Capitol Releases World Without Walls to Celebrate Reunion Concerts June 7, Guitarpalooza on Radio Tonight

June 2011 Issue:

Welcome to the Ancient Future Times

Twitter: Ancient Future Band (Ancient_Future)

Facebook: Ancient Future Fan Page • Matthew Montfort Fan Page

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To subscribe, use the form below. Follow instructions thereafter, and make sure to ONLY check the geographic area where you actually live. We need this information so that we only send you information about concerts in your area. It doesn't refer to types of world music that you like.

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In this issue:

Ancient Future World Without Walls Lineup Reunion Concert Around the Corner

•Yoshi's, San Francisco, June 7, 8 pm: First Performance in Over 15 Years

Capitol Records Schedules Digital Release of World Without Walls by Ancient Future to Celebrate Reunion Concert

•First Digital Release of Classic 1990 Recording by Ancient Future featuring Tabla Master Zakir Hussain

Frets & Strings: An Evening of Acoustic Guitar

•Freight and Salvage, June 5, 8 pm

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Ancient Future World Without Walls Lineup Reunion Concert Around the Corner

Yoshi's, San Francisco, June 7: First Performance in Over 15 Years

Tuesday, June 7, 8 pm

Yoshi's San Francisco

1330 Fillmore St.

San Francisco, CA 94115

Tix: $16 in advance, $20 at the door. Buy Tix.

Info: 415-655-5600, or www.yoshis.com/sanfrancisco

Poster (944 k pdf). Facebook Event (Invite Your Friends!). Full Press Release.

Ancient Future circa 1990. Photo by Irene Young.

On June 7, 2011, the exact lineup of Ancient Future that performed on the band's influential World Without Walls and Asian Fusion recordings will reunite to perform for the first time in over 15 years. The reunion show at Yoshi's San Francisco features Matthew Montfort on scalloped fretboard guitar, Jim Hurley on violin, Doug McKeehan on keyboards, Ian Dogole on percussion, plus Kash Killion on bass, Mariah Parker on santur, special guest sitarist Pandit Habib Khan, who appears with this exact band lineup on the song "Socha Socha" on the Planet Passion recording, and world dancer Sapphira. There is a "teaser" concert featuring the core lineup at noon the same day at Todos Santos Plaza in Concord.

Examiner.Com: Historic Ancient Future Reunion Concert just ahead!

"This is a one-time-only chance to catch this special reunion performance by the lineup that played over a hundred concerts together between their first appearance on August 21, 1988 at the Concert in the Forest, a benefit for the Friends of the Cathedral Forest near Breitenbush Hot Springs, Oregon, and their August 26, 1995, show for the Calaveras Arts Council. The band hasn't played in its original configuration since the show in 1995 so this is going to be a rare treat!"

"Examiner.com has recently seen Matthew Montfort collaborating with Arabic musicians at city college and a tabla player at the Himalayan fair in Berkeley as well as fellow guitar pickers at the Freight and Salvage. He is in peak form and with the original band members that created groundbreaking recordings like 'Asian Fusion' and 'World Without Walls' joining him it is sure to be a stellar, dynamic concert that may sell out and is not to be missed!" – Johnathon Bakan, SF Asian Music Examiner

India Currents: Ancient Future, Ageless Fusion

"Ancient Future is one of the rare bands whose genesis is in world fusion. The upcoming concert will reunite Montfort on scalloped fretboard guitar, Jim Hurley on violin, Doug McKeehan on keyboards, Ian Dogole on percussion, and master musician Habib Khan on sitar...with the sound reminiscent of the silk-smooth Shakti by Zakir Hussain and group, especially in Hurley’s 'Lakshmi Rocks Me.' Montfort’s 'Gamarock' has whiffs of India and flower-power. Dogole’s 'Mezgoof' is based on the qawwali style. McKeehan’s drama in 'Turkish Taffy' will appeal to the Bollywood soul." – Priya Das, INDIA CURRENTS, May 2011

Sunday Night Live with Jane Heaven on KPFA: Ancient Future and it's spawn

A visit with guitarist bandleader Matthew Montfort of Ancient Future and music spawned of the World Without Walls and Asian Fusion era of the band. Violinist Jim Hurley, keyboardist/producer Doug McKeehan and Shafqat Ali Khan featured.

This audio archive will be available until Sunday, June 12th 2011:

http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/70183

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Capitol Records Schedules Digital Release of World Without Walls by Ancient Future to Celebrate Reunion Concert

First Digital Release of Classic 1990 Recording by Ancient Future featuring Tabla Master Zakir Hussain

On June 7, 2011, the exact lineup of Ancient Future that performed on the band's influential World Without Walls and Asian Fusion recordings will reunite to perform for the first time in over 15 years at Yoshi's San Francisco and other venues. To celebrate the reunion concerts, Ancient Future's classic 1990 World Without Walls recording is scheduled to be released by Capitol/EMI Records at major digital retailers such as iTunes and Amazon.com MP3 Store for the first time ever on June 7, 2011.

