2019 Issues: January • February • March • April • May • June • August • December
December 2019 New Year's Issue
Ancient Future Times: 2020 Vision
2020 Vision
•Ways to Help the World Fusion Movement Reduce Polarization
Global Guitar Summit
•12/6/19, Wu Wei Tea Temple, Fairfax
2020 Vision
Ways to Help the World Fusion Movement Reduce Polarization
1. Fun Raising: Make a Tax Deductible Contribution
In this age of polarization, world fusion music is needed now more than ever. You can help our "fun raising" efforts to 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. 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!
2. Support the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings
Fun Raising A.F.A.R. Past the Finish Line
The Archive of Future Ancient Recordings, Ancient Future's fun fan funded recording project, has over 86 minutes of music in it so far. Another set of studio tracks that will expand the project by over 50% are already in production.
Hundreds and hundreds of hours have already gone into the composition, rehearsal, pre-production, and recording the guitar and bansuri flute tracks for Beyond Kalyan, a new piece by Matthew Montfort based on Rag Kalyan. At around 30 minutes long, it is a very expansive, emotional, and difficult to perform piece. Mindia Devi spent several weeks practicing her bansuri flute parts, and all of the composed sections and most of her improvised solos have been recorded. The next step will be recording Vishal Nagar's tabla tracks.
It's time for some "fun raising" to fund payments to master musicians so that they can carve out time to practice their parts and record them. We have raised 22% of our funding goal so far. This is substantial, but averages just a little more than 2% per year, so we need to greatly speed up our fun raising to complete the project.
Please consider becoming 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 until each supporter level is sold out. 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.
The Archive of Future Ancient Recordings by Ancient Future. (Ancient-Future.Com Records AF-2030)
- 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 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.
3. Make and Share Diverse Playlists
Streaming payments to artists are absurdly low, and the switch from music ownership to ad supported streaming has greatly harmed artists' ability to create new work. But there are even more problems with streaming. The algorithms are set up to suggest artists who sound like the music that the listener is already listening to. So, how are people to find out about new directions in music or music from other cultures?
After you support the artists you enjoy by purchasing their work (FUN raise A.F.A.R.), you can help to support musical diversity by making and sharing your own playlists of Ancient Future with your favorite artists from different genres. This can help to expand people's awareness, rather than narrow it. Right now, due to heavily weighted major label playlists featuring Ancient Future with New Age artists popular in the 80's, Ancient Future is predominantly suggested by streaming services to fans of New Age music. This is very limiting for the world fusion music movement. Fans of New Age music have often enjoyed world fusion music, especially the slower tempo pieces. But this isn't helping the world fusion music movement to reach people who need to be turned on to more diverse music.
Apple Music
Stream Ancient Future on Apple Music
If the above link doesn't work, search for Ancient Future directly in Apple Music. Apple doesn't have an ad supported tier, so it pays the most per stream of the major streaming companies at 65/100 of a penny net to Ancient-Future.Com Records, but that's nowhere near a sustainable payment that can support the creation of new recordings. It's much better to buy the downloads while you still can. Apple does allow you to make and share playlists. Please make public playlists with diverse artists and share them.
How to Make an Apple Music Playlist
Spotify
Stream Ancient Future on Spotify
Spotify pays a lower streaming rate than Apple, but higher than YouTube. It is still extremely low, especially for the ad supported tier, where a stream nets Ancient-Future.Com Records only 17/100 of a penny, while the subscription tier nets 36/100 of a penny. All users of Spotify can create playlists.
How to Make a Spotify Playlist
Spotify playlists featuring Ancient Future with appropriate artists can be found at WorldFusionMusicRadio.Com.
Pandora
Stream Ancient Future on Pandora
Pandora pays less per stream than Spotify on its free radio format, but more than Spotify on its subscription tier. Ancient-Future.Com Records nets 8/100 of a cent per stream on Pandora radio playlists, and 41/100 of a cent for Pandora Premium. The free version of Pandora doesn't allow user playlist creation, but you can thumbs up and down tracks. The Ancient Future station on Pandora is populated almost exclusively with tracks by artists with no world music influences at all. Please thumbs down those selections. If you hear Ancient Future on any Pandora station, please thumb it up so that more people find out about world fusion music. If you are a Pandora Premium user, you can create playlists.
