Ancient Future Times

Please enter your email address:

February 2010 Issue:
Welcome to the Ancient Future Times
Email newsletter of the World Fusion Music Ensemble Ancient Future

In This Issue:

World Fusion Mini-Fest at Don Quixote's International Music Hall 2/28/10
•Featuring Matthew Montfort with Mariah Parker, Four Shillings Short, and Walter Strauss with Mamadou Sidibe

San Francisco World Music Classes Start 3/3/10
•Improve Your Rhythmic and Melodic Skills

Ancient Future Duet Performs Dinner Concert in Oakland 3/6/10
•Vegan Cuisine by In the Mood for Food

Ancient Future Trio In Concert in Davis 3/27/10
•TimnaTal Music Presents at Village Homes Community Center

Seven Subscribers A.F.A.R. from Affinity Minus One!
•A.F.A.R. is Where YOU Join with Ancient Future in the Creation of a New Cross-Cultural Recording


World Fusion Mini-Fest at Don Quixote's International Music Hall 2/28/10

Featuring Matthew Montfort with Mariah Parker (Santur), Four Shillings Short, and Walter Strauss with Mamadou Sidibe

Walter Strauss and Mamadou Sidibe

Sunday, February 28, 2 pm - 6 pm
Don Quixote's International Music Hall

6275 Highway 9
Felton, CA 95018
Tix: $10 adults. 16 and under free.
Info: 831-603-2294
email: tmm@cruzio.com
web: www.donquixotesmusic.com
facebook event: www.facebook.com/?sk=events#!/event.php?eid=306511012108
concert poster: www.ancient-future.com/pdf/2_28_10_don_quixotes.pdf

Don Quixote's International Music Hall presents a celebration of world fusion music with three stellar acts. Matthew Montfort, who coined the term “world fusion music” as leader of the pioneering world music group Ancient Future, brings the Eastern and Western worlds together with his masterful playing on scalloped fretboard guitar and Glissentar, accompanied by Mariah Parker on santur. Four Shillings Short bring together Celtic, East Indian and world folk music on over 30 instruments from around the world. Guitarist/songwriter Walter Strauss brings American folk, West African music, world beat and jazz to create a cohesive quilt of world music styles. Master hunter's harpist, Mamadou Sidibe, played a groundbreaking role in transforming the music of the Wassoulou region of Mali from its origins in hunters' sacred melodies to a music of philosophical observations, politics and daily life.

Matthew Montfort with Mariah Parker

The leader of the world music group Ancient Future, Matthew Montfort, is a pioneer among guitarists who have had their fretboards scalloped in order to play various forms of world music. 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 worldwide, including at the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra on the golden coast of Spain near Barcelona. The December 2009 Les Paul issue of Guitar Player Magazine includes a full page feature on him with a corresponding GuitarPlayer.Com video and lesson entitled “The Music of Jimi Hendrix Applied to Indian Raga.” He is joined by Mariah Parker on santur, whose debut CD, Sangria, received rave reviews and airplay on more than 385 jazz and world music radio programs. Mariah Parker's Indo Latin Jazz Quintet will perform at Kuumbwa Jazz in Santa Cruz on April 15, and Yoshi's in Oakland on April 19.

Seven Serenades Hi Rez CD Cover Art CD Cover

Matthew Montfort

Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort (Ancient-Future.Com AF 2008) $17.98. Buy 1 Now. (>YTmusic)

“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

“The mind-bending playing abilities of guitar virtuoso, Matthew Montfort, stems from the note-bending capabilities of the scalloped fretboard guitar. This produces a different sound than the more familiar guitar, because the fretboard is carved out, so the fingers only touch the strings. Musically, the songs verge on a flamenco-Indian-jazz continuum. This is partly due to Matthew's playing technique and the sitar-like sounds of his guitar.” – Matthew Forss, INSIDE WORLD MUSIC

Four Shillings Short

The Celtic/folk/world music duo, Four Shillings Short, perform on a fantastic array of instruments from around the world. This list of instruments includes North Indian sitar, hammered dulcimer, mandolins, banjo, whistles, recorders, medieval and renaissance woodwinds, charango, bowed psaltery, guitar, and even a krumhorn. The husband/wife duo of Aodh Og O’Tuama from Cork, Ireland and Christy Martin from California, tour in the US and Ireland, live as full time minstrels.

“They are not the Clancy Brothers or Jean Richie or Ravi Shankar but a combination of all three, laced with Irish humor.” – San Gregorio General Store, CA

“Four Shillings Short are astounding. They both have wonderful singing voices and play an incredible variety of music from Indian Ragas to Celtic, Traditional folk and about anything else you can think of. They are very charismatic with great stage presence.” – Columbus Folk Music Society, Columbus OH

Walter Strauss with Mamadou Sidibe

When American guitarist Walter Strauss and Malian kamal'ngoni master Mamadou Sidibe engage in a musical interplay of finger-style guitar and West African hunter's harp, the result is a deep, soulful music that is simultaneously ancient and fresh. These two unique musicians from distant origins create an intoxicating blend of music in which they gracefully complement each other through intertwining melodic grooves, spirited improvisation, and songs in two languages. Walter Strauss is a “wizard of the fingerstyle guitar” (folk and roots) whose multi-layered style gives the impression several instruments are playing at once. He's performed widely with musicians ranging from Grammy nominated West African kora master Mamadou Diabate to eclectic songsters The Burns Sisters and fiddle legend Vassar Clements. Master kamal’ngoni player, Mamadou Sidibe is from the Wassoulou region of Mali, West Africa. Twenty-five years ago, Mamadou played a groundbreaking role in transforming the music of this region from its origins in hunters' sacred melodies – played on six string donso ngoni (hunter's harps) – to a music of philosophical observations, politics and daily life. Mamadou has toured with Malian greats Oumou Sangare, Coumba Sidibe, and Toumani Diabate in Africa, Europe and the US.


