Born in 1981, Sebastien Ammann started piano lessons at age 7 in his hometown of Geneva (Switzerland). In 2006, he obtained his Teaching Diploma (with congratulations of the jury) from the AMR Professional Jazz School in Geneva. In 2003, he was awarded a grant from the Friedlwald Stiftung Foundation in Zürich (Switzerland), a foundation that rewards special scholarships to promising Swiss artists. While in Geneva, Sebastien Ammann performed with internationally known artists such as Maurice Magnoni, Stefano Saccon, Jeff Baud, Béatrice Graff, Manu Hagmann, David Meier and Rafi Schilt. He lead his own band “Schwytzromand Formula” which brought together two musicians from the German part and two musicians from the French part of Switzerland, as a way to erase the language barrier. He also collaborated with a large number of bands performing in various parts of Europe (Switzerland, France, Germany, Italy) and the United states. In 2006, he recorded his first album “Orange” (2006) with the Ammann Trio (featuring bassist Manu Hagmann and drummer Rodolphe Loubatière). In 2008, while in New York, he studied privately with Jacob Sacks, Marc Copland, Fred Hersch and Garry Dial.
Sebastien Ammann graduated with a Master degree in Jazz Performance from Queens College (New York) in February 2011 after studying with David Berkman, Antonio Hart, Michael Mossman and Howard Brofsky. During his studies, he was awarded the Sir Roland Hanna Fellowship award in recognition of special achievement.
Sebastien Ammann is the leader of Sebastien Ammann’s Color Wheel, a band featuring some of New York’s most interesting and fearless improvisers, saxophonist Michaël Attias (Renku, Anthony Braxton, Paul Motian), bassist Noah Garabedian (Ralph Alessi, Ravi Coltrane, Andrew D’Angelo) and drummer Nathan Ellman-Bell (Michael Formanek, Uri Caine, Dave Douglas). The first album Color Wheel (Skirl Records, 2017) was very well received by numerous publications both in America and internationally including Downbeat Magazine and Something Else!
Mr. Ammann is also the leader of the Sebastien Ammann Quartet featuring fellow Swiss saxophonist Ohad Talmor, bassist David Ambrosio and drummer Eric McPherson. Their first album Samadhi (Freshsound New Talent, 2013) was released in 2013. The band toured Europe (Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, France) in March 2014.
Sebastien Ammann is a member of the Jake Leckie Quartet, a band lead by bassist Jake Leckie and featuring some great New York musicians; Kenny Warren on trumpet, Sebastien Ammann on piano and Nathan Ellman-Bell on drums. The theme of this music is the migration of people. It is a meditation on understanding, empathy, and integration. The band is preparing to record their first album before a promotional tour in October 2018.
Sebastien Ammann also co-leads the Ammann / Davis Quartet with alto saxophonist Caroline Davis whose repertoire finds its roots in the esthetic of jazz pianist Lennie Tristano.
Since 2016, he is a member of the rock group Gary Douglas Band with whom he tours playing keyboards and B3 Hammond organ. The new album will be released early 2018.
Sebastien Ammann has collaborated with such musicians and projects as Kris Davis’ Massive Thread, The Gary Douglas Band, Gene Ess’ Fractal Attraction, Tony Malaby, Billy Drewes, The Russ Flynn’s Large Ensemble, Le Zhang Quintet, Mark Ferber, George Schuller, Dana Leong, John Hébert, Samuel Blaser, Sean Conly, Michael Sarin and many others, performing in venues and festivals all over the USA and Europe.
He is the recipient of the Friedl Wald Stiftung (Zürich, 2006), and the Sir Roland Hanna Memorial Scholarship (New York, 2010), and a grant from the Département de l’Instruction publique, de la Culture, et du Sport (Geneva, Switzerland).
Sebastien Ammann runs his own private studio and is on faculty at the Turtle Bay Music School in New York City.