As its name suggests, World Without Walls by Ancient Future depicts a musical world without borders. This classic 1990 recording features Ancient Future members Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar, steel string guitars, electric guitars, classical guitar, guitar synthesizers, mandolin), Jim Hurley (acoustic violins, Zeta electric violin, steel string guitar), Doug McKeehan (piano, synthesizers), and Ian Dogole (dumbek, talking drum, congas, bongos, udu, shaker, bass drums, cymbal, sleigh bells, kendang, kajar, ceng-ceng, bells, chimes).

The record also features guest performances by world music legend and tabla master Zakir Hussain (tabla, kanjira), Gary Brown (fretless electric bass), Jeff Narell (steel drums), Vince Delgado (tambourine), Jack Dorsey (drum set), Bill Douglass (acoustic bass, Chinese flutes), and Bruce Kaphan (recording engineer, shaker).

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.

Tabla master Zakir Hussain

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Frets & Strings: An Evening of Acoustic Guitar

Freight and Salvage, June 5, 8 pm

Featuring Matthew Montfort, Teja Gerken, Steve Baughman, Pete Madsen, Patrick Landeza, and Jon Mendle

Sunday, June 5, 2011, 8 pm

Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse

2020 Addison St.

Berkeley, CA 94702

Info: 510-644-2020 or freightandsalvage.org

Tix: $20.50 advance/$22.50 door

Poster (376 k pdf). Facebook Event (Invite Your Friends!)

In what is certain to be a guitar concert highlight of the year, the Freight & Salvage presents six of the Bay Area's finest instrumentalists in a stunningly diverse range of styles. The evening includes fingerstyle guitarist Teja Gerken (who is also a senior editor at Acoustic Guitar magazine), world music pioneer and scalloped fretboard wiz Matthew Montfort (of Ancient Future), acclaimed Celtic player Steve Baughman, blues and slide expert Pete Madsen, Hawaiian slack-key specialist Patrick Landeza, and fresh from a tour with Yo Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble, rising classical guitar star Jon Mendle.

The Hear & Now with Derk Richardson on KPFA: Acoustic Guitarapalooza

Fingerstyle guitarist Teja Gerken previews his big guitar night with fellow pickers Matthew Montfort, Pete Madsen, and Jon Mendle (and maybe Patrick Landeza, who, like Steve Baughman, is also on the Freight show).

Live on the Air, June 2, 2011 - 10:00pm:

www.kpfa.org/live-musical-performance/acoustic-guitarapalooza

An audio archive will be available until Thursday, June 16th 2011.

World Rhythms 13: Egyptian Rhythms and Equinox at Esalen

Issue 13. Winter/Spring 2011:

Welcome to the World Rhythms News, an infrequent newsletter dedicated to world music education. To subscribe, use the form below. Follow instructions thereafter, and make sure to check "World Music Education" in the "Interests" section of the sign up process.

Please enter your email address:

In this issue:

El Zaffa Rhythm

World Music Workshop at Esalen March 18-20, 2011

Music Lessons Via Skype

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Elzaffa

Rhythm in Arabic music is organized into cycles of beats and pauses. Each cycle consists of a fixed number of metric pulses, including a hierarchy of strong beats, weak beats, and silent beats that define a groove. In performance some of the rests or silent beats may be filled in, but the underlying feel is maintained. The sounding beats vary in timbre and are described with onomatopoeic syllables. The strong beat is described using the syllable "dum" for the heavy low-pitched center sound of the drum. The weak is represented by the word "tek" for the bright, high-pitched edge or side sound of the drum and is not necessarily less loud than the strong beat. In some ways, it shares a similar feeling to the off-beat in Western music.

In Egypt, elzaffa, or wedding march, is a musical procession of drums. The main pattern is 8 beats long.

1   +   2   +   3   +   4   +   | 1   +   2   +   3   +   4   + |

dum     tek ka  tek     tek       dum     tek     tek    (tek ka)

dum (right hand clear low tone)

tek (right hand high crisp tone)

ka (left hand, sounds like tek)

Audio

This recording of the elzaffa rhythm is from the percussion tracks Antoine Lammam played on Planet Passion by Ancient Future. After learning the traditional rhythm, check out Ancient Future's performance of Matthew Montfort's world fusion composition in this rhythmic mode, "El Zaffa."

El Zaffa 4:26 (Matthew Montfort. © 2001 Ancient Future Music). iTunes. >audio. Full version/best audio quality appears on Planet Passion (Ancient-Future.Com AF-2010) CD/Gift Card, $17.98: Buy CD Now.

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Bring in the Spring Equinox with a World Music Workshop at Esalen, Big Sur

Weekend of March 18-20, 2011

8:30 p.m. 3/18/2011 through 11:30 am 3/20/2011

Esalen Institute

55000 Highway 1

Big Sur, CA 93920

Cost: $360 to $695, depending on accommodations

Reservations: 831-667-3005

Fax: 831-667-2724. Email: info@esalen.org

Download event poster: Esalen3-18-11.pdf (628 k)

Facebook Event

This workshop ending on the spring equinox 2011 is a great way to begin spring 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. Melodic aspects of the traditions will also be explored through vocal chanting and ensemble performance in a supportive setting. 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 or melodic instruments they enjoy playing.

