Ancient Future Performs Rare North San Francisco Bay Concerts

Top Quote The trailblazing world music group Ancient Future will perform a duet dinner concert featuring scalloped fretboard guitar pioneer Matthew Montfort with accompaniment by tabla virtuoso Vishal Nagar on August 30, at Gaia's Garden in Santa Rosa. The duet will also perform two short educational library concerts on August 22. End Quote
  • Santa Rosa, CA (1888PressRelease) July 31, 2015 - Featuring World Guitar Pioneer Matthew Montfort and Tabla Virtuoso Vishal Nagar - One of the program variations of the trailblazing world fusion music ensemble, Ancient Future, this improvisatory duet features world guitar pioneer Matthew Montfort accompanied by renowned Indian tabla virtuoso Vishal Nagar. Strains of flamenco, Celtic music, and Indian raga emanate from this duet performing renditions of music from Ancient Future's ground breaking world music recordings as well as many new unreleased works!

    Dinner Concert at Gaia's Garden
    Voted Best Vegetarian Restaurant in Sonoma County by North Bay Bohemian readers from 2011 to 2015, Gaia's Garden also hosts music and literature events. This intimate performance is part of a new exclusive dinner concert series on Sunday evenings when the restaurant is normally closed.

    Sunday, August 30, 2015, 6 to 9 PM
    Gaia's Garden
    1899 Mendocino Avenue
    Santa Rosa, CA 95401
    Adm: $30 includes vegetarian dinner.
    Tix: Advance tickets highly recommended at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2043967 and in person at Gaia's Garden
    Doors open: 5:30 PM and gourmet vegetarian buffet served through 6:45 PM
    Show time: 7 PM
    Info: Call 707-544-2491, email djmama ( @ ) sonic dot net, or visit gaiasgardenonline dot com
    Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1680574205508335/

    Gaia's Garden features an international plant based buffet with vegan and gluten-free options. Included in the ticket price are two entrees, as well as all-you-care-to-eat salad, two soups, Lundberg's eco-farmed brown rice, a mild curry, non-GMO polenta, marinara sauce, roasted vegetables, steamed rainbow vegetables, house-made loaf bread and corn bread, house brewed uncaffeinated chai or iced hibiscus tea, and two desserts. Beers and wine, as well as organic French press coffee and a variety of teas and soft drinks are available for purchase. Free parking is available in the lot behind the building.

    Free Educational Library Teaser Concerts
    Matthew Montfort and Vishal Nagar perform and introduce the audience to musical concepts from world music such as Indian raga and tala in these hour long educational concerts at Sonoma County libraries.

    Saturday, August 22, 11:30 AM
    Central Santa Rosa Library
    211 E Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
    Free. Info: http://www.sonoma.lib.ca.us
    Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/485740754920473/

    Saturday, August 22, 2:30 PM
    Petaluma Regional Library
    100 Fairgrounds Dr.
    Petaluma, CA 94952
    Free. Info: http://www.sonoma.lib.ca.us
    Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/502012503296064/

    Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard and fretless guitars)

    Hi-Res Photo of Matthew Montfort by Julie Marten (2 MB):
    http://www.ancient-future.com/images/matthewmontfort600.jpg

    The leader of the world music group Ancient Future, Matthew Montfort, released his first solo recording, Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar, in 2009. He is a pioneer among guitarists who have had their fretboards scalloped in order to play various forms of world music that require intricate note-bending ornaments while still being able to play chords. Montfort immersed himself in an intensive study with vina master K.S. Subramanian in order to fully apply the South Indian gamaka (note-bending) techniques to the guitar. He is recognized as one of the world's 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists by DigitalDreamDoor.com, a curated "best of" site, along with such luminaries as Michael Hedges, Leo Kottke, Chet Atkins, John Fahey, Merle Travis, John Renbourn, Tommy Emmanuel, Doc Watson, Pierre Bensusan, Alex De Grassi, and Peppino D'Agostino. The December 2009 Les Paul issue of Guitar Player Magazine includes a full page feature on Matthew Montfort with a corresponding GuitarPlayer.Com video and lesson entitled "The Music of Jimi Hendrix Applied to Indian Raga." He has performed concerts worldwide, from the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra on the golden coast of Spain to the Festival of India in Mumbai. He has performed live on national radio and TV shows such as the Echoes Living Room Concerts on Public Radio International, and the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. He has worked with many world music legends, including tabla phenomenon Zakir Hussain and Chinese zither master Zhao Hui. 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.

    Vishal Nagar (tabla)
    Hi-Res Photo of Vishal Nagar by Inni Singh (5 MB): http://www.ancient-future.com/images/vishal_nagar300dpi.jpg

    "He has magic in his hands" - Hindustan Times
    Vishal Nagar is considered one of the most gifted tabla players of his generation. Born into a family of musicians, Vishal has been surrounded by music in an extremely musically creative and artistic environment. Since childhood, he has been fascinated by tabla and began to play at an early age. Vishal had his initial training for a very brief period with the late Ustad Latif Ahmed Khan of the Delhi Gharana. After his Ustad's untimely demise, Vishal continued his training under the guidance of Ustad Shamim Ahmed Khan of the same Gharana (school). Along with the dense and rare tabla repertoire taleem which was he received from his Ustad, he also has had intense rhythmic (layakari) training from his mother, the renowned and highly respected Kathak dancer and vocalist, Urmila Nagar. Vishal has been praised in the Indian press for his unique combination of melodic tabla sound production with masterful command of rhythm.

    Vishal has had the privilege of performing with such renowned artists as Ustad Shujaat Khan, Guru Urmila Nagar, Vidhwan Trichur Ramachandran, Pandit Ramesh Misra and Miss. Kala Ramnath. Vishal has also had the honor of sharing the stage with some great world music masters such as African drum legend Babatunde Olatunji, Michel Shrieve, Evyind Kang, Carmona Flamenco, and Michael Wimberley. Vishal has also expanded his cultural boundaries and collaborated with musicians from around the world. Some of his memorable works have been with the Ghanaian Guitarist Koo Nimo with whom he also appeared in WOMAD USA (a leading world dance and music festival started by Peter Gabriel). Starting his performance career at the age of eight in Patna, Vishal has performed around the globe including performances in many cities in India, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Thailand and the United States. Vishal has also been awarded with the Ministry of Culture Scholarship from the Department of Culture.

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