San Francisco World Music Classes Start 3/3/10

Improve Your Rhythmic and Melodic Skills

Video of Workshop Testimonials
World Music Workshop Participants Larry Stack and Mara Fiore Talk About Their Experiences. Play Video

Matthew Montfort

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 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 March 2010.


Ancient Future Duet Performs Dinner Concert in Oakland 3/6/10

Vegan Cuisine by In the Mood for Food

In the Mood for Food

Saturday, March 6, 2010, 7 pm
In the Mood for Food Dinner Concert Series

Private Location
Oakland, CA 94607
Tix: $55/person. Bring your own bottle. Limited seating for 20. Reservations required.
Reservations Tel: 510-393-6096.
Reservations Email: phil@philipgelb.com
In the Mood For Food Website: philipgelb.blogspot.com
Ancient Future Website: www.ancient-future.com
Facebook Event: www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=253853104137&index=1

Ancient Future Duet

Matthew Montfort and Mariah Parker on Youtube
Youtube Video Duet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGIliJuyfvs

Matthew Montfort - scalloped fretboard and fretless guitars
Mariah Parker - santur (hammered dulcimer)

This intimate dinner concert features a delicate duet version of the pioneering world fusion music group Ancient Future featuring scalloped fretboard guitarist Matthew Montfort and santurist Mariah Parker. The Ancient Future duet concentrates on Arabic, Indian, and Spanish musical themes. They 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.

In the Mood for Food Dinner Menu

Much as a musician's craft is constantly evolving, the five course menus for the In the Mood for Food dinner concert series are typically a creative work in progress until the final shopping trip the day of the show. The envisioned menu for the Ancient Future duet concert features wild mushroom black lentil soup (heirloom lentils and winter vegetables in a wild mushroom stock); an arugula, radichio, grilled portabello mushroom salad with tangerine dressing; a small surprise plate TBA; an entree of gingered sweet potato puree, spicy orange roasted homemade tempeh, and sauteed garlic kale and purple cabbage; and for desert a banana split world fusion style with homemade chocolate/cardamom and coconut/lemongrass vegan ice “cream.”


Ancient Future Trio In Concert in Davis 3/27/10

TimnaTal Music Presents at Village Homes Community Center

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 Website: www.ancient-future.com

Ancient Future Trio

Photo of Mariah Parker and Matthew Montfort

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. They 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.

Matthew Montfort and Mariah Parker on Youtube
Youtube Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuaq_-hl0HE

Planet Passion by Ancient Future

Planet Passion CD Cover

Planet Passion

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

Planet Passion by Ancient Future has been re-issued with 64-Bit Tuned Harmonic Mastering to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band. The seventh Ancient Future recording features nineteen top masters of of Indian, Nepali, African, Cuban, Celtic, Arabic, Palestinian, Jewish, Indonesian, Chinese, Eastern European and American music traditions performing music on the theme of mythical stories of love.

“If the members of the United Nations formed a world-fusion band, it might look and sound a little something like Ancient Future’s re-issue of their seventh recording. Featuring instrumentation from Africa, Asia, South America and the Middle East, Planet Passion is a mythical story of love, flirtation, seduction, courtship, marriage and longing. Manose Singh’s bansuri flute and Matthew Montfort’s scalloped fretboard work stand out in this eclectic, visionary global village, where each track features its own unique set of players. At its best, Planet Passion strives to preserve the world’s vast musical heritage via international collaboration: the idea that one protects the old by creating something new. This is at the heart of fusion music and the heart of Ancient Future’s global aesthetics, too: a diverse, unified world without borders, a multicultural community, a new, reconstituted sonic reality.” — Ryan Allen, LEO WEEKLY, Louisville, Kentucky


Seven Subscribers A.F.A.R. from Affinity Minus One!

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

30th Anniversary CD Mystery Cover

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.

Seven Subscribers A.F.A.R. from Affinity Minus One

Youtube Video of Affinity Minus One
Mariah Parker's Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble Performing 'Affinity Minus One' at Yoshi's:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WARbr891OGQ

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, which was recorded on video and high resolution audio.

Last month, we offered to mix and master "Affinity Minus One" and add it to the archive as an example of a possible world jazz direction as soon as 10 more people become supporters. Thanks go out to David Jordan, Rabia Siddique, and Anasuya Knutson who helped support us posting the above video of the piece on youtube. Now only seven more supporters are needed to post the high resolution audio in the archive. 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!

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-res playback on computers. Limited to 100 packages.

Bathe in a Moonbath from A.F.A.R.

Matthew Montfort and Mariah Parker on Youtube
Youtube Video Duet: 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. We got six new subscribers, 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! Thanks go out to Bruce Frauman, Doug Berenson, Jane Heaven, Mara Fiore, Louis Martin Rosenbaum, and Athena Katsaros for supporting the addition of this song to the archive.

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
Tweet This

Band PhotoBand PhotoBand PhotoBand PhotoBand Photo