How to Make a Pandora Playlist
YouTube
Watch Ancient Future on YouTube
Stream Ancient Future on YouTube Music
YouTube Music pays the lowest of all major music streaming services. For example, 1,708,584 streams of a track by Ancient Future on our own label on YouTube's ad supported service overseas netted Ancient Future only $101.16. That's less than 6/1000 of a cent per stream! Yes, thousandths of a cent! If this had not been on our own label, the artist share would have been even less. This is a travesty. Perhaps it is best to listen to YouTube Music with the sound off. Their subscription tier nets Ancient-Future.Com Records 65/100 of a cent, which is on par with Apple Music, but less than 0.02% of the reported streams in 2019 were in the subscription tier, so the higher rate is just a PR stunt at this point. YouTube Music is available in more countries than Spotify and all users of YouTube can create playlists, so for the time being we are encouraging the creation of YouTube playlists to share with users in countries where Spotify isn't available. Just remember to do your own listening on other services.
How to Make a YouTube Playlist
Global Guitar Summit
12/6/19, Wu Wei Tea Temple, Fairfax
Friday, December 6, 8 PM
Global Guitar Summit
Wu Wei Tea Temple
1820 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
Fairfax CA 94930
No cover. Suggested donation: $10 - $20.
Ancient Future leader and guitarist Matthew Montfort and German fingerstyle guitarist extraordinaire Teja Gerken return to the Wu Wei Tea Temple in Fairfax for an evening of music from around the world.
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.
Teja Gerken is known for his original compositions, many of which employ alternate tunings and two-handed tapping. His 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.
August 2019 Issue
Ancient Future Times: Spectacular Summer Show in the Sierras, School Sale, Scene Seeks Support
Ancient Future in the Sierra Nevada September 1
•Music at the Mine in Sierra City for Your Labor Day Weekend Holiday!
Back to the Ancient Future Back to School Sale
•Recordings, Music Training Materials, Skype Studies, and Musical Scavenger Hunt
3 Ways to Contribute to the World Fusion Movement
•Make a Tax Deductible Contribution to Ancient Future, Make a Direct Donation, Support A.F.A.R.
Ancient Future in the Sierra Nevada September 1
Pictured: Matthew Montfort (guitar), Aditya Kalyanpur (tabla), Doug McKeehan (keys).
Music at the Mine in Sierra City for Your Labor Day Weekend Holiday!
Featuring Matthew Montfort (guitar), Doug McKeehan (keys), and Aditya Kalyanpur (tabla)
Sunday, September 1, 3 PM
Music at the Mine
Kentucky Mine Amphitheater
100 Kentucky Mine Rd.
Sierra City CA 96125
Tix: $22 adv., $25 door, $10 kids 7 to 17 years old. Kids 6 and under are FREE!
Press Release
Ancient Future returns to perform at the Music at the Mine series at the Kentucky Mine Amphitheater for the first time since 2000. This outdoor amphitheater is in a stunningly spectacular setting nestled below the Sierra Buttes.
This uptempo program features world guitar pioneer Matthew Montfort, virtuoso keyboardist Doug McKeehan, and world famous Indian tabla phenomenon Aditya Kalyanpur, who is flying in from India for the event!
Montfort and McKeehan have played hundreds of concerts together with master musicians from many different traditions, and Montfort and Kalyanpur are known for their duet program that emanates strains of passionate flamenco and ethereal Indian raga and fires up crowds at outdoor festivals. This virtuoso trio's uptempo program is an exhilarating and improvisatory take on Ancient Future's broad repertoire.
Featured Musicians
Aditya Kalyanpur (Indian tabla)
Beginning his studies at the age of five under the vigilance of tabla maestro late Ustad Allarakha and tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain, Aditya Kalyanpur is considered as one of the most promising torchbearers of the Punjab Gharana style of tabla performance. Aditya was first seen with his guru Ustad Zakir Hussain for the famous "Wah Taj!" television commercial at the age of 11. Having the honor of being recognized as an "A" Grade Artist of All India Radio, he has given public performances along with his guru. Since then he has lent the enchanting music of his tabla to numerous commercials. We hear his tabla ringing in the background of the film "Everybody Says I am Fine" where Zakir Hussain composed the background score. To quote the acknowledging words of tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain for his young, talented disciple; "Even a young player like, say, Aditya Kalyanpur has the ability to approach the instrument with much more expertise than someone of his age would do 30 years ago." Honored with the title of 'Taal – Mani', Aditya Kalyanpur is the recipient of I.T.C's prestigious "Vidyasagar Award" as well as the "Sangeet Visharad." He has performed with many famous groups in a variety of genres, including the Rolling Stones.
