Hundreds of hours have already gone into the composition, rehearsal, pre-production, and recording some of the guitar tracks for this new piece by Matthew Montfort. Beyond Kalyan is based on Rag Kalyan, but takes it in new directions, even altering the basic recipe for the raga, hence the title. It is a very expansive, emotional, and difficult to perform piece.

The focus of A.F.A.R. this spring will be recording Mindia Devi Klein's bansuri flute and Vishal Nagar's tabla tracks. Right now, we need to raise funds to pay musicians so that they can carve out time to practice their parts and record them. Please sign up to support the project and receive tracks as they are created!

You can also make a tax deductible donation through InterMusic SF to support new compositions and recordings.

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World Fusion for the Future

Movement Needs Young People

As of this moment, all types of virtuoso instrumental music are suffering from a lack of young audience members. At concerts of top performers in jazz, classical, and world music, there is a lot of gray hair in the audience. There are very few people in their 20s, 30s, or 40s, and often the few in those age groups turn out to be musicians themselves.
In honor of our 40th year of world fusion, we recently embarked on cleaning up the Ancient Future postal list in the San Francisco Bay Area, and in the process found the vital statistics that are compiled in the chart below:

Scary Chart

Age Group	Fans in Group
< 40	2.4%
40's	6.5%
50's	20.2%
60's	41.1%
70's	23.3%
>80	6.6%

Young Musicians

Music pedagogy has come a long way since Ancient Future was formed, and we are producing wonderful young virtuoso performers. But we've cut music education in public schools, so new musicians are coming from those few school districts who have found a way to keep music programs, or families that can afford to pay for private lessons. But there aren't many performance opportunities for young performers because we haven't also developed an audience with musical knowledge. People need to be exposed to the elements of music to develop an interest in the higher forms of the art, and if that exposure doesn't happen in the formative years, music loses its base.

Americana in the Age of Polarization

In the past decade or so, Americana has enjoyed a resurgence at music festivals, venues, and radio shows, with young musicians joining the ranks. This has been a bright spot in music. However, since 9/11, support for world music has declined in America. Americana shows have replaced many world music shows on public radio, and even supposedly left leaning outlets like KPFA have cut world music programming. While it is important to keep Americana alive, it should not be at the expense of opening up people to music from cultures other than their own. World music can help alleviate the fear of "the other" that is so prevalent in public discourse today. America has always been a melting pot, so Americana shows should embrace American-made world fusion music. But they tend to favor music with a lot of Irish influence, undervalue the role of African music in American music forms, and ignore Asian influenced music altogether.

What You Can Do About It

1. Take younger relatives and friends to concerts.
2. Share playlists of high quality world fusion music. Free streaming should be abolished due to absurdly low artist payments, so it is best to purchase music. But streaming is how young people experience music, so we need to reach them before it is too late for an interest in higher art forms to develop. That said, streaming is a low quality music experience, and the subtleties of high level music get lost between data compression and lo-fi phones. This is quite a puzzle to fix. For now, here are some playlists to share:
   1. World Music Connections. World fusion music and the traditional music that inspired it side by side.
   2. Indian Guitar. Guitarists working in Indian music utilizing everything from slides to scalloped fretboards.
   3. Interspecies Music. Intriguing music influenced by interspecies interactions and nature, from live jams with Pacific tree frogs from Ancient Future's Natural Rhythms to elephants playing instruments!
   4. World Jazz. Jazz that influenced Ancient Future along with some more recent world jazz recordings.
   5. Asian Fusion. World fusion music with Asian themes.
3. Send younger friends to the music education pages at Ancient-Future.Com.
4. Contact your local public radio station and ask them to bring back world music shows.

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Honoring the Departed

Photo of Phil Fong Circa 1979 by Geoffrey Chandler

In the Ancient Future Beyond

Updating Ancient Future's mailing list resulted in almost 100 sad discoveries of fans of Ancient Future who have passed away, including the loss of visionary artist and musician Geoffrey Chandler (1951-2017), who took three of the photos on Ancient Future's first recording, Visions of a Peaceful Planet, including the above photo (originally in beautiful color, but the original is hopefully to be found buried deep in the Ancient Future archives) of original member Phil Fong (1954-2016). Also in the ancient future beyond are composer and flautist Randy Mead (1954-2012), who is prominently featured on the Quiet Fire release, and Mahanaim Satya (1945-2010), a noted jazz musician and producer who held down the bass at a number of Ancient Future concerts in the early 80's.
We've just received the very difficult news that Elias Lammam, Arabic accordion master and brother of Ancient Future performers Antoine and Georges Lammam, passed away on April 23 after suffering an aneurism on stage during a tour in Florida. This is a huge loss to the music world and our musical community. Our deep condolences go out to his family.

