Matthew Montfort

Matthew Montfort teaches all styles and levels of guitar as well as rhythm classes based on his book on the rhythmic traditions of Africa, Bali, and India. He has students studying theory, sight reading, lead guitar, classical guitar, rhythm guitar, electric bass, folk, jazz, Latin, blues, rock, composition, the work of legendary guitarists such as Carlos Santana, B.B. King, and Jimi Hendrix, world music including techniques for playing Indian music and Arabic music on guitar, and world rhythms.

Matthew Montfort is the leader of the world fusion music ensemble Ancient Future. An award-winning guitarist (Louis Armstrong Jazz Award, Colorado Outstanding Young Guitarist Award), he is a pioneer of the scalloped fretboard guitar (an instrument combining qualities of the South Indian vina and the steel string guitar). Montfort spent three 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, and gamelan, and as Ancient Future's main composer.

Matthew Montfort holds a B.A. in World Music and Composition and an M.A. in Arts and Media Technology from Antioch University. He has studied with the master musicians of many world music traditions, including sarangi master Ram Narayan, sarod master Ali Akbar Khan, mridangam master Guruvayoor Dorai, 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. He has performed concerts world wide, including at the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra on the golden coast of Spain near Barcelona.

"Matthew Montfort conjures lovely Asian zither-like inflections with a scalloped fretboard guitar."
Guitar Player Magazine

Partial Discography

With Ancient Future:

• Planet Passion (ancient-future.com 2000 LE)
• Asian Fusion (Narada Equinox ND-63023)
• World Without Walls (Sona Gaia/MCA 163)
• Dreamchaser (Sona Gaia/MCA 154)
• Quiet Fire (Narada/MCA 1012)
• Natural Rhythms (Philo/Rounder 9006)
• Visions of a Peaceful Planet (Beauty AF-79)
• Alma Del Sur (Narada Collection ND-63908)

Solo:

• Guitar Works (Narada Lotus ND-61032)

Sideman:

• Ecstasy (Ustad Habib Khan, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, Danny Gottlieb, George Brooks, Alan Kushan, Ira Stein: RPG)
• The Longing (Ustad Habib Khan, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, Danny Gottlieb, George Brooks, Alan Kushan, Ira Stein: X Dot 25)
• Balinese Dream (Mindia Devi Klein: Devimuse)
• Stop, I'm Conscious (Janine Rae: J9 Music)
• Sacred Insanity? (Emam and Friends: Eternal Music)
• Is This Real? (Emam and Friends: Eternal Music)
• Pacific Rim (Anton Mizerak: Shastasong)
• Petals in the Stream (David Michael: Purnima Productions)

Books

• Ancient Traditions - Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through the Traditions of Africa, Bali and India. Mill Valley: Panoramic Press, 1985. ISBN 0-937879-00-2. Spiral Bound, $24.95