Doug McKeehan (keys)
Doug McKeehan started his piano studies at age five, and began his first professional work at the age of twelve. He studied music at the Oberlin Conservatory, Kent State University, and the University of Otago (New Zealand). He has toured Europe twice and spent considerable time in India studying with notable Indian music teachers such as Pandit Ram Narayan, Ustad Kursheed Khan and Pandit A.G. Bhattacharya. He has composed original music for stage and T.V. productions in San Francisco and Los Angeles and has been musical director of two original musical comedy productions. He cofounded Air Craft with violinist Bruce Bowers, which released a highly acclaimed progressive jazz album, So Near, So Far (Crafted Air CA 30100). Since joining Ancient Future in 1985, he has performed hundreds of concerts with the band.
Matthew Montfort (band leader, scalloped fretboard guitar)
Matthew Montfort is the leader of the world fusion music ensemble Ancient Future. He is a pioneer of the scalloped fretboard guitar (an instrument combining qualities of the South Indian vina and the steel string guitar). Montfort spent three months in intensive study with vina master K.S. Subramanian in order to fully apply the South Indian gamaka (note-bending) techniques to the guitar. In 2009, he released his first solo guitar recording, Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar, which debuted at #8 on Zone Music Reporter's Top 100 February 2009 World Radio Chart, and held the #34 spot on the Top 100 of 2009. He has performed concerts worldwide, including at the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra on the golden coast of Spain near Barcelona and the Mumbai Festival at the Gateway of India in Bombay. He has performed live on national radio and TV shows such as the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. Montfort wrote the book Ancient Traditions - Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through the Traditions of Africa, Bali, and India, which has been used by many musicians to improve their rhythm skills.
Back to the Ancient Future Back to School Sale
Recordings, Music Training Materials, Skype Studies, and Musical Scavenger Hunt
Purchases at the Ancient-Future.Com World Music Store directly support the artists and the music, and our back to school sale offers bargain prices!
Five for Fifty: Five Releases Just $10 Each
- 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. Ancient-Future.Com Records AF-2010. List $17.98. SALE $10. Buy 1 Now.
- Sangria by Mariah Parker. Ancient-Future.Com Records AF-2017. List $17.98. SALE $10. Buy 1 Now.
- Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort. Ancient-Future.Com Records AF-2008. List $17.98. SALE $10. Buy 1 Now.
- Sympathetic Serenade by Matthew Montfort. Ancient-Future.Com Records AF-2012. Signed EP CD-R. List $12.98. SALE $10. Buy 1 Now.
The Ancient-Future.Com Record Store is the only place where all of the Ancient Future band recordings, including out of print major label recordings, are available on CD. The site also features releases on Ancient-Future.Com Records, the band's artist coalition label, and side projects by Ancient Future band members on other labels.
Educational Materials Sale: Get More Enjoyment Out of Music
World Music Studies for Listeners and Musicians!
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. Your site surfing can even win prizes in this issue's Musical Scavenger Hunt! And as you learn more, you may wish to take a private Skype lesson to continue your studies.
Beats Book Brings Bang for the Buck
Sale Celebrates New Audio Guides and Grooves
Ancient Traditions – Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through the Traditions of Africa, Bali and India by Matthew Montfort. Kentfield: Ancient Future Music, 1985. ISBN 0-937879-00-2.
- Comb Bound Book. $46.95 SALE $33.95. Buy 1 Now.
- Book and Enhanced Audio CD Set with MIDI Files. $74.95 SALE $53.95. Buy 1 Now.
- Book & Audio Guide/MIDI Download. New Best Buy! $69.95 SALE $49.95. Buy 1 Now.