Matthew Montfort holds a B. A. in World Music and Composition and an M. A. in Arts and Media Technology from Antioch University. A pioneer of the scalloped fretboard guitar (an instrument combining qualities of the South Indian vina and the steel string guitar), Montfort spent three months in intensive study with vina master K. S. Subramanian in order to fully apply the South Indian gamaka (note-bending) techniques to the guitar. His debut solo CD, Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar was released in 2009 to rave reviews on Ancient-Future.Com Records. He has performed concerts world wide, including at the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra on the golden coast of Spain near Barcelona.

Book/Enhanced Audio CD Set with MIDI Soundfiles:$52.95 (SALE! Normally $69.95): Buy 1 Now.

"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. 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." – Richard Kadrey, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

Post Workshop Concert by Ancient Future

Featuring Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard and fretless guitars) and Mariah Parker (santur)

Intimate Concert Performance

March 20, 2010, 7 pm

The Henry Miller Library

Highway 1

Big Sur , CA 93920

Venue Web site: www.henrymiller.org

Tel: 831-667-2574

Tix: $20 adv/$25 door. Seating is limited to 60. Advance purchase recommended at www.henrymiller.org/events.html.

Poster (400k): www.ancient-future.com/pdf/3_20_11_henrymiller.pdf

Scalloped fretboard guitarist Matthew Montfort and santurist Mariah Parker will perform music from Ancient Future's broad repertoire, including three current releases on Ancient-Future.Com Records celebrating 30 years of world fusion music: Planet Passion by Ancient Future (remastered to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band), Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Ancient Future leader Matthew Montfort, and Sangria by Mariah Parker.

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Now Available: Correspondence Music Lessons Via Skype

And Other Multimedia File Exchange Methods

Private Lessons with Matthew Montfort

Now you can study any of the subjects on the education section of Ancient-Future.Com through private correspondence lessons (via Skype or any method of file exchange) with Ancient Future bandleader and guitarist, Matthew Montfort. Feel free to email info@ancient-future.com with any questions you may have about how correspondence lessons can help you in your musical development!

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All compositions, recordings, video, and text in this article © 2011 Ancient Future Music. All rights reserved.

Ancient Future Updated for the Holidays with Video from a Parallel Universe

December 2010 Issue:

Welcome to the Ancient Future Times/Future Ancient Record

In This Issue of the Ancient Future Times:

Major Ancient Future Web site Update

•Sale to Celebrate Store Catalog Upgrade plus Skype Lessons to Celebrate Education Section Upgrade!

In This Issue of the Future Ancient Record:

An Ancient Future from Now In a Parallel Universe...Paleontologists Discover the Future Ancient Record

•A Message from Evolved Beings from the Future

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The Ancient Future Times

World Music Newsletter of the Band Ancient Future

Major Ancient Future Web Site Update

Sale to Celebrate Store Catalog Upgrade plus Skype Lessons to Celebrate Education Section Upgrade!

The Ancient Future Web site is undergoing a very major update. Ancient-Future.Com was designed in the early 1990's and built in a word processor on an Atari ST! Ancient-Future.Com was one of the first sites optimized for dial up connections to present world music in an interesting manner, so it garnered a lot of awards in the early days of the Internet.

The site is being redesigned to take advantage of the latest web developments, including improved graphics, CSS, and a new navigation system with a cave wall theme. The Education and Catalog sections of the site have already been updated. There are six more major sections of the site with over 100 pages left to complete. This is a very major project requiring hundreds and hundreds of hours of painstaking work, so please excuse the cave dust while the Ancient Future is being upgraded.

To celebrate the completion of the Catalog section of the site, we are having a major sale through December 31 with free shipping in the USA, sale prices on new CD releases and books, and reduced prices on select items throughout the store! CDs especially make excellent gifts. Putting a CD on a stereo system makes listening to music a beautiful ritual, something that is getting lost in the Internet culture. The holidays are a great time to bring back the concept of deep listening to music!

We've also added some new features to the Education section. There are new online lessons and articles on world rhythms, melody, and instruments. In addition, Skype lessons are available for all of the subjects covered! So if you have ever wanted to study privately with the leader of Ancient Future, but don't live in the San Francisco Bay Area, now is your chance.

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The Future Ancient Record

Newsletter from a Parallel Universe A.F.A.R.

The Story of A.F.A.R.

An Ancient Future from Now In a Parallel Universe...Paleontologists Discover the Future Ancient Record

An ancient future from now in a parallel universe, paleontologists discover a disc, mysteriously labeled "AFAR," completely intact inside a fossilized jellyfish species that evolved to make use of plastic floating in the ocean as cartilage. Eventually they discover that the disc contains code for reproducing music using a primitive digital technology. For encoded on the disc is music from A.F.A.R., the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings by the world fusion music group Ancient Future.

