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2023 Issues: January • May • November • December

Ancient Future Times

New Year's 23/24 Issue

Ancient Future Times: Hope for Humanity Through World Music

The mission of Ancient Future is to explore how ideas from different cultures can work together through the creation of world fusion music. That mission continues into the new year with a sense of renewed urgency in this period of climate crisis, polarization and military conflict. While music can't solve these problems, it can help bring people together. The musicians who work with Ancient Future include people from cultures that are sometimes at odds with each other, such as Palestinian and Jewish musicians. Over the years there have been some very interesting conversations between musicians with different backgrounds, and everyone involved has learned something from that.

New Music A.F.A.R.
•New Recordings with Educational Materials

Free Music Workshops Near and Afar
•Study All Styles of Guitar and World Rhythms

2024 Concerts
•Save the Dates

New Music A.F.A.R.

New Recordings with Educational Materials

The Archive of Future Ancient Recordings, Ancient Future's fan funded recording project, already has 101 minutes of music in it available exclusively to supporters. But there's also over an hour of music in production awaiting final overdubs to be added to the project. Upright bass has been added to Fretless Camel and Rasa Flamenca, practice tracks have been sent to musicians to finish up the over 60 minutes of music in production, and work has started on exciting new pieces. The latest is Matthew Montfort's composition Ruperías, which is based on some of the harmonic and melodic elements of the 12 beat flamenco form Bulerías but set in the 7 beat North Indian rhythmic cycle Rupak tal. Montfort has finished the MIDI mockup and recorded the flamenco guitar part, which required finding ways to adapt some of the flamenco guitar techniques to work in a 7 beat cycle and several months of practice to fully integrate them.

Ancient Future now has a soundproof studio location about 90 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge, but many of Ancient Future's musicians reside south and east of San Francisco, so with the cost of gas and frequently stalled traffic, it's been difficult to schedule musicians and pay for their travel costs and time. To speed the timetable up, a portable audio interface and laptop has been acquired to make it easier to bring the project near where the musicians live. You can help by becoming a supporter!

Supporter Levels and Premiums

Make a Tax Deductible Contribution

Free Music Workshops Near and Afar

Skype Guitar LessonSkype Rhythm LessonLearn Ancient Traditions on Skype

Study World Rhythms and All Styles of Guitar

To celebrate opening Ancient Future Studios in Sonoma County, a series of free introductory in person music workshops is being offered at the Cloverdale Arts Alliance in downtown Cloverdale. For those not in Northern California, a separate set of free workshops will be held online.

Cloverdale Arts Alliance, 204 N. Cloverdale Boulevard, Cloverdale, CA 95425. Introductory workshops: FREE. Ongoing classes: $150 for six more weeks. Sign up: info@cloverdaleartsalliance.org. Online versions sign up: lessons@matthewmontfort.com.

Matthew Montfort Bio

Matthew Montfort is known as a world guitar innovator and an inspiring music instructor who helps students of all levels and ages learn whatever style they desire. He is on the 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists list at DigitalDreamDoor.com along with such luminaries as Michael Hedges, Leo Kottke, Chet Atkins, John Fahey, Adrian Legg, Merle Travis, John Renbourn, Tommy Emmanuel, Doc Watson, Pierre Bensusan, Toni Rice, Alex Grassi, Stefan Grossman, Artie Traum, Joni Mitchell, and Peppino D'Agostino. He is the leader of the world music group Ancient Future and performs on many instruments, including scalloped fretboard guitar, Glissentar 11 string fretless guitar, electric guitar, classical guitar, flamenco guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, sitar, charango, mandolin, and gamelan.

Montfort wrote the book Ancient Traditions – Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through the Traditions of Africa, Bali, and India, which has been used at many music schools including the Berklee College of Music. Matthew Montfort was on the faculty of the Blue Bear School of Music in San Francisco for three decades where he taught rock, folk, jazz, blues, classical guitar, music theory, and world music. He teaches all styles of guitar, ukulele, bass, charango, sitar, and mandolin as well as music theory for all instruments and rhythm classes based on his book.

Guitar Classes

Free Guitar Workshops Poster

Poster (658k .pdf)

Beginning Guitar

Wednesday, February 21, 2024, 7 to 7:45 PM

This free introductory beginning workshop can help aspiring guitarists get started on the right track with good practice habits. An ongoing class is available and will cover basics and feature simple pieces chosen according to the musical preferences of the students. For those who don't have a guitar yet, a few electric and acoustic guitars are available with the purchase of an initial set of private lessons.