- Companion MP3/MIDI Guide Tracks Download Set. New Release! $34.95 SALE 24.95. Buy 1 Now.
- Companion Audio/MIDI Guide Tracks 2 Volume CD/CD-ROM Set. $39.95 SALE $29.95. Buy 1 Now.
This classic "world beat bible" by Matthew Montfort takes the student on a musical voyage through the ancient rhythmic traditions of Africa, Bali, and India with a series of exercises that require no instruments to perform. Interesting, imaginative and fun, these rhythm exercises will be of immense help to all music lovers, not just percussionists.
The new downloadable companion set of MP3 audio guide and MIDI groove tracks of the exercises in the book Ancient Traditions – Future Possibilities is set up for playback on Mac and PC computers, tablets, and smartphones. The tracks are also available on a CD/CD-ROM set. The material is presented in two complimentary formats: audio guide tracks and MIDI groove tracks.
Digital Liner Note Discounts
- Yearning for the Wind Digital Liner Notes. 7 page .pdf of liner notes for Yearning for the Wind by Ancient Future. Features detailed explanations of the musical concepts of raga and tala behind the music. $1.98 list. SALE $1.50. Buy 1 Now.
- Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar Digital Liner Notes. 17 page .pdf of liner notes for Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort. Explains the inspirations and musical concepts behind each serenade. Sheet music is included for those who want to delve deeper. $2.98 list. SALE $2. Buy 1 Now.
- Sympathetic Serenade Digital Liner Notes. 9 page .pdf of liner notes for Sympathetic Serenade for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort. Features explanations of musical concepts. $1.98 list. SALE $1.50. Buy 1 Now.
- Planet Passion Digital Liner Notes. 11 page .pdf of liner notes for Planet Passion by Ancient Future. Features comprehensive notes detailing a mythical story of love through the musical traditions of the world. $1.98 list. SALE $1.50. Buy 1 Now.
Skype Studies Sale
Study any of the musical traditions featured on the Ancient Future web site via private Skype lessons with Ancient Future bandleader and guitarist, Matthew Montfort. Recognized as one of the world's 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists, Matthew Montfort teaches all styles of guitar (and other fretted instruments including ukulele, bass, mandolin, charango, and sitar) along with record production, composition, world rhythms, music theory, and repertoire for all instruments.
Skype Lessons
- 60 Minute Lesson. $75. SALE $60. Buy 1 Now. Custom private one hour online lesson.
- 45 Minute Lesson. $65. Sale $50. Buy 1 Now. Custom private 45 minute online lesson.
- 30 Minute Lesson. $50. Sale $40. Buy 1 Now. Custom private 30 minute online lesson.
Gift certificates are available for online lessons worldwide via Skype. The lessons can also be conducted through other webcam chat and conferencing services. And for a limited time, an additional discount is automatically offered on a Skype tutorial with purchase of Matthew Montfort's book Ancient Traditions – Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through the Traditions of Africa, Bali, and India at Ancient-Future.Com!
Musical Scavenger Hunt
3 Ways to Win
Start the school year with this scavenger hunt to win music education materials and learn about the ancient musical traditions of the world! Hunt through Ancient-Future.Com to answer the scavenger hunt questions. All of those who get any answer right win an educational digital liner note download of their choice! Get all of the answers right and also win your choice of the Audio Guide or MIDI Groove companion tracks to the world rhythms training manual, Ancient Traditions – Future Possibilities.
3 Scavenger Hunt Questions
- Name six instruments utilized in an Ewe percussion orchestra.
- What is the name of the more offbeat part of a Balinese kotèkan?
- What is the name of an 11 beat North Indian rhythmic cycle that includes two groupings of 1 1/2 beats?
This scavenger hunt contest is open only to subscribers to the Ancient Future Times. If you are not already receiving this newsletter, please subscribe before entering. Entries accepted through September 15, 2019. Send entries to info@ancient-future.com.
3 Ways to Contribute to the World Fusion Movement
1. Make a Tax Deductible Contribution to Ancient Future
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, or 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. 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!
2. Make a Direct Donation (Not Tax Deductible)
- Make a Direct Donation (not tax deductible). This works well for those who are not part of the top 10% of U.S. taxpayers expected to benefit by itemizing deductions under the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
3. Support the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings
Help Push A.F.A.R. Past the Finish Line
The Archive of Future Ancient Recordings, Ancient Future's fan funded recording project, 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!