This video from the future ancient was mysteriously transported through the Ancient Future time portal.

A Message from Evolved Beings from the Future

Kent Jones of the Rachel Maddow Show thinks he's in a Geico commercial when he finds himself in a time portal connecting parallel universes while visiting Ancient-Future.Com. But it turns out he is there to cover the story of the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings by the world music group Ancient Future...

Inspired to subscribe to A.F.A.R? We'll meet you in the Ancient Future. Don't be late!

Subscribe Now at $10 Level • $25 Level • $50 Level • $75 Level

128 kbps Download • Premium Download • Highest Quality CD • Hi Res on DVD

Ancient Future Times: Spring Shows, MP3s for Free, and News from AFAR

April 2010 Issue:

Welcome to the Ancient Future Times

Email newsletter of the World Fusion Music Ensemble Ancient Future

Twitter: Ancient Future Band (Ancient_Future) • Ancient-Future.Com Records (WorldFusion) • Matthew Montfort (MatthewMontfort)

Facebook: Ancient Future Fan Page • Matthew Montfort Fan Page

To subscribe, use the form below. Follow instructions thereafter, and make sure to ONLY check the geographic area where you actually live. We need this information so that we only send you information about concerts in your area. It doesn't refer to types of world music that you like.

Please enter your email address:

In This Issue:

Seven Subscribers Sought A.F.A.R.

•A.F.A.R. is Where YOU Join with Ancient Future in the Creation of a New Cross-Cultural Recording. Your Financial Support of as Little as $10 Makes a Difference!

Ancient Future Trio In Concert

•TimnaTal Music Presents at Village Homes Community Center in Davis 3/27/10.

Ancient-Future.Com Records Presents Mariah Parker's Indo Latin Jazz Quintet in Concert

•Kuumbwa Jazz in Santa Cruz 4/15/10 and Yoshi's Oakland 4/19/10.

Matthew Montfort Performs on Scalloped Fretboard Guitar and Glissentar

•Steynberg Gallery in San Luis Obispo 4/23/10 and Body Balance in Grass Valley 4/30/10.

Live Radio and Podcasts

•Schedule of Streams and Live Broadcasts.

Free MP3's for the California Democracy Act

•Ancient Future Supports Initiative Signature Gathering Effort with Free MP3s Through April 5.

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Seven Subscribers Sought A.F.A.R.

A.F.A.R. is Where YOU Join with Ancient Future in the Creation of a New Cross-Cultural Recording

Your Financial Support of as Little as $10 Makes a Difference!

The Archive of Future Ancient Recordings concept is to involve you, fans of world fusion music, in supporting the creation of a collection of new live and studio recordings that will be available to subscribers (YOU) as they are created. When the archive is complete, the best of the collection will be selected for release as the eighth Ancient Future release. There are already five songs in the archive available exclusively to subscribers: three live recordings of the band Ancient Future and two solo recordings of Ancient Future leader Matthew Montfort.

We have quite a few brand new songs in the wings waiting for funding to start the recording process. In the meantime, we are very close to adding a new live version of "Affinity Minus One," a previously unreleased Indo Latin jazz composition recorded live in high resolution audio at the debut performance of Mariah Parker's Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble at Yoshi's. Only seven more subscribers are needed to support mastering the high resolution audio so we can add it to the archive. Your support at $10 or more can be what puts this song in the archive! Please sign up for A.F.A.R. now and join us on this creative cross-cultural journey.

There are four supporter packages available:

Recording Newsletter Package: $10. Subscribe Now. Supporters at this level receive the A.F.A.R. Email Newsletter which provides a window on the creative process, good quality 128 kbps digital downloads of legacy recordings chosen from the Ancient Future archives of live concerts, radio performances, and unreleased performances, good quality 128 kbps digital downloads of music to be recorded especially for the A.F.A.R. project, and a 30% discount on advance copies of the final commercial release. This is quite a bargain with five songs already in the archive and more to come!

Download Supporter Package: $25. Subscribe Now. Supporters at this level receive everything included in the Recording Newsletter Package plus high quality 320 kbps downloads of legacy recordings chosen from the Ancient Future archives of live concerts, radio performances, and unreleased performances, high quality 320 kbps digital downloads of music to be recorded especially for the A.F.A.R. project forming an exclusive preview audio recording with digital liner notes that will not otherwise be available in shops (selections from which will form a final public edition), and the chance to submit feedback to questions posed in the recording newsletter. Limited to 300 packages.

Limited Edition CD Sponsor Package: $50. Subscribe Now. Supporters at this level receive everything included in the Download Supporter Package plus an exclusive limited edition CD-R of the same recording with printed liner notes signed by Ancient Future leader Matthew Montfort. Limited to 200 packages.

Honorary A & R Representative Package: $75. Subscribe Now. Supporters at this level receive everything included in the Limited Edition CD Sponsor Package plus a DVD-R including video and 24 bit audio files for hi-res playback on computers. Limited to 100 packages.