Music Theory on the Fretboard

Wednesday, February 28, 2024, 7:00 to 7:45 PM

This free introductory workshop opens the door to exploring music theory on the guitar fretboard. A six week course follows covering notes up the fretboard on each string, keys, intervals, modes, and chord construction.

Rise Above Reliance on TAB!
Learn to Read Music by Studying Classical Guitar Technique

Wednesday, February 28, 2024, 7:45 to 8:30 PM

Guitarists are often good at reading TAB, but poor at reading sheet music. This class gets students started learning to read standard music notation, while at the same time introducing foundational classical guitar technique that can be applied to other styles of playing. Students learn simple etudes and classical pieces that are great for boosting fingerstyle skills while actually bringing fun to learning to read music!

World Rhythms

Workshop Poster

Poster (565k .pdf)

Got Rhythm? Get the Beats of Africa, Bali, and India

Wednesday, March 6, 2024, 7 to 7:45 PM

This workshop is a wonderful way to improve timing skills. Matthew Montfort's book, Ancient Traditions – Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through the Traditions of Africa, Bali and India, is the basis for this world music workshop and 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 rock and jazz 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 rhythm skills. 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 instrument they enjoy playing.

Rhythm Training Materials

Ancient Traditions – Future Possibilities

Ancient Traditions--Future Possibilities Book

Ancient Traditions – Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through the Traditions of Africa, Bali and India by Matthew Montfort. Book/Enhanced Audio CD Set with MIDI Soundfiles: $52.95 (SALE! Normally $69.95): Buy Link.

"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. The first section of the book covers traditional music of West Africa, Bali and India with theories and exercises. 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. The last section of the book mixes patterns from different cultures, demonstrating the powerful music these simple exercises can generate." – Richard Kadrey, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

2024 Concerts

Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar) and Shenshen Zhang (pipa) on youtube
YouTube Video of Very First Meeting of Matthew Montfort and Shenshen Zhang

Save the Dates

Sunday, April 14, 2024, 4 PM, Ancient Future with Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), and Shenshen Zhang (Chinese pipa), Old St. Hilary's Landmark, 201 Esperanza St., Tiburon, CA 94920. Tix: $25, $20 seniors and under 18, $5 more at door. Advanced sales at Tiburon Town Hall, Landmarks Office, and Ticketleap.com. Info: 415-435-1853.

Saturday, April 27, 2024, Time TBA, Mariah Parker’s Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble with Mariah Parker (piano), Paul McCandless (horns), Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), Sascha Jacobsen (bass), Kendrick Freeman (drums), and Michaelle Goerlitz (percussion), Throckmorton Theatre, 142 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley, CA 94941.

Friday, May 10, 2024, 8 PM, Global Guitar Round Robin with Matthew Montfort and Teja Gerken, San Francisco International Arts Festival, Community Music Center, 544 Capp Street, San Francisco, CA 94110.

Saturday, June 8, 2024, Time TBA, Mariah Parker’s Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble with Mariah Parker (piano), Paul McCandless (horns), Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), Kash Killion (bass), and Kendrick Freeman (drums), Occidental Center for the Arts, 3850 Murphy Ct., Occidental, CA 95465.

Ancient Future Times

November 2023 Issue:

Ancient Future Times: Rare Concerts and Recordings

Rare Concert Collaborations
•Meeting of Acoustic Minds 11/11/23 & Guitar Pipa Duet 4/14/24

Recording Progress
•Getting the Next Ancient Future Record Ready for Release

Rare Concert Collaborations

Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar) and Shenshen Zhang (pipa) on youtube
YouTube Video of Very First Meeting of Matthew Montfort and Shenshen Zhang

Meeting of Acoustic Minds 11/11/23 & Guitar Pipa Duet 4/14/24

Music presenters and venues suspended operations at the beginning of the pandemic and many of those that booked Ancient Future concerts aren't coming back. With the closures and retirements of music directors friendly to our cause, a lot of work is being put into getting the booking database up to date. But we now have two concerts booked for Ancient Future's 45th season, with more in the works!

Saturday, November 11, 7 PM, Meeting of Acoustic Minds with Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), Shenshen Zhang (pipa), and Mark Kostrzewa (acoustic guitar), Half Moon Bay Oddfellows, Ocean View Lodge 143, 526 Main Street, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019. Adm: $35 donation supports Youth Services and other programs of the Half Moon Bay Odd Fellows. Tix: https://hmb-odd.org/events/meeting-of-acoustic-minds-2

Scalloped fretboard guitarist Matthew Montfort shares the stage with the amazing Shenshen Zhang on pipa (Chinese lute), and Montara’s own guitar instrumentalist Mark Kostrzewa for an evening of individual and collective musical arrangements. Also featuring David Kaufman on tablas.