We have raised 21% of our funding goal so far. This is substantial, but averages just a little more than 2% per year, so we need to greatly speed up our fundraising to complete the project. Please consider becoming 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 until each supporter level is sold out.
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.
The Archive of Future Ancient Recordings by Ancient Future. (Ancient-Future.Com AF-2030)
- 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 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.
Progress A.F.A.R.
Beyond Kalyan
Hundreds and hundreds of hours have already gone into the composition, rehearsal, pre-production, and recording 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. Mindia Devi spent several weeks practicing her bansuri flute parts, and then did a five hour recording session, nailing all of the composed parts. The next step will be to record her improvised solos. After that, it will be Vishal Nagar's turn to contribute 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. To complete the project, it would really help to have funds coming in more quickly. Please sign up to support the project!
June 2019 Issue
Ancient Future Times: Soon to See in San Francisco + Summer Circuit
Ancient Future Summer Circuit
•Central Coast and Sierra Nevada Festivals
Ancient Future at S.F. International Arts Festival
•Soon to See if San Francisco Still Supports its Scene
Ancient Future 'World Without Walls' Lineup Press
•Articles Covering Ancient Future 1990 to 1994
Ancient Future Summer Circuit
Central Coast and Sierra Nevada Festivals
The summer festival season is coming, offering a chance to see Ancient Future in a wonderful vacation setting!
- Sunday, July 28, 5 PM, Ancient Future, Mozaic Festival, See Canyon Fruit Ranch, 2345 See Canyon Road, San Luis Obispo CA 93405. Tix: $40 grass, $60 table.
- Sunday, September 1, 3 PM, Ancient Future, Kentucky Mine Amphitheater, 100 Kentucky Mine Rd., Sierra City CA 96125. Tix: $22 adv., $25 door, $10 kids 7 to 17 years old. Kids 6 and under are FREE!
Do you know of a festival in your area that might hire Ancient Future? Send contact information to info@ancient-future.com and we will follow up.
Ancient Future at S.F. International Arts Festival
Soon to See if San Francisco Still Supports its Scene
Ancient Future 'World Without Walls' Reunion Concert
Note: This is the ONLY Ancient Future concert booked for the rest of the year in the San Francisco Bay Area. This is only the fifth time that this historic lineup has performed since the 90's when they toured and performed hundreds of concerts. DON'T MISS THIS VERY RARE PERFORMANCE.
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.
Press Release.
Ancient Future 'World Without Walls' Lineup Press
Articles Covering Ancient Future 1990 to 1994
World Without Walls Media Report (6.4 MB). 1990-1992 Articles.
The world music scene in the early 90's was very vibrant, and there were a lot of articles written about Ancient Future in local, national, and international publications. A few have been compiled here.
They include everything from very in-depth articles and reviews to a humorous but rave record review extolling the benefits that amass for dentists who include Ancient Future on patient playlists. Probably this dental review should stay buried deep in the Ancient Future archives, but it's funny so here's an excerpt and you can read the entire review if you wish (probably you do):
"I played this CD over my office audio system, and it was just like Novocaine. The patients love it! I can go right in and fill their cavities, yank their wisdom teeth, drain gum abscesses, whatever, when they go into their open-but-very-distant-eyed, puffed-cheek trance upon hearing this stuff...Great, authentic performances from Chinese board zither performer Zhao Hui and Bui Huu Nhut, whose dan bau (single-string Vietnamese instrument) plucking adds color and resonance to already beautiful songs." – Biff Mockowski, D.D.S., Secret Guide to Music
Ancient Future was very early on the world music bandwagon, and at the beginning was often confused with New Age music. This led to to comparisons such as the one in the Boston Rock review on page 58 of the 'World Without Walls' Media Report that calls Ancient Future "Shadowfax with teeth," although Shadowfax wasn't really a New Age band either, and Ancient Future never bit anyone.
But by the early 1990's, world music was finally getting coverage in the media. It was a promising period, but the progress that world music made was to some degree erased by the fear of foreign cultures that come to the front after 9/11.
