2026 Releases: Tres Tarantas Tres • Punjabi Jhinzaki
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
12/12/2025
Contact: Ancient-Future.Com Records
415-459-1892 (no texts)
info@ancient-future.com
Tres Tarantas Tres
Impressionistic Flamenco Indian Fusion
by Matthew Montfort
Hi-Res Square Cover Art (1.2 MB): https://www.ancient-future.com/images/trestarantas1500sq.jpg
Pre-Save Tres Tarantas Tres Double Single: https://orcd.co/3tarantas3 (Participating Digital Music Platforms)
Guitar Trek
"Tres Tarantas Tres" is the first release from Matthew Montfort’s upcoming third solo project, Guitar Trek, a trip around the world via the guitar.
Tres Tarantas Tres
The Tres Tarantas Tres double single is Matthew Montfort's first solo release on flamenco guitar, inspired by flamenco, Indian raga, and impressionism.
Tarantas is toque libre, a free form expression that lacks compás (rhythmic cycle) and a regular beat, so it could be characterized as rubato. Tarantos is a related palo (form or style) in duple meter that is danceable. They share the F# Phrygian modality and the harmonic progression Bm-A7-G-F#. Both palos include dissonances that result from the use of the guitar's first three open strings in combination with harmonies and melodies in the F# Phrygian mode.
A raga could be described as melodic recipe for a mood in Indian classical music. Tarantas has similarities to alap, the section of a raga where the mood is thoroughly explored without tempo before the tabla enters. "Tarantas Alap" is an improvised introduction to "Tres Tarantas Tres" that combines the flamenco tarantas palo with Indian alap.
Composed in early 2013, "Tres Tarantas Tres" was inspired by tarantas and tarantos. It was also influenced by Indian classical music, and uses some slide techniques from South Indian vina music. As the name implies, the piece has its own unique compás of three series of three beat phrases, with both rubato and in tempo passages. It even makes a foray into impressionism à la "Gymnopédies" by Erik Satie.
There’s some similarity between flamenco palos and Indian ragas. Flamenco music is perhaps a product of the cross-cultural exchange that resulted from the Calé people migrating from India to Andalucia. Indian and flamenco dance traditions both feature complex rhythms and footwork.
Tres Tarantas Tres Release Specifications
Tres Tarantas Tres Double Single Action Page: https://orcd.co/tarantas (Follow on Spotify, Pre-Add Apple, Email Subscribe)
Tres Tarantas Tres Double Single Sales Date: Friday, February 13, 2026. Tarantas Alap Instant Grats Date (?): Friday, December 12, 2025. Terrestrial Radio Add Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Catalog Number: Ancient-Future.Com Records AF-20800. UPC: 825336208001. Compositions: "Tarantas Alap" and
"Tres Tarantas Tres" by Matthew Montfort © 2025 Ancient Future Music (BMI). All rights reserved. Recording Copyright: ℗ 2025 Ancient-Future.Com Records. All rights reserved. Formats: EP, Audio Download with Digital Liner Notes, Streaming. Recording Dates: The initial tracks for "Tarantas Alap" and "Tres Tarantas Tres" were recorded in multiple versions between November 22 and December 12, 2015. The final edits, mixes, and mastering of this double single release was completed on October 13, 2025.
Track List:
1. Tarantas Alap by Matthew Montfort (Montfort. 6:40). Featuring Matthew Montfort (flamenco guitar).
Hi-Res Square Cover Art (1.4 MB): https://www.ancient-future.com/images/tarantasalap1500sq.jpg
Tarantas Alap Save: https://orcd.co/tarantasalap (Participating Digital Music Platforms)
Tarantas Alap Instant Grat Date (?): Friday, December 12, 2025. Genres: World Music, World Fusion, Flamenco, Indian, Impressionist. Catalog Number: Ancient-Future.Com Records AF-20801. UPC: 825336208018. ISRC: US-N9P-25-20801. Composition: "Tarantas Alap" by Matthew Montfort © 2025 Ancient Future Music (BMI). All rights reserved. Recording Copyright: ℗ 2025 Ancient-Future.Com Records. All rights reserved. Formats: Audio Download, Streaming. Tarantas Alap Instant Grat Links (Live Friday, December 12, 2025): Qobuz (Hi-Res 24-Bit/96 kHz) • Spotify • Apple • Tidal • Deezer • Amazon • YouTube Music • SoundCloud GO • Pandora • freegalmusic • KKBox (Japan, Southeast Asia). Reels: Facebook Reel • YouTube Short (0:43)
2. Tres Tarantas Tres by Matthew Montfort (Montfort. 4:32). Featuring Matthew Montfort (flamenco guitar)
Hi-Res Square Cover Art (1.4 MB): https://www.ancient-future.com/images/trestarantas1500sq.jpg
Tres Tarantas Tres Pre-Save: https://orcd.co/3tarantas3 (Participating Digital Music Platforms)
Genres: World Music, Flamenco. Digital Single Sales Date: Friday, February 13, 2026. Catalog Number: Ancient-Future.Com Records AF-20800. UPC: 825336208001. ISRC: US-N9P-25-20802
Composition: "Tres Tarantas Tres" and "Tarantas Alap" by Matthew Montfort © 2025 Ancient Future Music (BMI). All rights reserved. Recording Copyright: ℗ 2025 Ancient-Future.Com Records. All rights reserved. Formats: Audio Download, Streaming.
EP Links (Live Friday, February 13, 2026): Qobuz (Hi-Res 24-Bit/96 kHz) • Spotify • Apple Music • Tidal • Deezer • Amazon • YouTube Music • SoundCloud GO • Pandora • freegalmusic: • KKBox (Japan, Southeast Asia)
Official Video:
Tres Tarantas Tres by Matthew Montfort (Montfort. 4:33). Featuring Matthew Montfort (flamenco guitar, art score). Video Release Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2026 (National Guitar Day). Catalog Number: Ancient-Future.Com Records AF-90801. UPC: 825336908017. ISRC: US-N9P-25-90801. Copyright: © ℗ 2025 Ancient-Future.Com Records. All rights reserved. Producer, Editor, Composer: Matthew Montfort. Formats: Art Score. Apple Music Video • YouTube Video
Description: Combining aspects of the flamenco forms tarantas and tarantos, Indian classical, and impressionism à la Erik Satie, “Tres Tarantas Tres” has its own unique compás (rhythmic cycle) of three series of three beat phrases. The guitar score flows across the screen in sync with the rubato and in tempo passages as the music plays.
Educational Video:
Tres Tarantas Tres Guitar Score by Matthew Montfort (4:33).
Video Download on Ancient-Future.Com Release Date:
Friday, November 14, 2025. Streaming Video Release Date: Wednesday, Apri11, 2026 (International Guitar Month). Catalog Number: Ancient-Future.Com Records AF-90800. UPC: 825336908000. ISRC: US-N9P-25-90800. Copyright: © ℗ 2025 Ancient-Future.Com Records. All rights reserved.
Producer, Editor, Composer: Matthew Montfort. Formats: Guitar Score Video
Apple Music Video • YouTube Video
Sheet Music
"Tres Tarantas Tres" is the first composition by Matthew Montfort to be transcribed as recorded including the improvised sections. The charts are available on Ancient-Future.Com in regular staff notation with and without TAB:
https://www.ancient-future.com/guitartrek.html#score
The Concept
Matthew Montfort on the Process of Creating Tres Tarantas Tres
When I entered 7th grade at Baseline Jr. High in Boulder, CO, in 1970, I decided to study jazz and classical music with the goal of combining them with rock. Soon thereafter, progressive rock and jazz-rock fusion emerged on the scene. I was thrilled, and I thought why not include the music from the whole earth? Thus began my path in world fusion music.
