Jimmy Jay Joel

Art for Ambivalent Animals

AYA (2015)

by EYYES

AYA, my third album, speaks of a new dawn inspired by the Mayan prophecy. Its lush natural metaphors laid the foundation for my present songwriting. For the first time, I invited friends and family to play instruments and sing voices. I released it just before leaving France with my then-partner, to live in Vancouver for a year and a half – where we worked small jobs while studying energy healing. When I came back in 2016, the open hearts and minds of the Canadian people had given me enough confidence to start teaching shamanic practice, which I then did for five good years. This album is a journey across the vast landscapes of Mother Earth, meeting allies and abandoning certainties. It can be compared to an inner vision quest, inspired by the countless drum journeys and healings I experienced at the time.
–  Released on May 22nd, 2015  –
All music and recordings of AYA are owned by Jimmy Joël. Lyrics from Diamonds are owned and written by Pierrick Falmon, all other lyrics and music are owned and written by Jimmy Joël – except Cosmic Coincidence, co-written by both of them. Music performed by Jimmy Joël (guitar and main voice on all tracks, alto recorder on Lonely Rose and Tucan), Lou Charraud (second voice on Diamonds, Lonely Rose and The Door), Stephanie Vincent-Sweet (violin on Grain of Sand and Earth), Sophie Denjean (second voice on Cosmic Coincidence), Anne Giraud (accordion on Lullaby) and Pierre-Yves Dumoulin (saxophone on Sophia). ©℗ 2015 – Unauthorized reproduction or distribution is prohibited.
Special thanks to Sophie, Lou, my colleagues from Juncasse school, Anne, Pierre-Yves, Pierrick, Stephanie, Max, Nora, my drum circle friends, my spirit guides and many others for their participation, inspiration, support and enthusiasm. Recorded in Toulouse and Causse-et-Diège, France.