In the current age of polarization, world music is needed now more than ever, as is professional writing in respected publications that care about facts. Check out some of the articles in our press archive and have some fun looking at the birth of world music into the mainstream media through the way back machine.
Asian Fusion Media Report (11.4 MB). 1993-1994 Articles.
May 2019 Issue
Ancient Future Times: Secret Code for the Future
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
•In the Ancient Future Beyond
Free Sonoma County Library Concert Series
•Each Concert Program Features Different Material!
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: Use Discount Code Future40 at Checkout Through May 11
Press Release. Poster.pdf (1.1 MB ).
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).
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.
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
- Take younger relatives and friends to concerts.
- 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:
- World Music Connections. World fusion music and the traditional music that inspired it side by side.
- Indian Guitar. Guitarists working in Indian music utilizing everything from slides to scalloped fretboards.
- 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!
- World Jazz. Jazz that influenced Ancient Future along with some more recent world jazz recordings.
- Asian Fusion. World fusion music with Asian themes.
- Send younger friends to the music education pages at Ancient-Future.Com.
- Contact your local public radio station and ask them to bring back world music shows.
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 aneurysm 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.
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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
April 2019 Issue
Ancient Future Times: Early Bird Gets the World
Early Bird Gets the World Without Walls Reunion Concert
•$15 Tickets for 5/26/19 @ SFIAF Available Through 3/31/19
Progress A.F.A.R.
•Beyond Kalyan
Free Sonoma County Library Concert Series
•Each Concert Program Features Different Material!
Contributions to Ancient Future Make a Difference
•Tax Deductible Donation Helped Make 40th Anniversary Concert a Success!
Early Bird Gets the World ...
... Without Walls Reunion Concert
$15 Tickets for 5/26/19 @ SFIAF Available Through 3/31/19
World Jazz featuring Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), Jim Hurley (violin), Doug McKeehan (keyboards, piano), Ian Dogole (percussion)
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. $15 general admission early bird tickets available through March 31 while supplies last. Box office: 415-345-7575.
Buy Early Bird Tix Now (Price Goes Up April 1)
Press Release. Poster.pdf (1.1 MB).
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.
This lineup of Ancient Future played over a hundred concerts together from 1988 to 1995. In 2011, they reunited for the first time in 15 years to perform concerts at Todos Santos Plaza in Concord and Yoshi's in San Francisco. In honor of the reunion concerts, World Without Walls was released digitally by Capitol Records for the first time ever at major digital retailers such as iTunes. Twenty two years after its initial release in 1990, broadcasters worldwide voted the record as one of the top 5 world music releases of 2012. In September 2012 they performed at the Frick Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and then at the Freight and Salvage in October 2013. This show at the San Francisco International Arts Festival will be their fifth reunion concert.
'World Without Walls' Reunion
YouTube Video of Ancient Future Performing Bookenka at 'World Without Walls' Reunion. Shown: Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), Jim Hurley (violin), Doug McKeehan (keyboards, piano), Ian Dogole (percussion), Kash Killion (bass), and Mariah Parker (santur).
"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).
Progress A.F.A.R.
Beyond Kalyan
Ancient Future's 40th Anniversary Concert at the Freight and Salvage was a tremendous success, with two standing ovations and over 200 people attending on a Tuesday night in the midst of the rainy season and safety issues on the Richmond-San Rafael bridge! The rehearsals for the event 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 and hundreds of hours have already gone into the composition, rehearsal, pre-production, and recording 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.
Support for A.F.A.R. has been substantial but slow to come in. Right now, we need to raise funds to pay musicians so that they can carve out time to practice their parts and record them. To complete the project, it would really help to have funds coming in more quickly. Please sign up to support the project!
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, March 30, 2 PM, Ancient Future World Jazz Trio with Matthew Montfort, Doug McKeehan (keys), and Ian Dogole (percussion), Northwest Santa Rosa Library, 150 Coddingtown Center, Santa Rosa CA 95401. Free. Info: 707-546-2265 or visit sonomalibrary.org.
- Saturday, April 20, 2 PM, Ancient Future Guitar and Arabic Percussion Duet with Matthew Montfort and Antoine Lammam (Arabic percussion), Central Santa Rosa Library, 211 E Street, Santa Rosa CA 95404. Free. Info: 707-308-3020 or visit sonomalibrary.org.