By high school I was teaching guitar lessons. One day in 1974 a fellow student cornered me in the hall at Boulder High, introduced himself as David Easley, and requested lessons, starting with “Mood for a Day” by Steve Howe, which was influenced by flamenco. David couldn't play the first chord, which is a barre chord, so I tried to dissuade him. But he asked me to just show him that first chord. He soon mastered it, and came to me every day in the hall learn the next section. Within a month, he could play the entire piece!
Over time, David became an accomplished guitarist, and began to perform with me at local acoustic music venues. We were both interested in flamenco. There wasn’t much opportunity to study that in Colorado then, but we were able to go to the few flamenco events that came to town and to play along with recordings. In my last year of high school, David’s mother passed away from ALS and he used his inheritance to travel to Spain for six months to study flamenco. When he returned, he provided me with valuable insight into the flamenco tradition, and tarantas was one of the main flamenco forms that David and I worked on. I learned as much from him after he returned as he had learned from me before he left for Spain.
This was one of my first steps in my studies of world music traditions. But I was researching other traditions including Indian classical music. That accelerated after my friend since fourth grade, Benjy Wertheimer, took up tabla. After high school I was off to college to study jazz at the University of Colorado, Denver, Metro Campus, where I focused on flatpicking more than flamenco and classical guitar technique. In the summer of 1977, I took the opportunity to come to the San Francisco Bay Area with Benjy Wertheimer to study at the Ali Akbar College of Music. I learned more about music in that one summer than I had in my first three semesters at the University of Colorado, so in 1978 I moved into the house that Benjy had moved to in San Rafael, which happened to be where the Diga Rhythm Band rehearsed. Later that year we formed Ancient Future.
Through my work with Ancient Future and my studies at the Ali Akbar College and the Center for World Music, I ended up specializing in the scalloped fretboard guitar. But by Ancient Future’s third recording, Quiet Fire, I had revived my classical and flamenco guitar practice.
David Easley moved to the San Francisco Bay Area a few years after I did. We kept in touch and he offered some helpful feedback when I recorded pieces on flamenco guitar for Ancient Future’s Quiet Fire release. David Easley had a profound effect on the early development of Ancient Future. He kept growing as a musician ensconced in the flamenco tradition. He performed many concerts sponsored by the Flamenco Society of San Jose, and in the 1990s spent time performing in Santa Fe, NM, the flamenco hotspot of the Southwest. Sadly, David Easley passed away in September 1996 at the age of 39. He didn't release any recordings, but a video of him performing at the San Jose Flamenco Society Juerga on June 24, 1995, was posted on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3GU-5p4JiY
Matthew Montfort Artist Pages:
Artist Action Page: https://orcd.co/matthewmontfort
Streaming Sites:
https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/interpreter/matthew-montfort/248379 (Qobuz Hi-Res, missing scalloped fretboard releases)
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/matthew-montfort/824094 (Apple Music)
https://tidal.com/artist/3590146 (Tidal)
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0ldfNhpZj22At5veiEeaA6 (Spotify)
https://www.deezer.com/us/artist/203218 (Deezer)
https://www.amazon.com/music/player/artists/B000QK8Z38/matthew-montfort (Amazon Music, missing early releases)
https://music.youtube.com/channel/UC4Z4PvE2gNbUJTynHMsxnfQ (YouTube Music)
https://www.pandora.com/artist/matthew-montfort/AR9fdbZhg7J7K7V (Pandora)
https://soundcloud.com/matthew-montfort (Soundcloud Go)
https://www.freegalmusic.com/artist/TWF0dGhldyBNb250Zm9ydA (freegal music)
Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/matthew.montfort.music (Facebook)
https://www.instagram.com/ancientfutureband (Instagram)
https://bsky.app/profile/ancientfuturemusic.bsky.social (Bluesky)
https://ethnocloud.com/Matthew_Montfort (Ethnocloud)
https://x.com/MatthewMontfort (X-Twitter Legacy Posts)
Biography
Matthew Montfort (flamenco guitar)
Guitar Player Magazine Feature
Matthew Montfort is the leader of the world fusion group Ancient Future. He is a pioneer of the scalloped fretboard guitar, an instrument combining qualities of the South Indian vina and guitar, on which he has two solo releases: Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar and Sympathetic Serenade. He is recognized as one of the world's 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists by DigitalDreamDoor.com, joining luminaries such as Michael Hedges, Leo Kottke, and Merle Travis. Many tracks featuring him on flamenco guitar have been released including "Frogorian Trance" and "Frog Orient Chance" on Natural Rhythms; "Mountain Song," "Hillside View," "Candlelight," "Charukeshi," and "Quiet Fire" on Quiet Fire; "April Air" and "Gopi Song" on World Without Walls; "The Trader" and "Sunda Straits" on Asian Fusion; and "Semara" on Planet Passion. He is also known for his work on electric guitar, sitar, ukulele, charango, mandolin, gamelan, and glissentar, an 11 string fretless guitar he acquired via a 2006 artist deal with Godin Guitars. The December 2009 commemorative Les Paul issue of Guitar Player Magazine includes a feature with a photo of Matthew Montfort superimposed over psychedelic artwork portraying Jimi Hendrix and an interview with Montfort linked to a GuitarPlayer.com lesson entitled "The Music of Jimi Hendrix Applied to Indian Raga" with a video of Montfort playing glissentar.
Hi-Res Photo of Matthew Montfort (5" x 3", 300 dpi, 678k):
https://www.ancient-future.com/images/yearningmatt300dpi5x3.jpg
What's an Instant Grat?
An Instant Grat is a track that can be downloaded before an album's release on iTunes and Amazon, and have that download count on Internet music charts on the release date. Download "Tarantas Alap" from "Tres Tarantas Tres" to enjoy ownership and listen before the sales date and after! With Internet access often at risk due to hacking, outages, and global conflicts, music ownership through downloads allows people to enjoy music even when the Internet is down. Each download supports the music financially, whereas it takes millions of streams to bring in significant income to artists. For example, 1,708,584 streams of a track by Ancient Future on YouTube Music netted Ancient Future only $101.16. That's less than 6/1000 of a cent per stream! Yes, thousandths of a cent!
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FULL PRESS RELEASE COMING SOON
12/16/2025
Contact: Ancient-Future.Com Records
415-459-1892 (no texts)
info@ancient-future.com
Punjabi Jhinzaki
Tribute to Zakir Hussain by Ancient Future
Available March 9, 2026
Ustad Zakir Hussain Qureshi passed away December 15, 2024, at age 73 from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. His passing was a huge loss to music and the world. He left an unparalleled legacy as a cultural ambassador and musical innovator. This tribute exclusively features musicians who have performed and recorded with Zakir. "Punjabi Jhinzaki" drops on March 9, 2026, the 75th anniversary of his birth.
Hi-Res Square Cover Art (1.0 MB): https://www.ancient-future.com/images/punjabi-jhinzaki1500sq.jpg
Punjabi Jhinzaki Pre-Save: https://orcd.co/zakirtribute (Participating Digital Music Platforms)
Genres: World Music, Indian Fusion, Indian Jazz. Digital Single Sales Date: Monday, March 9, 2026. Preorder Date: Friday, February 20, 2026 Catalog Number: Ancient-Future.Com Records AF-20303. UPC: 825336203037. ISRC: US-N9P-26-20303
Composition: "Punjabi Jhinzaki" by Matthew Montfort © 2026 Ancient Future Music (BMI). All rights reserved. Recording Copyright: ℗ 2026 Ancient-Future.Com Records. All rights reserved. Formats: Audio Download, Streaming.