YouTube Video of Elias Lammam

We want to honor all of our departed fans and fellow musicians by passing the torch to future generations and working to bring more young people into the world fusion music movement.

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Free Sonoma County Library Concert Series

YouTube Video of Very First Meeting of Matthew Montfort and Shenshen Zhang

Each Concert Program Features Different Material!

Ancient Future bandleader and scalloped fretboard guitar pioneer will be joined by master musicians from many traditions for this series of hour long free concerts at libraries in Sonoma County. Each show will feature different material from recordings by Matthew Montfort, Ancient Future, and the master musicians he is performing with. Press Release.

• Saturday, April 27, 2 PM, Guitar and Pipa Duet with Matthew Montfort and Shenshen Zhang (pipa), Sonoma Valley Regional Library, 755 West Napa Street, Sonoma, CA 95476. Free. Info: 707- 996-5217 or visit sonomalibrary.org. Facebook Event.
  
• Saturday, May 4, 2 PM, Ancient Future Duet, Rohnert Park-Cotati Library, 6250 Lynne Conde Way, Rohnert Park Expressway / State Farm Drive, Rohnert Park, CA 94928. Free. Info: 707-584-9121 or visit sonomalibrary.org. Facebook Event.
• Saturday, May 11, 2 PM, Ancient Future World Jazz Trio, Healdsburg Regional Library, 139 Piper Street, Healdsburg, CA 95448. Free. Info: 707-433-3772 or visit sonomalibrary.org. Facebook Event. 

Festivities Begin for Ancient Future's 40th Year of World Fusion

Ancient Future Times: Festivities Begin for Ancient Future's 40th Year of World Fusion
February 2019 Issue:
40th Anniversary Preview Performance Streams Live
•KPFA 94.1 FM (kpfa.org), Thursday, February 7, 10 PM PST
Ancient Future 40th Anniversary Concert
•Tuesday, February 12, 8 PM, Freight and Salvage, Berkeley
Get More Enjoyment Out of Music
•World Music Studies for Listeners
Free Sonoma County Library Concert Series
•Each Concert Program Features a Different Lineup!
Ancient Future World Without Walls Reunion Concert
•Save the Date: 5/26/19 at SFIAF

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40th Anniversary Preview Performance Streams Live

Original Members Benjy Wertheimer, Phil Fong, Mindia Devi Klein, Matthew Montfort

KPFA 94.1 FM (kpfa.org), Thursday, February 7, 10 PM PST

Want to hear some of Ancient Future's early music performed live, but don't live in the San Francisco Bay Area?
You are in luck, because Ancient Future will perform live on The Hear and Now with Derk Richardson on KPFA, 94.1 FM, Berkeley, California. The broadcast will take place on Thursday, February 7, at 10 PM PST, which is Mindia Devi Klein's birthday.
Special thanks go out to Jason Ranjit Parmar (tabla, udu) and Mariah Parker (piano, santur). They will be filling in for original Ancient Future members Benjy Wertheimer, who will be flying in for the 40th anniversary concert, and the late Phil Fong.
The broadcast also streams live. Visit kpfa.org at 10 PM PST and click the Listen Live link. The archived broadcast will be available for two weeks.

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Ancient Future 40th Anniversary Concert

Ancient Future Circa 1981

Tuesday, February 12, 8 PM, Freight and Salvage, Berkeley

With Founding Members Matthew Montfort (Guitars), Mindia Devi (Flutes), and Benjy Wertheimer (Tabla)
Plus Georges Lammam (Violin), Vishal Nagar (Tabla), Doug McKeehan (Keys) and Mariah Parker (Santur)

Tuesday, February 12, 2019 8 PM
Freight and Salvage
2020 Addison Street
Berkeley, CA 94704
Purchase Tix: $20 in advance at the F&S, $24 at the door. All tickets are subject to an additional $4 per ticket facility fee.
Box Office Phone: 510-644-2020, open 12:30 PM – 7 PM (excluding holidays) and during all performances.
Email: info@freightandsalvage.org
Press Release
Facebook Event

Poster (384k .pdf)
Ancient Future's first concert took place on February 11, 1979, at the Sleeping Lady Cafe in Fairfax, California, a vegetarian cafe and music club co-op that was the center of a vibrant local music scene. It was the day before Ancient Future leader Matthew Montfort's birthday, who was not yet of nightclub age. This concert on Montfort's birthday celebrates Ancient Future's 40 years at the forefront of the world fusion music movement. Purchase your tickets now to insure the success of this one time event!