- Saturday, April 27, 2 PM, Ancient Future 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.
- Saturday, May 4, 2 PM, Ancient Future Guitar and Tabla Duet with Matthew Montfort and Vishal Nagar (tabla), 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.
- Saturday, May 11, 2 PM, Ancient Future World Jazz Trio with Matthew Montfort, Doug McKeehan (keys), and Ian Dogole (percussion), Healdsburg Regional Library, 139 Piper Street, Healdsburg CA 95448. Free. Info: 707-433-3772 or visit sonomalibrary.org.
YouTube Video of 'Yearning for the Wind' Featuring Matthew Montfort and Vishal Nagar
Contributions to Ancient Future Make a Difference
Tax Deductible Donation Helped Make 40th Anniversary Concert a Success!
An anonymous contribution to Ancient Future through InterMusic SF was a big help in making Ancient Future's 40th Anniversary concert at the Freight and Salvage a success. Receiving the contribution before the concert allowed us to spend more money on promotion and pay for travel and other costs that ticket sales alone would not have covered. THANK YOU ANONYMOUS!
The sad truth is that ticket sales alone are insufficient to support this music. In the past, many fine arts concert presenters were supported with grant money and so our concert fees were often subsidized, which helped cover travel expenses, booking costs, and fees for the master musicians required to perform this music. But with drastic cuts to arts budgets and so many extremely famous artists on the road most of the year now because they can't make money anymore from their recordings, concert fees have declined and subsidized concerts are now few and far between. This has made it difficult for Ancient Future to tour.
But you can help us bring music to the world in our 40th season of world fusion music. Your tax deductible contribution can provide seed money to help cover travel costs to bring Ancient Future to perform in your area, help support Ancient Future's local Northern California concert season, or support new compositions and recordings.
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.
March 2019 Issue
Ancient Future Times: Future of Ancient Future
Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Music
•Could A.I. Take Away the Magic of Making Music?
Free Sonoma County Library Concert Series
•Each Concert Program Features Different Material!
Housing Crisis Reaches the Ancient Future
•Help Founding Member Mindia Devi Stay Here Now After 40th Anniversary
Save the Date: Ancient Future 5/26/19 @ SFIAF
•Ancient Future 'World Without Walls' Reunion Concert
Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Music
Photo of Matthew Montfort by Michael Braden
Could A.I. Take Away the Magic of Making Music?
Matthew Montfort was a serious science fiction fan when he began his studies of the guitar with an eye towards becoming a professional instrumentalist and composer at the age of 12. Back then, the future of human evolution with computers was conceived as one where body sizes would shrink, and brains would become bigger. Montfort imagined a future in which he could put on a thinking cap and the notes would pour forth, powered by brain waves and electronics. Fast foward to a new age of artificial intelligence, and it turns out the future isn't what it used to be!
Read the article Matthew Montfort wrote about the effects of artificial intelligence on music for the latest issue of Music Worker, the newsletter of the Artist Rights Alliance (formerly the Content Creators Coalition).
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.
- Wednesday, February 20, 7 PM, Ancient Future History with Matthew Montfort, Mindia Devi Klein (bansuri and silver flute), and Mariah Parker (santur), Petaluma Regional Library, 100 Fairgrounds Dr., Petaluma CA 94952. Free. Info: 707-763-9801 or visit sonomalibrary.org.
- Saturday, March 9, 3 PM, Global Guitar Summit with Matthew Montfort and Teja Gerken (fingerstyle guitar), Guerneville Regional Library, 14107 Armstrong Woods Rd., Guerneville CA 95446. Free. Info: 707-869-9004 or visit visit sonomalibrary.org. Facebook Event. (Also performing Friday, March 8, 8 PM, Wu Wei Tea Temple, 1820 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Fairfax CA 94930. Donation: $10 - $20. Info: visit wuweiteatemple.com. )
- Saturday, March 30, 2 PM, Ancient Future World Without Walls Trio with Matthew Montfort, Doug McKeehan (keys), and Ian Dogole (percussion), Northwest Santa Rosa Library, 150 Coddingtown Center, Santa Rosa CA 95401. Free. Info: 707-546-2265 or visit sonomalibrary.org.
