Celtic (kel'tik), adj. of the Celts, their Indo-European languages, culture, etc.
raga (räg'a), n. [Hind.] a melodic recipe for a mood including ascending and descending note patterns and a hierarchy of note importance

Strains of ancient Celtic music and Indian raga emanate from this high energy improvisatory duet, one of the variations of the virtuoso world fusion music ensemble, Ancient Future. The Ancient Future Duet has performed in a variety of settings, from the huge audience (police estimate of 35,000 people) at the Summer of Love 30th Anniversary Celebration in San Francisco, to a standing room only three hour bar gig in Southern Oregon, to the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra on the golden coast of Spain near Barcelona.

"It was heart-warming to see teenage girls in swirling dresses swaying and twirling to the Indian themes (almost like morning ragas) of Ancient Future, one of the morning performing groups."--Philip Elwood, SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER (review of Summer of Love performance, that according to the San Francisco Chronicle, was famed concert promoter Chet Helm's "crowning achievement")

Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar)

An award-winning guitarist (Louis Armstrong Jazz Award, Colorado Outstanding Young Guitarist Award), Matthew Montfort is a pioneer of the scalloped fretboard guitar (an instrument combining qualities of the South Indian vina and the steel string guitar). Montfort spent 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 is also known for his work on electric guitar, flamenco guitar, sitar, charango, mandolin, gamelan, and as leader of Ancient Future. He has studied with the master musicians of many world music traditions, including sarod master Ali Akbar Khan and gamelan director K.R.T. Wasitodipuro. He has recorded with legendary world music figures ranging from Bolivian panpipe master Gonzalo Vargas to tabla maestros Swapan Chaudhuri and Zakir Hussain.

(75K JPG)

Emam (tabla, dumbek, percussion)

Originally from Iran, Emam is a percussionist and composer specializing in Middle Eastern and Indian music. Emam was awarded a scholarship for Indian classical music study/research by the American Institute of Indian Studies. His teachers have included the world renowned masters of the tabla Ustad Alla Rakha and Ustad Zakir Hussain.

Featured Songs

Stream Ancient Future Celtic Raga Repertoire. Courtesy of WorldFusionMusicRadio.Com. Studio and live recordings of the repertoire that is played by this ensemble variation in concert.

I Mett Her in the Medowe, a and b (traditional, arr. Montfort. 5:31) (>audio. Available with free trial subscription at Planet Passion @ eMusic.com. ) Scottish lute melody from 1615. From Planet Passion. (Ancient-Future.Com AF-2001). CD/Gift Card, $17.98: Add 1 to Cart. Buy 1 Now.

Amber (Montfort. 2:09) (lofi. Free MP3 excerpt: 0:28, 459K.) From Guitar Works. (Narada Lotus ND-61032) CD- $16.98: Add 1 to Cart. Buy 1 Now.