Support the 40th Anniversary Season with a Tax Deductible Contribution!

By making a tax deductible donation to Ancient Future through InterMusic SF, you can help support Ancient Future's local Northern California concert season, provide seed money to bring Ancient Future to perform in your area, or support new compositions and recordings.
Make a Tax Deductible Donation to Ancient Future Through InterMusic SF!
You can also help by signing up to support Ancient Future's fan funded recording project, the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings.

First Set

The first set of the 40th anniversary concert will feature original band members Matthew Montfort on scalloped fretboard guitar, Benjy Wertheimer on tabla, and Mindia Devi Klein on bansuri and silver flutes. Mariah Parker will play piano and fill in for the late Phil Fong on santur.

YouTube Video of Ancient Future Circa 1978

'Visions of a Peaceful Planet' Reunion Concert Edition With Long Lost 1978 Video

Visions of a Peaceful Planet by Ancient Future (Ancient-Future.Com AF 2004) $19.98 list. Buy Audio/Video E-CD Now.

Second Set

The second set will feature band members from Ancient Future's major label releases along with top master musicians from around the world who have a long history of cross cultural music collaborations with the band. Confirmed performers include Georges Lammam on Arabic violin, Vishal Nagar on tabla, and Doug McKeehan on keyboards.

YouTube Video of 'El Zaffa' by Ancient Future

YouTube Video of 'Yearning for the Wind' by Ancient Future

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Get More Enjoyment Out of Music

World Music Studies for Listeners!

Want to get more out of listening to music? Study of music traditions isn't just for musicians. The more you know about music, the more you will get out of listening to it. For example, many listeners are attracted to the spiritual feeling of Indian classical music. But knowing the basics of tala (Indian rhythm cycles) will greatly enhance what one experiences while listening.
A great way to get started on a journey to become a better listener is to visit the education section of Ancient-Future.Com. Included are explanations of African, Arabic, Balinese, and Indian traditions along with some basic exercises to practice that require no instruments to perform. As you learn more, you may wish to take a private Skype lesson to continue your studies.

Skype Sale

30 Minute Skype Lesson. Normally $50. Sale $36. Buy 1 Now.

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Free Sonoma County Library Concert Series

YouTube Video of Very First Meeting of Matthew Montfort and Shenshen Zhang

Each Concert Program Features a Different Lineup!

Matthew Montfort leads this series of free hour long educational library concerts. Every show in the series features a different program with different musicians!

• Wednesday, February 20, 7 PM, Ancient Future History with Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), Mindia Devi Klein (bansuri, silver flute), and Mariah Parker (santur), Petaluma Regional Library, 100 Fairgrounds Dr., Petaluma, CA 94952.
• Saturday March 9, 3 PM, Global Guitar Summit with Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar) and Teja Gerken (fingerstyle guitar), Guerneville Regional Library, 14107 Armstrong Woods Rd., Guerneville, CA 95446. (Also performing Friday, March 8, 8 PM, Wu Wei Tea Temple, 1820 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Fairfax, CA 94930. Donation: $10 - $20.)
• Saturday March 30, 2 PM, World Without Walls Trio with Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), Doug McKeehan (keys), and Ian Dogole (percussion), Northwest Santa Rosa Library, 150 Coddingtown Center, Santa Rosa, CA 95401.
  
• Saturday, April 20, 2 PM, Guitar and Arabic Percussion Duet with Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar) and Antoine Lammam (Arabic percussion), Central Santa Rosa Library, 211 E Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95404.
  
• Saturday April 27, 2 PM, Guitar and Pipa Duet with Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar) and Shenshen Zhang

(pipa), Sonoma Valley Regional Library, 755 West Napa Street, Sonoma, CA 95476.

Saturday, May 4, 2 PM, Guitar and Tabla Duet with Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar) and Vishal Nagar (tabla), Rohnert Park-Cotati Library, 6250 Lynne Conde Way, Rohnert Park, CA 94928.