- Saturday, April 20, 2 PM, Ancient Future Guitar and Arabic Percussion Duet with Matthew Montfort and Antoine Lammam (Arabic percussion), Central Santa Rosa Library, 211 E Street, Santa Rosa CA 95404. Free. Info: 707-308-3020 or visit sonomalibrary.org.
- Saturday, April 27, 2 PM, Ancient Future 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.
- Saturday, May 4, 2 PM, Ancient Future Guitar and Tabla Duet with Matthew Montfort and Vishal Nagar (tabla), 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.
- Saturday, May 11, 2 PM, Ancient Future World Without Walls Trio with Matthew Montfort, Doug McKeehan (keys), and Ian Dogole (percussion), Healdsburg Regional Library, 139 Piper Street, Healdsburg CA 95448. Free. Info: 707-433-3772 or visit sonomalibrary.org.
Housing Crisis Reaches the Ancient Future
Photo by Barbara Framm. Shown: Mindia Devi Klein, Benjy Wertheimer, Matthew Montfort, and Mariah Parker
Help Founding Member Mindia Devi Stay Here Now After 40th Anniversary
Ancient Future's 40th Anniversary Concert at the Freight and Salvage was a tremendous success, with over 200 people attending on a Tuesday night and two standing ovations!
But there was some difficult news after the event. Founding Ancient Future member Mindia Devi Klein had arranged temporary housing so she could be in the Bay Area to perform at the concert. But the offer suddenly fell through a few days after the concert, so she needs a place to live starting around March 7. She is open to all possibilities, but she has lived and worked in Marin for many decades and prefers to stay in the North Bay. If you know of or have an inexpensive house sit or share rental in a stable environment for her to reside, please contact her at mindiadevi@gmail.com.
The local housing crisis brought about by factors including the unregulated growth of the tech industry has deeply hurt the local music scene. There is so much work needed to bring the arts back to their former glory in the San Francisco Bay Area. But finding housing for a local music hero is a small step in the right direction. Artists give back to the community in so many ways. Finding housing for Mindia will allow Ancient Future to begin recording a 25 minute piece featuring her for the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings. Her students will benefit from her guidance, and there will be more beautiful flute music in the air.
Save the Date: Ancient Future 5/26/19 @ SFIAF
Ancient Future 'World Without Walls' Reunion Concert
World Jazz featuring Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), Jim Hurley (violin), Doug McKeehan (keyboards, piano), Ian Dogole (percussion)
Photo by Irene Young of Ancient Future circa 1990
Sunday Evening, May 26, 2019, 5 PM
San Francisco International Arts Festival
Gallery 308, Fort Mason
San Francisco CA 94109
Press Release. Poster.pdf (1.1 MB).
Discounted Early Bird Tickets on Sale March 1!
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.
This lineup of Ancient Future played over a hundred concerts together from 1988 to 1995. In 2011, they reunited for the first time in 15 years to perform concerts at Todos Santos Plaza in Concord and Yoshi's in San Francisco. In honor of the reunion concerts, World Without Walls was released digitally by Capitol Records for the first time ever at major digital retailers such as iTunes. Twenty two years after its initial release in 1990, broadcasters worldwide voted the record as one of the top 5 world music releases of 2012. In September 2012 they performed at the Frick Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and then at the Freight and Salvage in October 2013. This show at the San Francisco International Arts Festival will be their fifth reunion concert.
'World Without Walls' Reunion
YouTube Video of Ancient Future Performing Bookenka at 'World Without Walls' Reunion. Shown: Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), Jim Hurley (violin), Doug McKeehan (keyboards, piano), Ian Dogole (percussion), Kash Killion (bass), and Mariah Parker (santur).
"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
February 2019 Issue
Ancient Future Times: Festivities Begin for Ancient Future's 40th Year of World Fusion
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
•Each Concert Program Features a Different Lineup!
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.
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
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
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 $40. Buy 1 Now.
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! Press Release.
- 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.
January 2019 Issue
Ancient Future Times: Reunion Celebrating 40 Years of World Fusion
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!
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 press release page 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.
Box Office Phone: 510-644-2020.
Email: info@freightandsalvage.org
Press Release
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).