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Change of Course

Sebastien Ammann

Label: Ropeadope
Released: 2024
Views: 7

Tracks

1. Contemplation 2. Hubris 3. The Meadows 4. Gaïa 5. Jevons’ Paradox 6. Bright Light 7. L’An 01 8. The Web of Life 9. Swallowtail’s Hollow Tail 10. Nature Dance

Personnel

Sebastien Ammann

piano

Ralph Alessi

trumpet

John Hébert

bass

Eric McPherson

drums

Caroline Davis

saxophone

Album Description

Contemplation: Pausing and contemplating life invites us to focus on our senses and shows us the miracle of life and the natural world. We must learn to respect the ecosystem in which we are embedded.
Hubris: This word means having excessive pride or self-confidence. I believe that this aptly describes mankind’s attitude towards the natural world. The assumption that humans are superior to nature and that all problems can be solved by human ingenuity and technology might be one of the root causes of today’s crises.
The Meadows: Dedicated to Denis and Donella Meadows (American scientists and co-authors of “The Limits To Growth” (1972)). The Meadows’ work has changed how I understand the world.
Gaïa: Mother Earth, is the ancestral mother of all life. We aren’t part of nature; we are nature, we are life, so let us care about it and cherish it. Through this piece, I wish to acknowledge Indigenous Peoples who came before us and whose wisdom guides us today.
Jevons’ Paradox: The economist William Stanley Jevons described this effect in 1865. Jevons’ Paradox states that an increase in efficiency of resource use will generate an increase in resource consumption rather than a decrease.
Bright Light: I wrote this piece for my son, Elias, who brings endless and intense joy to my life.
L’An 01: This 1973 cult French film offers a utopian view of the future. Its messages: “Let’s stop everything” and “After a period of total stoppage, let’s bring back just the services and products we can’t do without” open an important topic of discussion.
The Web of Life: “Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.” (Chief Seattle)
Swallowtail’s Hollow Tail: In the summer of 2020, I was lucky to witness part of a Swallowtail’s life cycle from an egg to a caterpillar as it grew on a carrot plant on my balcony.
Nature Dance: This 2-measure piece celebrates life and nature. The fact that life starts with a single cell and develops into complex and interconnected organisms is the most amazing thing.