EP Links (Live Friday, Monday, March 9, 2026): Qobuz (Hi-Res 24-Bit/96 kHz) • Spotify • Apple Music • Tidal • Deezer • Amazon • YouTube Music • SoundCloud GO • Pandora • freegalmusic: • KKBox (Japan, Southeast Asia)
Zakir Hussain (March 9, 1951 - December 15, 2024)
Ancient Future likely would not have formed if not for tabla master Ustad Zakir Hussain . In the summer of 1977, Benjy Wertheimer and Matthew Montfort came to San Rafael to study North Indian classical music at the Ali Akbar College of Music where Zakir Hussain taught tabla. Benjy quickly became one of Zakir's top students. About a year later renowned pianist and composer Carlos Federico and Zakir Hussain sat in with Sun Orchestra, which featured a number musicians who had studied at the Ali Akbar College. The show was at the Sleeping Lady Cafe, where Ancient Future ended up playing its first concert a few months later. Before the show began, Zakir told Matthew Montfort to check his tuning on his B string, and sure enough, it was out of tune. Zakir was performing on timbales, and when Matthew played his first solo of the night, Zakir was right there with him anticipating every single note, which unexpectedly took off into the stratosphere, forever changing Matthew's playing. Benjy went on to perform with the Zakir Hussain Rhythm Experience, and Zakir is a featured performer on Ancient Future's fifth release, World Without Walls.
Zakir passed away on December 15, 2024, due to complications from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. His passing was a huge loss to music and the world. A few weeks later, Matthew Montfort received a donation through InterMusic SF with a note saying it was for composing and recording a tribute to Zakir Hussain. That was a tall order, but Matthew accepted the challenge. The donation was from fellow Boulder High alumni Steven Day. His parents were professional musicians when they started their family in New Mexico and were in contact with many famous artists such as Ravi Shankar, Paco de Lucia, and Zakir Hussain, who had given the young Steven Day tabla instruction when he visited.
Matthew spoke with many friends who knew Zakir about what his favorite ragas were, and the consensus was that he didn't have a favorite. Rag Jhinjhoti showed up in searches as being associated with his date of birth in Vedic astrology, and several of the people Matthew was conversing with felt that it's happy nature fit Zakir well. Matthew had worked with that raga in the past, and although he was feeling sad about the loss of such a seminary musician, decided that it was best that the tribute honor who Zakir was rather than how everyone felt about his absence. Zakir is prominently featured on Matthew's "14 Steps" composition. It's in a 14 beat cycle and the main riff features a 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2 rhythmic pattern. A variation of rupak tal on the iShala app on Matthew's phone that was listed as Punjabi matched well with that riff. As the son of tabla master Ustad Alla Rakha, Zakir was born into the Punjab tabla gharana. In honor of the tala, gharana, raga, and Zakir Hussain, the piece is named "Punjabi Jhinzaki."
After finishing the score, Matthew began work on the recording. He mocked up the whole piece with MIDI instruments to allow each musician to hear the other parts were while they were recording their tracks. He recorded the guitar tracks, and then sent mixes to the other musicians. Kai Eckhardt recorded his bass track, and then Montfort a mix with bass to India where Aditya Kalyanpur laid down the tabla track. He sent a mix of all the finished tracks to George Brooks for him to overdub his tenor sax track. The tracks were all recorded just days before each left to go on tour. Matthew then edited all the tracks together and proceeded to the mixing and mastering, finishing just in time for "Punjabi Jhinzaki" to be released in early March 2026 to honor Zakir Hussain's 75th birth anniversary. An alternate version featuring other Ancient Future members who have worked with Zakir is in production.
Supporters of the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings receive downloads soon after they are finished, well before the release dates. Fans can also be among the first to preview new Ancient Future releases by following the band on streaming sites and social media.
