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What's This?

Ancient Future

Rank #4 Kentfield, CA World / World Fusion / World Jazz

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About

Sounds Like: Shakti, Harry Manx, Paco de lucía, Zakir Hussain, John McLaughlin

Label: Ancient-Future.Com Records

Manager: Matthew Montfort

Bio: Ancient Future is the first and longest running musical organization dedicated exclusively to the mission of creating world fusion music. The term was coined by bandleader Matthew Montfort in 1978 to describe Ancient Future’s unusual blend of musical traditions from around the world. BILLBOARD ca... See Full Bio

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Status

Ancient Future leader Matthew Montfort releases scalloped fretboard guitar EP: http://www.ancient-future.com/pr_sympathetic_serenade.html

Press

“Northern California's 'world fusion' band do more than simply throw together players and instruments from East and West. They rebuild at the sub-molecular level, pureeing the varied melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic idioms into tuneful compositions.”

— Picks, Guitar Player Magazine

“Way before the word 'multicultural' was invented, Ancient Future was combining musical elements from Africa, India, and Bali in a delightfully smooth 'world fusion' style.”

— Teed Rockwell, India Currents

“The music is extremely accessible and culturally rich at the same time.”

— Dan Margules, L.A. Jazz Scene

“Rolling Stones of fusion. ”

— Bob Tarte, The Beat

“Many artists have been running toward world music, trying to inject new life into their compositions. For most, if s a superficial exercise; but for Ancient Future, it's at the core of what this band has been doing since the late '70s. And the band traverses this fusion terrain with deft arrangements and beautifully wrought interplay, from introspective duets to the reggae of 'Ja Nam.'”

— John Diliberto, Tower Pulse!

“To their fans, Ancient Future is the best musical group on earth. To their critics, they are 'mesmerizing ... a virtuoso ensemble, able to create shining visions ... one of world music's finest expressions ... playing with technical brilliance, fire and grace ... and stunning showmanship.'What they have created is a strikingly original synthesis of Indian, African, Indonesian and Latin American rhythms, European harmonies, Eastern and Western melodies and contemporary improvisations. The music is extremely accessible, spirited and bright.”

— Lisa Whipp, Shasta County Arts Council Newsletter

“Led by composer/guitarist Matthew Montfort, 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

“The godfather of the world music movement.”

— Best Bets, Marin Independent Journal

“Many musicians have used the traditional music of other cultures as a source of Inspiration; few have done so well as the group Ancient Future. This is World Beat music at its best; soaring melodies and percolating rhythms delivered with a sense of tradition and originality.”

— Music Reviews, Many Hands

“What do you get when you combine rhythms from Africa, Bali, India, the Middle East and South America? Quite naturally, the cross-cultural tones of the world fusion band Ancient Future. This inspired group blends traditional instruments with contemporary technology to create a distinctively global sound. A genuine respect for traditional ideals along with a masterful understanding of modern technology has enabled Ancient Future to integrate both in their music quite successfully - and with beautifully sounding results. As our global consciousness continues to expand, Ancient Future serves as a symbol of musicians worldwide whose passion, curiosity, and creativity continue to transcend the limitations of shifting political boundaries. ”

— Ernie Rideout, Roland Users Group

“Shadowfax with teeth.”

— Michael Bloom, Boston Rock

“A musical travelogue spanning Asia as comprehensively as Lowell Thomas did decades ago for the March of Time.”

— Chuck Berg, JazzTimes

“Regarded as one of the most exotic, and avant garde groups, world music trendsetters. One can say it is the music of the future: music without borders.”

— Reviews, The Ethiopian Mirror

“Una musica senza frontiere che, mostrando la ricchezza e la profondità delle diverse tradizioni musicali e la possibilità di fonderle in un unicum discorsivo e gradevole, vuole rompere i muri tra la gente di qualsiasi razza, che aiuta ad essere più tolleranti gli uni con gli altri. [A music without boundaries that, showing the riches and the depth of the different musical traditions and the possibility of melting them in an agreeable Unicum (ed: a Hungarian herbal bitters) discourse, desires to break the walls between the people of any race; that helps them be more tolerant in unity with each other.]”