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Ancient Future World Without Walls Reunion Concert

Photo by Irene Young of Ancient Future circa 1990

Save the Date: 5/26/19 at SFIAF

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 San Francisco International Arts Festival. 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.
Sunday Evening, May 26, 2019, 5 PM
San Francisco International Arts Festival
Gallery 308, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94109

Reunion Celebrating 40 Years of World Fusion

Ancient Future Times: Reunion Celebrating 40 Years of World Fusion
New Year 2019 Issue:
Ancient Future Original Band Reunion Plus!
•Celebrating 40 Years of World Fusion Music 2/12/19 at the Freight & Salvage
Please Watch and Share: 40th Anniversary Reunion Video
•Featuring Footage from First Ancient Future Video
First Set: Original Band Reunion
•Featuring Benjy Wertheimer, Mindia Devi Klein, and Matthew Montfort
Second Set: Ancient Future Hear and Now
•Master Musician Lineup Depends on YOU!
Contribute to Ancient Future's 40th Year of World Fusion
•Last Chance for 2018 Tax Deductible Contributions Through InterMusic SF

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Ancient Future Original Band Reunion Plus!

Ancient Future Circa 1981. Shown: Mindia Devi Klein, Benjy Wertheimer, Matthew Montfort

Celebrating 40 Years of World Fusion Music 2/12/19 at the Freight & Salvage

Ancient Future's first concert took place on February 11, 1979, at the Sleeping Lady Cafe in Fairfax, California, a vegetarian cafe and music club co-op that was the center of a vibrant local music scene. It was the day before Ancient Future leader Matthew Montfort's birthday, who was not yet of nightclub age. Exactly 40 years and one day later, this anniversary concert on Montfort's birthday celebrates Ancient Future's four decades at the forefront of the world fusion music movement.
We are thrilled to announce that the first set of the concert will feature original band members Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), Benjy Wertheimer (tabla, esraj), and Mindia Devi Klein (bansuri, silver flute)!
The second set will feature band members from Ancient Future's major label releases along with top master musicians from around the world who have a long history of cross cultural music collaborations.
Purchase your tickets now to insure that there is a budget for robust roster of musicians, and check the Facebook Event and Press Release pages for surprise lineup announcements of featured performers. You can also help by making a tax deductible donation to Ancient Future through InterMusic SF.
Tuesday, February 12, 2019 8 PM
Freight and Salvage
2020 Addison Street
Berkeley, CA 94704
Tix: $20 in advance, $24 at the door, plus $4 per ticket facility fee.
Purchase Tix. Box Office Phone: 510-644-2020.
Email: info@freightandsalvage.org
Press Release
Facebook Event

Poster (384k .pdf)

Please Watch and Share: 40th Anniversary Reunion Video

YouTube Video of Ancient Future Circa 1978.

Featuring Footage from First Ancient Future Video

This concert video teaser features an amazing archaeological find: the very first video of Ancient Future, recorded in late 1978, months before Ancient Future's first concert! Please watch it and share it to insure that YouTube will feature it in searches. Thanks to Jonah and Mariposa at Marin Artists International who, after learning of the reunion concert, were able to rescue parts of Ancient Future's first video recording session from archival oblivion. This video showcases an excerpt from 'Eternal Embrace' by Phil Fong. Performances of two complete pieces have been recovered, and are now included as a video session on the eCD version of Visions of a Peaceful Planet, available exclusively at Ancient-Future.Com.

Reunion Concert Edition With Long Lost 1978 Video

Visions of a Peaceful Planet by Ancient Future (Ancient-Future.Com AF 2004) $19.98 list. Buy Audio/Video E-CD Now.

First Set: Original Band Reunion

Ancient Future Circa 1981. Shown: Benjy Wertheimer, Mindia Devi Klein, Matthew Montfort

