Born in Paris in 1962, Stan Laferrière grew up in a musical family and found his way to the piano at an early age. Classically trained at the Paris Conservatoire and deeply rooted in jazz, he combines technical brilliance with stylistic openness and remarkable tonal refinement. His music brings together the colours of early 20th-century French and Russian composers with the expressive power and elegance of the great American jazz tradition.
Since the 1980s, Stan has been a defining presence on the international jazz scene as a pianist, composer, arranger and bandleader. With his own ensembles, ranging from a septet and tentet to the Great Jazz Airforce Big Band, he has performed on renowned stages in France and around the world. He has also collaborated with numerous leading figures in jazz, contributed to more than 140 CD recordings and received multiple honours, including ten awards from the Jazz Academy, the Django d’Or and a Mark Award in Los Angeles.
Alongside his concert career, Stan is deeply committed to music education. As a lecturer in jazz piano, jazz composition and jazz history, he shares his extensive expertise at conservatoires and universities. Through his educational blog and his book 49 petites histoires du jazz, he continues to promote a vibrant and well-founded appreciation of the jazz tradition.
Depending upon the circumstances, it is possible that other artists will join this cruise instead.