You can also help by spreading word of A.F.A.R. afar, so please share this with your friends near and afar (www.ancient-future.com/afar.html)!

Share on Facebook

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Ancient Future Trio In Concert

TimnaTal Music Presents at Village Homes Community Center in Davis 3/27/10

Saturday, March 27, 7 pm

TimnaTal Music Presents Ancient Future

Village Homes Community Center

2661 Portage Bay East

Davis, CA 95616

Tix: $12 in advance, $15 at the door

Info: 530-867-1032

Email: info@timnatalmusic.com

Venue Website: www.timnatalmusic.com

Ancient Future Event Website: www.ancient-future.com/pr_3_27_10.html

Facebook Event: www.facebook.com/event.php?&eid=342956531894

Poster: www.ancient-future.com/pdf/3_27_10_timnatal.pdf (464k)

Ancient Future Trio

Matthew Montfort - scalloped fretboard and fretless guitars

Mariah Parker - santur (hammered dulcimer)

Joe Fajen - tabla, percussion

This concert features a trio version of the pioneering world fusion music group Ancient Future featuring scalloped fretboard guitarist Matthew Montfort, santurist Mariah Parker, and Joe Fajen on tabla and percussion. The Ancient Future Trio concentrates on Arabic, Indian, and Spanish musical themes, and has performed in Spain at festivals in Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Botarell, Torredembarra, and Salou.

Video

Ancient Future performing duet version of 'Moonbath' at 30th Anniversary Concert

(Subscribe to A.F.A.R. to download this song now!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGIliJuyfvs

In December, the Ancient Future Times featured a challenge from A.F.A.R. for five more subscribers. The challenge was met, and the new live version of Moonbath is now in the archive, plus we have posted the video on youtube! As you can see, this version from the 30th anniversary concert at the Freight and Salvage is a very delicate and moving duet featuring scalloped fretboard guitar and hammered dulcimer. Subscribers get the full resolution audio!

Planet Passion by Ancient Future

Planet Passion by Ancient Future (Ancient-Future.Com AF 2010) $17.98: Buy 1 Now. (>audio.)

“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.” — Ryan Allen, LEO WEEKLY, Louisville, Kentucky

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Mariah Parker’s Indo Latin Jazz Quintet in Concert

Exclusive Santa Cruz debut of Mariah Parker's Indo Latin Jazz Quintet

Celebrating Mariah Parker's debut release on Ancient-Future.Com Records, Sangria

Thursday, April 15, 7 pm

Cookin’ at Kuumbwa

Kuumbwa Jazz Center

320-2 Cedar Street

Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Tix: $12 adv, $15 door; Jazz & Dinner: $24.60 adv.

Tix by phone: 1-866-55-TICKETS

Tix online: http://kuumbwajazz.inticketing.com/events

Doors open and dinner begins at 6 pm

For more info, call (831) 427-2227, email kuumbwa@kuumbwajazz.org or visit www.kuumbwajazz.org

Ancient Future Event Website: www.ancient-future.com/pr_4_15_10.html

Facebook Event: www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=333388193262

Poster: www.ancient-future.com/pdf/4_15_10_kuumbwa.pdf (756 k)

Back By Popular Demand at Yoshi's Jazz Club, Jack London Square

Monday, April 19, 8 pm

Yoshi’s Jazz Club

510 Embarcadero West

Oakland, CA 94607

Tix: $18

For more info, call 510-238-9200 or visit www.yoshis.com

Ancient Future Event Website: www.ancient-future.com/pr_4_19_10.html

Facebook Event: www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=348551128160

Poster: www.ancient-future.com/pdf/4_19_10_yoshis.pdf (756 k)

Mariah Parker's Indo Latin Jazz Quintet

Mariah Parker (composer, piano, santur) performs with a stellar lineup of musicians including including Grammy award winning woodwind virtuoso Paul McCandless (known through his work with the seminal chamber jazz groups Paul Winter Consort and Oregon), trailblazing guitarist Matthew Montfort (Ancient Future), bassist and cellist Kash Killion (Sun Ra Arkestra, Cecil Taylor); and Indian tabla/jazz drum set pioneer Sameer Gupta (Marc Cary, VidyA, Chitresh Das, Anindo Chatterjee).

“Mariah Parker's Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble packed Yoshi's in Jack London Square, and the incredible live performance had the audience roaring and screaming for more of the Indo-Latin jazz rhythms filling the celebrated jazz club during the CD release event for Mariah Parker's debut recording, 'Sangria.'” - Lynda Carson, BERKELEY DAILY PLANET

Video

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

(Subscribe to A.F.A.R. now to put this song in the high resolution download archive!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WARbr891OGQ

Sangria by Mariah Parker

Sangria by Mariah Parker (Ancient-Future.Com AF 2017). $17.98: Buy 1 Now. (>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.” — LATIN BEAT MAGAZINE

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Matthew Montfort Performs on Scalloped Fretboard Guitar and Glissentar