Sunday, April 14, 2024, 4 PM, Ancient Future with Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), and Shenshen Zhang (Chinese pipa), Old St. Hilary's Landmark, 201 Esperanza St., Tiburon CA 94920. Tix: $25, $20 seniors and under 18, $5 more at door. Save the date!

Recording Progress

Getting the Next Ancient Future Record Ready for Release

The Archive of Future Ancient Recordings, Ancient Future's fan funded recording project, already has 101 minutes of music in it. But there's also over an hour of music in production awaiting final overdubs to be added to the project. Upright bass has been added to Fretless Camel and Rasa Flamenca, and practice tracks have been sent to musicians to finish up the over 60 minutes of music in production, and work has started on exciting new pieces as well!

Ancient Future now has a soundproof studio location about 90 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge, but many of Ancient Future's musicians reside south and east of San Francisco, so with the cost of gas and frequently traffic, it's been difficult to schedule musicians and pay for their travel costs and time. To speed the timetable up, portable recording gear is in the process of being acquired and tested to make it easier to meet musicians near where they live. You can help by becoming a supporter!

Supporter Levels and Premiums

Make a Tax Deductible Contribution

 

Ancient Future Times

May 2023 Issue:

Ancient Future Times: Spring Returns

Spring Returns
•Himalayan Fair May 20 and Fairfax Festival June 11

Spring Sprouts A.F.A.R.
•101 So Far, 60 More Minutes Soon

Study World Music
•Join the Musicians Benefiting from Ancient Future Training

Spring Returns

Moonbath (Duet) recorded July 26, 2009, at Ancient Future's 30th anniversary concert at the Freight and Salvage. Shown: Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar) and Mariah Parker (hammered dulcimer). Available in high-resolution audio to supporters of the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings.

Himalayan Fair May 20 and Fairfax Festival June 11

Spring brings return performances at two local outdoor events: the Himalayan Fair, which has featured Ancient Future on all but a few of their 40 years, and the Fairfax Festival, which featured Ancient Future at their inaugural event!

Photo of Mariah Parker and Matthew Montfort

 

Spring Sprouts A.F.A.R.

Best of A.F.A.R. So Far CD Cover

101 So Far, 60 More Minutes Soon

The Archive of Future Ancient Recordings, Ancient Future's fan funded recording project, now has 101 minutes of music in it. But there's also over an hour of music in production awaiting final overdubs to be added to the project!

We initially recorded a number of live studio tracks for A.F.A.R. that are part of the 101 minutes of music already in the archive. But it became apparent over time that we weren't getting enough financial support to cover the musician honorariums, travel and rehearsals required, so a few years before the pandemic started, production had shifted to making digital mock up tracks and then replacing the sampled instruments with overdubs by master musicians. Since the pandemic hit, hundreds and hundreds of hours have been spent on the project, and bansuri, guitar, tanpura, and mock up tracks have been completed on Beyond Kalyan, a 28 minute suite, plus guitar and mock up tracks for Innocent Explorations, the studio version of Lustful Elephants Trumpet Spring, Fretless Camel, and the brand new Rasa Flamenca, which brings together the rhythms and melodies of Indian classical music and flamenco. It's a very emotional piece that imagines a slow ektal (the first tala, a 12 beat cycle) arriving in Spain centuries ago and melding with North African rhythms that move the accents to different beats.

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

Supporter Levels and Premiums

Make a Tax Deductible Contribution

Study World Music

Book CoverBack Cover

Join the Musicians Benefiting from Ancient Future Training

Ancient Traditions – Future Possibilities by Matthew Montfort takes the student on a musical voyage through the great ancient rhythmic traditions of Africa, Bali, and India. It's been used at schools all over the world, including the Berklee College of Music in Boston. A long list of musicians have benefited from going through the training, including famous master musicians such as Steve Smith, drummer for the band Journey, who used the book to get ready for a summit with tabla master Zakir Hussain. A quick look through the Ancient-Future.Com sales archives revealed direct purchases by musicians who perform with bands like Trapezoid, Dark Star Orchestra, and Robert Plant.

Jon Bergamo, the legendary former head of the percussion department at the California Institute of the Arts, went through the entire book after he found it in his desk at retirement, and called to thank Matthew Montfort for writing it and encouraged him to write another! Speaking of, Matthew Montfort is working on a training manual focusing on melody, and is sharing lessons from it with his current students.