— Cristina Palesi, Suono

“With Ancient Future one travels from the torrid highways of the American deserts to the snow-covered summits of Tibet. From the ancient lost city of Peking to the active volcanos of Krakatoa. But this is the least of it. What is important is that it sounds great.”

— Alejandro Cifuentes, Música Global

“In a magical synthesis of harmonies, melodies, rhythms and instruments of ancient times, group members fuse modern approaches and instruments into the spellbinding sounds they call 'world fusion music.'”

— Arts Editor, Redding Record Searchlight

“Long before the phrase 'world music' became ubiquitous, Matthew Montfort and his group Ancient Future were boldly melding Asian and western music. ”

— Mark Nelson, MIDI Guitarist

“Their multicultural music, much like their name, contains rather challenging contradictions. Using a diverse array of instruments ranging from sitar, Irish harp, Tibetan bowls and even sleigh bells, Ancient Future has been making world music since before that phrase was even coined. ”

— Lawrence Grand, New Jersey Courier-Post

“For 15 years, Ancient Future has been boldly presenting their jazz-saturated versions of traditional musics. While the intricate rhythms might require several listenings before the Western ear can follow them, each time through will reveal some new wrinkle to the music. As World Music ambassadors, Ancient Future continues to celebrate cultural exchange.”

— Ivan Emke, Dirty Linen

“The Bay Area's finest world fusion music.”

— Staff Reporter, India-West

“The real key to Ancient Future's greatness is that its music is hard to describe but easy to listen to. It blends these diverse elements with such sensitivity that every innovation seems natural and inevitable. ”

— Teed Rockwell, India Currents

“Ancient Future was one of the first groups to explore the idea of World Fusion music. Their first two releases, in '80 and '81, remain classic examples of the treasures to be found in combining the musical forms and rhythms of India with westernized themes. Ancient Future's sound has matured over the past decade without forsaking the roots and basis of their world music explorations.”

— Lloyd Barde, Heartbeats

“Ever since coining the term 'world fusion music,' this innovative ensemble has been successfully blending the exotic instruments and sound forms of the East with more familiar Western styles. The group's enthusiasm for indigenous musical elements is outweighed only by their amazing talent to present same within a pleasing contemporary framework. This is inspired work by peerless performers.”

— PJ Birosik, Body Mind Spirit

“The artists are a seasoned group of professional musicians who produce a seemingly effortless fusion of Eastern melodies and meters with Western instrumentation and a jazzy groove. ”

— Geoffrey Mays, Heartsong Review

“Ancient Future created this unique sound many years ago that is now being called 'world fusion.' The music flows in driving rhythms, fast, and fashioned after popular patterns. But it has the soul of Indian and Middle Eastern music. Ancient Future takes great inspiration from Classical Indian music and transforms it somehow into the energy of world fusion. This music wakes you up. It's refreshingly new without a hint of nostalgia.”

— Kathleen Lawson, Well Being Journal

“Ancient Future blends exotic traditions of the East with a contemporary fusion/synthesis of the West. Their "world diary" of musical styles encompasses elements as diverse as reggae rhythms and Qawwali, the Sufi devotional form of music popular in India & Pakistan.”

— Music Reviews, Common Ground

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Irina Mikhailova
cou cou :)
Apr 19
Sandra Lynn Sparks
Beautiful work!
Apr 9
Wolfgang Leng - Art,...
Thx my Friends...I wish you a FANTASTIC new Week...Many Greetings - Wolfgang
Mar 12
FA DIESE
Beautiful..........
Feb 24
Wolfgang Leng - Art,...
A day with good music is a good day! I wish you a wonderful weekend ... Many Greetings - Wolfgang
Feb 24
Anchorage Alaska
Great music guys - hope you have a great weeken!
Oct 1