Spread Your Wings & Fly with Us: A Musical Journey Featuring

Montana Skies, Matthew Monfort, and AZA

Friday, April 23, 8 pm

Steynberg Gallery

1531 Monterey Street

San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

Tickets: $12 advance, $15 door

Information & Reservations: 805-547 0278

Venue Website: www.steynberggallery.com

Ancient Future Event Website: www.ancient-future.com/pr_4_23_10.html

Facebook Event: www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=107227645972690

Spread Your Wings & Fly with Us is a musical journey featuring the cello guitar fusion of Montana Skies, world music for guitar by Matthew Montfort, and North African music by AZA. Montana Skies will perform new acoustic music for cello, six-string electric cello, Spanish/classical guitar, and steel string guitar. AZA founders Fattah Abbou and Mohamed Aoualouare from Morocco showcase their unique highly percussive music blending the traditions of North Africa with a hint of the West. Ancient Future leader Matthew Montfort will perform solo on scalloped fretboard guitar and glissentar (11 string fretless guitar) and sit in with the other musicians. A selection of international wine and cheeses will be available.

Spanish Serenades, Meditative Maqams, and Reflective Ragas
Featuring Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar, glissentar) with Joe Fajen (tabla, percussion) and Anya Devi (Kathak and Flamenco dance)

Friday, April 30, 8 pm

Body Balance Studio

151 Mill St.

Grass Valley, CA 95945

Tix: $15 at the door. Children under 10 free.

Info: 530-470-0350

Venue Website: www.bodybalancenc.com

Ancient Future Event Website: www.ancient-future.com/pr_4_30_10.html

Facebook Event: www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=111377268875197

Poster: www.ancient-future.com/pdf/4_30_10_bodybalance.pdf (336 k)

Experience uplifting music from Matthew Montfort's new CD, Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar, which earned rave reviews and a feature in Guitar Player Magazine. He will perform Spanish serenades, meditative Middle Eastern maqams, and reflective ragas on scalloped fretboard and fretless guitars accompanied by Joe Fajen on percussion with Kathak and Flamenco dance by Anya Devi.

Matthew Montfort

As leader of the world music group Ancient Future, Matthew Montfort has devoted himself to the scalloped fretboard guitar since 1978. Featured in the December 2009 commemorative Les Paul issue of Guitar Player Magazine, 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. 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.

Video

Matthew Montfort Performing 'Soul Serenade' at Ancient Future's 30th Anniversary Concert

(Subscribe to A.F.A.R. to download this song now!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLfKTbpgO1Q

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 1 Now. (>audio)

"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

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Live Radio and Podcasts

• Sunday, March 28, 12 pm, Wimmin’s Music with Laura Testa interviews Mariah Parker, KKUP, 91.5 FM, Santa Clara, CA 95050. Live on the air. No webcast.


• Thursday, April 1, 7 pm, WorldStreams with Dari interviews Matthew Montfort and Mariah Parker, WorldStreams.org. Streams live online. Archived one week later.


• Sunday, April 4, 11 am, Ancient Future duet with Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar, glissentar) and Mariah Parker (santur), Please Stand By on KPIG (1510 AM), streaming live online at www.kpig.com, Watsonville, CA 95076.


• Sunday, April 4, 8 pm, One World in One Hour with Lars Bourne interviews Mariah Parker, KKUP, 91.5 FM, Santa Clara, CA 95050. Live on the air. No webcast.


• Sunday, April 4, 10 pm, Dean Suzuki interviews Mariah Parker on KPFA 94.1 FM, streaming live online at www.kpfa.org, 1929 Martin Luther King Way, Berkeley, CA 94704.


• Friday, April 9, 1 pm, Avotcja interviews Mariah Parker on La Verdad Musical, KPOO-FM 89.5, streaming live online at www.kpoo.com, San Francisco, CA 94115.


• Saturday, April 10, TBA between 10 am & noon, Hala Fauzi interviews Mariah Parker, KKUP, 91.5 FM, Santa Clara, CA 95050. Live on the air. No webcast.

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Free MP3's for the California Democracy Act

Ancient Future Supports Initiative Signature Gathering Effort with Free MP3s Through April 5

Ancient Future is among California musicians helping raise awareness about the campaign to put the California Democracy Act on the ballot. From now until the signature gathering deadline of April 5th, tracks by Ancient Future, Mariah Parker, Matthew Montfort, Paraguayan harpist Carlos Reyes and his Electric Symphony, an historic collaboration between sarod master Ali Akbar Khan and Bollywood superstar Ashe Bhosle, didjeridu master Stephen Kent with his groups Baraka Moon and Australian Bebop Ragas, and many others are available as free downloads through a website supporting the California Democracy Act. We donated our music because we think that once you learn how the two-thirds budget rule has been destroying infrastructure, education, and the arts in California, you'll want to help support this straightforward measure consisting of fourteen words “All legislative actions on revenue and budget must be determined by a majority vote.”