Featuring Benjy Wertheimer, Mindia Devi Klein, and Matthew Montfort

Ancient Future was formed in late 1978 by students at the Ali Akbar College of Music in San Rafael, California, including Mindia Devi Klein (who went by Mindy in those days), Matthew Montfort, Benjy Wertheimer, and Phil Fong. On April 19, 2015, the original lineup of Ancient Future performed together for the first time this century to a full house at the Throckmorton Theatre in Mill Valley. Sadly, Phil Fong was unable to attend the reunion as he was battling ALS. He passed away on July 18, 2016.
The first set will feature all three surviving original Ancient Future band members: Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), Benjy Wertheimer (tabla, esraj), Mindia Devi Klein (bansuri and silver flute). If enough funds are raised through ticket presales and donations, there may be additional featured guest artists. Check the press release and Facebook event pages periodically for surprise announcements.
This lineup of Ancient Future made two recordings that are now considered world fusion classics. In December, 1978, the band went into Tres Virgos Studio in Mill Valley to record Montfort's song Moonbath. The song became the springboard for the first Ancient Future record, Visions of a Peaceful Planet. The concept for Natural Rhythms, the band's second record, grew out of a spontaneous recording session at a friend's recording studio near a frog pond. The sound of croaking frogs was leaking into the studio, so Montfort went out to the pond with a zither and began to play, and found that certain rhythms produced musical responses from the frogs. Several months later, Montfort and Klein went to Bali to study gamelan music. They were amazed to find paintings all over the island portraying Balinese rice paddy frogs playing gamelan instruments, so they ventured out into the rice paddies where a frog jam session ensued.

Original Lineup Releases

Visions of a Peaceful Planet by Ancient Future (Ancient-Future.Com AF 2004).
Natural Rhythms by Ancient Future (Ancient-Future.Com 2005).

Second Set: Ancient Future Hear and Now

Master Musician Lineup Depends on YOU!

The second set will feature band members from Ancient Future's major label releases and top master musicians from around the world. The lineup will depend on funds raised through ticket presales and donations, so get your tickets now so we can afford to bring more musicians. Check the press release and Facebook event pages periodically for surprise announcements!

Major Label Period

Ancient Future Circa 1990. Shown: Matthew Montfort, Jim Hurley, Doug McKeehan, Ian Dogole
"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
This lineup of Ancient Future that performed on the band's influential major label recordings played over a hundred concerts together. In 2011, they reunited and began to perform concerts at venues from Yoshi's in San Francisco to the Frick Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In honor of the reunion, World Without Walls was released digitally by Capitol Records for the first time ever at 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.

Major Label Releases

Quiet Fire by Ancient Future (Narada/MCA 1012).
Dreamchaser by Ancient Future (Sona Gaia/MCA 154).
World Without Walls by Ancient Future (Sona Gaia/MCA 163).
Asian Fusion by Ancient Future (Narada Equinox ND-63023).

Video

YouTube Video of Ancient Future at their 'World Without Walls' Reunion at the Freight and Salvage. Shown: Doug McKeehan (keyboards, piano), Kash Killion (bass), Ian Dogole (percussion), Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), Jim Hurley (violin), Mariah Parker (santur)

World Music Collaboration Period

Photo of Ancient Future Guitar-Sitar Jugalbandi by Julie Marten. Shown: Pandit Habib Khan (sitar), Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar)
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. Some popular offerings include the Indo-Arabic, Guitar-Sitar Jugalbandi, and Asian Jazz programs.

Ancient Future Indo-Arabic Roots. Shown: Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), Georges Lammam (Arabic violin), Vishal Nagar (Indian tabla)

World Music Collaboration Releases

Planet Passion by Ancient Future (Ancient-Future.Com Records AF-2010).
Archive of Future Ancient Recordings by Ancient Future (Ancient-Future.Com AF-2030).

Video

YouTube Video of El Zaffa from Planet Passion by Ancient Future. Shown: Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), Georges Lammam (Arabic violin), Salaheddin Takesh (Arabic percussion), Doug McKeehan (keyboards), Sapphira (belly dance).

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Contribute to Ancient Future's 40th Year of World Fusion

Last Chance for 2018 Tax Deductible Contributions Through InterMusic SF

Ancient Future has big plans to celebrate 40 years of world fusion music. Help us bring music to the world in this important milestone year. Your tax deductible contribution can help support Ancient Future's local Northern California concert season, provide seed money to bring Ancient Future to perform in your area, and support new compositions and recordings.
In this age of polarization, world fusion music is needed now more than ever. You can help by supporting it financially:
Make a Tax Deductible Donation to Ancient Future Through InterMusic SF!

Other Ways to Support the Music

Not part of the top 10% of U.S. taxpayers expected to benefit by itemizing deductions under the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act but still want to contribute?
You can make a direct donation (not tax deductible), or sign up to support Ancient Future's fan funded recording project, the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings, which has over 86 minutes of music in it so far. Another set of studio tracks totaling 43 minutes are already in production. The new tracks will represent a 50% expansion of the project! Help us finish them in our 40th year.