Arabic Dance Music Ensemble presented by URI’s Pangaea

KINGSTON, R.I. — September 5, 2006 — Acclaimed world fusion group, Ancient Future, will perform Friday, Sept. 29 at the University of Rhode Island. The performance, this year’s offering of Pangaea: The URI Roots Music Series, will be held in Edwards Auditorium at 8 p.m. Doors will open at 7:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

In the morning of its scheduled performance at URI, Ancient Future will hold two workshops 1) Arabic music workshop at South Kingstown High School and 2) a workshop for a URI music class. Pangaea made arrangements for both workshops.

The URI stop is the group’s first East Coast concert since 1981. The Ancient Future Arabic Dance Music Ensemble with Matthew Monfort, Georges Lammam, Salah Takesh, and Doug McKeehan inspires audiences with its up tempo fusion of American and Arabic music. Ancient Future, called a trendsetter by Billboard Magazine, plays with technical brilliance and gypsy-like fire.

Ancient Future is the world’s first and longest running musical ensemble dedicated exclusively to the mission of creating world fusion music. Founded as a quartet in 1978, the ensemble now has 28 musicians from around the world, with more than a dozen ensemble variations.

The concert features master Arabic and American musicians. Scalloped fret board guitar pioneer Matthew Montfort, the ensemble’s leader, coined the term “world fusion music” when the band was germinating. He has performed concerts worldwide, including at the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra on the coast of Spain and at the Mumbai Festical at the Gateway of India in Bombay. He is the author of the book Ancient Traditions—Future Possibilities on the rhythmic traditions of Africa, Bali, and India.

On the Planet Passion CD, Arabic violin virtuoso Georges Lammam adds an element of romantic fire. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, he is known for performing with most of the top Middle Eastern singers.

Performers Salah Takesh, born in Azerbaijan, Iran, is one of the world’s finest Arabic percussionists and pianist Doug McKeehan has toured Europe twice and spent considerable time in India studying with notable teachers.

Pangaea: The URI Root Music Series is sponsored by the University’s Department of Housing and Residential Life in conjunction with the URI’s annual Diversity Week Celebration.

The series has become a URI tradition. During the past nine years, the series has offered 49 acts. All have been free and all have been opened to the public.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: Ancient Future will hold two workshops on the morning of its scheduled performance at URI: 1) Arabic music workshop at South Kingstown High School and 2) a workshop for a URI music class. Pangaea made arrangements for both workshops. While the workshops are not open to the public, reporters and/or photographers can sit in. For more information, contact Jan Wenzel, 401-874-2116.