Ancient Future has first hand experience with the effects of the two-thirds budget rule. For years, Ancient Future was on the roster of the California Arts Council Touring Program, which partially subsidized some of our concert tours in California. The funds for the program were allocated yearly by legislators, with yearly budget cuts typical even in times of economic expansion. The program was finally eliminated altogether in the first Schwarzenegger administration budget, which drastically cut state arts funding, giving California the dubious title of lowest per capita arts funding of any state in the union. Now with the current state fiscal crisis, concert and workshop programs at universities and parks have been eliminated as well. The California Democracy Act is important because it could make it easier to pass future state budgets that support needed programs.

In these times without state support for the arts, Ancient Future's world fusion music movement very much needs your help. If you have the means, please support Ancient Future directly by buying CDs and music books from our catalog, supporting new recordings through the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings subscription series, attending music classes and concerts, and making donations to cover touring expenses not covered by ticket sales. If you live in California, please download and sign the petition and encourage others to do so. Petition forms for the California Democracy Act will also be available at the March 27th Ancient Future concert in at the Village Homes Community Center in Davis.

Borders Download of the Week, Gigs & Classes, & Moonbath from A.F.A.R.

January 2010 Issue:

Welcome to the Ancient Future Times

Email newsletter of the World Fusion Music Ensemble Ancient Future

Twitter: Matthew Montfort (MatthewMontfort) • Ancient Future Band (Ancient_Future) • Ancient-Future.Com Records (WorldFusion)

Facebook: Matthew Montfort Fan Page • Ancient Future Fan Page

In This Issue:

Challenge from A.F.A.R. Fulfilled!

•Take a Moonbath from A.F.A.R.

San Francisco Soiree for Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort

•Sunday Serenades at Peña Pachamama, January 17, 2010, 7:30 pm

Valentine's Sale Programs

•Ancient Future Download of the Week at Borders.Com, Baker & Taylor Valentine's Gift Guide, Ancient-Future.Com Sale

San Francisco World Music Classes

•Improve Your Rhythmic and Melodic Skills

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Challenge from A.F.A.R. Fulfilled!

A.F.A.R. is Where YOU Join with Ancient Future in the Creation of a New Cross-Cultural Recording

The Archive of Future Ancient Recordings concept is to involve you, fans of world fusion music, in supporting the creation of a collection of new live and studio recordings that will be available to subscribers (YOU) as they are created. When the archive is complete, the best of the collection will be selected for release as the eighth Ancient Future release.

Take a Moonbath from A.F.A.R.

Last month the Ancient Future Times featured a challenge from A.F.A.R.: as soon as five more subscribers joined, we would post a new live version of Moonbath, the first song Ancient Future took into the studio way back in December 1978. Lo and behold, six more people have now joined A.F.A.R.! Thanks go out to Bruce Frauman, Doug Berenson, Jane Heaven, Mara Fiore, Louis Martin Rosenbaum, and Athena Katsaros.

The new live version of Moonbath is now in the archive and available exclusively to supporters. The version from the 30th anniversary concert at the Freight and Salvage is a very delicate and moving duet featuring scalloped fretboard guitar and hammered dulcimer.

New World Jazz Track Just 10 Supporters A.F.A.R. from Your iPod!

We've decided to double down with our next challenge. The first part of the A.F.A.R. process involves selecting musical directions for the final recording, as the first supporters get to provide feedback on recording themes. The initial songs in the archive will represent some of the possible directions. One of those directions could be world jazz. Mariah Parker debuted a new Indo Latin jazz piece, "Affinity Minus One," at her Yoshi's concert last August. We've got an amazing live recording of the piece. We'll mix and master that and add it to the archive as an example as soon as 10 more people become supporters.Your support can be what puts this song in the archive! Please sign up for A.F.A.R. now and join us on this creative cross-cultural journey in the new year!

There are four supporter packages available:

Recording Newsletter Package: $10. Subscribe Now. Supporters at this level receive the A.F.A.R. Email Newsletter which provides a window on the creative process, good quality 128 kbps digital downloads of legacy recordings chosen from the Ancient Future archives of live concerts, radio performances, and unreleased performances, good quality 128 kbps digital downloads of music to be recorded especially for the A.F.A.R. project, and a 30% discount on advance copies of the final commercial release.

Download Supporter Package: $25. Subscribe Now. Supporters at this level receive everything included in the Recording Newsletter Package plus high quality 320 kbps downloads of legacy recordings chosen from the Ancient Future archives of live concerts, radio performances, and unreleased performances, high quality 320 kbps digital downloads of music to be recorded especially for the A.F.A.R. project forming an exclusive preview audio recording with digital liner notes that will not otherwise be available in shops (selections from which will form a final public edition), and the chance to submit feedback to questions posed in the recording newsletter. Limited to 300 packages.

Limited Edition CD Sponsor Package: $50. Subscribe Now. Supporters at this level receive everything included in the Download Supporter Package plus an exclusive limited edition CD-R of the same recording with printed liner notes signed by Ancient Future leader Matthew Montfort. Limited to 200 packages.