Ancient Future Artist Pages:
Artist Action Page: https://orcd.co/ancientfuture
Streaming Sites:
https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/interpreter/ancient-future/download-streaming-albums (Qobuz Hi-Res)
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ancient-future/1380172 (Apple Music)
https://tidal.com/browse/artist/3505703 (Tidal)
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5oQLP9K23E63u9BHB1b4LT (Spotify)
https://www.deezer.com/us/artist/12660 (Deezer)
https://www.amazon.com/music/player/artists/B000QJW0DU/ancient-future (Amazon Music)
https://music.youtube.com/channel/UC-u6LeUkpy5gd2hdnU0CJFQ (YouTube Music)
https://www.pandora.com/artist/all-albums/ancient-future/ARKXJPKKJzVZb3J (Pandora)
https://soundcloud.com/ancient-future-band (Soundcloud Go)
https://www.kkbox.com/tw/tc/artist/-nZ0RdSsLGYcGZqJrU (KKBox, Japan, Southeast Asia)
https://www.freegalmusic.com/artist/QW5jaWVudCBGdXR1cmU (freegal music)
Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/ancientfuture (Facebook)
https://www.instagram.com/ancientfutureband (Instagram)
https://bsky.app/profile/ancientfuturemusic.bsky.social (Bluesky)
https://ethnocloud.com/Ancient_Future (Ethnocloud)
https://twitter.com/ancient_future (X-Twitter Legacy Posts)
Bio's
Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar, drone)
Ancient Future leader Matthew Montfort is a pioneer of the scalloped fretboard guitar, an instrument combining qualities of the South Indian vina and guitar. He has three solo releases: Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar, Sympathetic Serenade, and Tres Tarantas Tres. Based on his originality, innovation, technique, and influence on guitarists over the years, he is recognized as one of the world's 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists by DigitalDreamDoor.com, joining luminaries such as Michael Hedges, Leo Kottke, Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, and John Renbourn. He has performed worldwide, including the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra in Spain, the Mumbai Festival at the Gateway of India, and the Music for People and Thingamajigs Festival in San Francisco, from which a segment of his performance and an interview about his guitar work was broadcast on the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC.
Aditya Kalyanpur (tabla)
Aditya Kalyanpur is hailed by many as “the rightful heir to Punjab Gharana.” Aditya’s colossal repertoire, and his signature style of bold execution of syllables and pinpoint-precise rhythm, are founded in rigorous study and knowledge. For the child prodigy who could replicate intricate rhythmic patterns on his first tabla at the age of 3, there was no going back. Aditya’s training began with none other than the legendary late Ustad Allah Rakha, and continued with Zakir Hussain. Aditya was first seen with his guru Ustad Zakir Hussain in the famous "Wah Taj!" television commercial at the age of 11. To quote the acknowledging words of tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain for his young, talented disciple; "Even a young player like, say, Aditya Kalyanpur has the ability to approach the instrument with much more expertise than someone of his age would do 30 years ago."
George Brooks (saxophone)
Acclaimed for bridging the worlds of jazz and Indian classical music, George Brooks began his jazz studies with Count Basie saxophonist Frank Foster, and continued at the New England Conservatory of Music with George Russell, Joe Allard and Jaki Byard. After graduating, he studied intensively in India with master vocalist Pandit Pran Nath. Returning from India, George settled in California and began his long association with pianist Terry Riley. George Brooks released Lasting Impression in 1996 and Night Spinner in 1998 on Zakir Hussain’s Moment Records. In 2000, he recorded Summit, an Indian/jazz fusion work featuring Zakir and Journey drummer Steve Smith. George worked with Zakir on the score for the 2002 Yo-Yo Ma and Mark Morris collaboration Kolam. In 2008, he was featured on John McLaughlin’s Grammy-nominated Floating Point.
Kai Eckhardt (fretless bass)
German born bassist/composer Kai Eckhardt began playing music in 1975. Born in 1961, he spent his early years in both Germany and Liberia/West Africa. Kai eventually moved to the United States to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, from which he graduated with honors in 1987. Kai Eckhardt then joined the John McLaughlin trio in 1988 with Trilok Gurtu on percussion. This particular lineup has often been credited with pushing the envelope of fusing modern jazz with South Indian classical music. Their album Live at the Royal Festival Hall went to the top of the Billboard jazz charts. Kai received invitations to perform with Ustad Zakir Hussain, Hariprasad Chaurasia and Vikku Vinayarkam. In 2000, he released his first CD as a leader, entitled Honour Simplicity, Respect the Flow, which features Zakir Hussain.