Private Online Lessons with Ancient Future Bandleader Matthew Montfort

Ancient Traditions – Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through the Traditions of Africa, Bali and India by Matthew Montfort

 

Ancient Future Times

New Year's 22/23 Issue

Ancient Future Times: L.E.T.S. Play in the New Year

L.E.T.S. Play
•Add World Fusion Music to Your Playlists

Support Music in the New Year
•Join A.F.A.R., Donate, Purchase

Private Online Music Lessons
•A New Year of Learning

L.E.T.S. Play

Elephant in Love

Add World Fusion Music to Your Playlists

Music streaming algorithms favor music that sounds like music listeners already listen to, which keeps listeners in limited genre boxes. This is the opposite of the purpose of world fusion music. To address this issue, we are starting a grass roots playlisting campaign to increase the reach of world fusion music on streaming services. By making world fusion playlists featuring your favorite artists, you can help jump start a process to overcome some of the bias of streaming algorithms.

L.E.T.S. Playlist

You can check out Ancient Future's releases at our artist page on each streaming service:

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ancient-future/1380172 (Apple Music)
https://store.tidal.com/us/artist/3505703 (Tidal)
https://www.deezer.com/us/artist/12660 (Deezer)
https://us.napster.com/artist/ancient-future (Napster)
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5oQLP9K23E63u9BHB1b4LT (Spotify)
https://www.amazon.com/music/player/artists/B000QJW0DU/ancient-future (Amazon Music)
https://music.youtube.com/channel/UC-u6LeUkpy5gd2hdnU0CJFQ (YouTube Music)
https://soundcloud.com/ancient-future-band (Soundcloud Go)
https://www.pandora.com/artist/all-albums/ancient-future/ARKXJPKKJzVZb3J (Pandora)
https://www.kkbox.com/tw/tc/artist/-nZ0RdSsLGYcGZqJrU (KKBox, Japan, Southeast Asia)
https://www.freegalmusic.com/browse/artists/featured/QW5jaWVudCBGdXR1cmU (freegal music)
https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/interpreter/ancient-future/download-streaming-albums (Qobuz Hi-Res)

Email info@ancient-future.com to let us know about your playlists!

L.E.T.S. Dream

Basant Ragamala Painting

Lustful Elephants Trumpet Spring was composed by Matthew Montfort after studying Rag Basant, a springtime raga that captures the feeling of separated lovers longing to unite. The caption on an associated ragamala painting read: "Bound with a peacock's feathers...his face is as a flower. Elephant-like, he joyfully wanders in the forest among the gopis. Such is Basant raga." Montfort woke up in the middle of the night dreaming of a melody that conjures elephants in mating season. It begins with a low riff that depicts an elephant's legs, and then moves to a jump from low to high like an elephant trumpeting in excitement.

L.E.T.S. Stream

Add L.E.T.S. now on your favorite streaming service:

https://orcd.co/letslive

L.E.T.S. Watch

The video is also available as a download with hi-res audio exclusively to hi-res supporters of the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings.

Support Music in the New Year

Best of A.F.A.R. So Far CD Cover

101 Minutes of Music A.F.A.R. So Far: 60 More Coming Soon with Your Help

The Archive of Future Ancient Recordings, Ancient Future's fan funded recording project, is edging closer to completion, and we hope to release two albums from it in the next two years!

Funding recordings and scheduling rehearsals with master musicians from different cultures has always been a challenge, but has been made more difficult by factors such as very low streaming payouts and the pandemic. One tactic when a comprehensive set of rehearsals followed by live recording sessions isn't feasible is producing digital mock up tracks and then replacing the sampled instruments with performances by master musicians. After hundreds of extra hours of pre-production, the basic tracks are finished for Beyond Kalyan, Innocent Explorations, Lustful Elephants Trumpet Spring (Studio Version), Fretless Camel, and the brand new Rasa Flamenca, totaling more than 60 minutes of new music in production awaiting final overdubs! Ancient Future Studios now has two recording rooms in Cloverdale where the flamenco guitar, scalloped fretboard guitar, and mock up tracks for Rasa Flamenca were recorded.

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

Supporter Levels and Premiums

Make a Tax Deductible Contribution

InterMusic SF Logo

Touring is difficult right now due to increased travel costs, COVID concerns, and concert presenters trying to make up for several years of losses by booking mainstream artists. Ancient Future doesn't anticipate being able to tour in 2023, but we do hope to perform concerts in Northern California and stream some of them worldwide. Ticket sales alone won't cover all the costs, but your donation can help close the gap.

Make a Purchase

Planet Passion Poster

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

Private Online Music Lessons

Skype Guitar LessonSkype Rhythm LessonLearn Ancient Traditions on Skype

A New Year of Learning

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