Honorary A & R Representative Package: $75. Subscribe Now. Supporters at this level receive everything included in the Limited Edition CD Sponsor Package plus a DVD-R including video and 24 bit audio files for hi-rez playback on computers. Limited to 100 packages.

You can also help by spreading word of A.F.A.R. afar, so please share this with your friends near and afar!

Share on Facebook

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San Francisco Soiree for Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort

Concert Poster (340 k pdf)

Sunday Serenades at Peña Pachamama

January 17, 2010, 7:30 pm

Peña Pachamama

1630 Powell near Union

San Francisco CA 94133

Tix: $12. Info: 415-646-0018

www.penapachamama.com

Full Press Release

Play YouTube Video

Live version of 'Soul Serenade' from Matthew Montfort's debut recording, Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar.

This soiree for Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar celebrates the debut solo recording by Ancient Future leader Matthew Montfort. Montfort will perform on both the scalloped fretboard guitar, a special modified instrument able to produce ornaments more characteristic of the sitar, and on a Godin Glissentar, an 11 string fretless guitar based on the oud. While previously known more for his compositions for the trendsetting world music group Ancient Future, Seven Serenades features his intimate improvisational guitar work. He will be joined by guest artists Salaheddin Takesh (Arabic percussion), Mariah Parker (santur), and Rasa Vitalia (belly dance).

Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort. (>audio). Buy 1 Now.

“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

A.F.A.R. Ticket Contest

To win a pair of tickets for admission to Matthew Montfort's 1/17/2010 show at Peña Pachamama in San Francisco, simply send an email to info@ancient-future.com with your idea for the best way to gather more support for A.F.A.R. Best idea received by 1/15/2010 wins.

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Valentine's Sales

Ancient Future titles have been selected for some exciting retail sales programs.

"Ocean of Love" from Planet Passion by Ancient Future will be the Weekly Music Download at Borders.Com from 1/18/2010-1/24/2010! Save this email and make a note to visit Borders.Com during that period to get your download at no charge.

Planet Passion and Matthew Montfort's Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar were selected for Baker & Taylor's Valentine's Gift Guide and will be on sale at select bookstores nationwide from 1/25/10 through 2/21/10. Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar was also selected for the Baker & Taylor Health & Wellness Guide (sale priced through 1/31/10).

In celebration, we are offering a Valentine's CD sale Ancient-Future.Com. All of the proceeds go directly to supporting the music. The sale features regular shipping at no extra charge in the USA on everything in the catalog and very special deals on our new releases!

Valentine's Sale! New Releases $14 Each Through February 14!

Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort. Ancient-Future.Com AF 2008. 6-panel Digipak CD: $17.98. Valentine's Sale $14! Buy 1 Now. (>audio).

Sangria by Mariah Parker. Ancient-Future.Com Records AF-2017. 6-panel Digipak CD: $17.98. Valentine's Sale $14! Buy 1 Now. (>audio).

Planet Passion by Ancient Future. Ancient-Future.Com AF-2010. Digipak CD & Booklet: $17.98. Valentine's Sale $14! Buy 1 Now. (>audio.)

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Start the New Year with a World Music Class with Matthew Montfort

Play Video

World Music Workshop Participants Larry Stack and Mara Fiore Talk About Their Experiences at Esalen New Year's Weekend

Improve Your Rhythmic and Melodic Skills

• January 19, 2010, Get Rhythm, ten Tuesdays from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm, Blue Bear School of Music, Fort Mason Center, Building D, San Francisco, CA 94123. Info: 415.673.3600.
  
• January 19, 2010, Music Theory for Guitar, ten Tuesdays from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Blue Bear School of Music, Fort Mason Center, Building D, San Francisco, CA 94123. Info: 415.673.3600.
  
• January 20, 2010, Survey of World Rhythms Class, six Wednesdays from 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm starting 1/20/2010, Zambaleta World Music and Dance School, 2929 19th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110. Cost: $113. Info: 415.341.1333. Facebook Event.
  
• January 20, 2010, Melodic Improvisation Through the Music of North India, six Wednesdays from 8:30 pm to 9:45 pm starting 1/20/2010, Zambaleta World Music and Dance School, 2929 19th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110. Cost: $113. Info: 415.341.1333. Facebook Event.
  

Matthew Montfort (MatthewMontfort.Com)

Matthew Montfort holds a B.A. in World Music and Composition and an M.A. in Arts and Media Technology from Antioch University. He is the leader of the world fusion music ensemble Ancient Future. A pioneer of the scalloped fretboard guitar (an instrument combining qualities of the South Indian vina and the steel string guitar), Montfort spent three months in intensive study with vina master K.S. Subramanian in order to fully apply the South Indian gamaka (note-bending) techniques to the guitar. He has performed concerts world wide, including at the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra on the golden coast of Spain near Barcelona. Matthew Montfort is the author of Ancient Traditions -- Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through the Traditions of Africa, Bali and India. 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. He teaches private lessons at the Blue Bear School of Music in San Rafael and at his studio in San Rafael. He has a few openings for new students starting in January 2010.