Stan Laferriere’s Big One brings everything in jazz history back to life, from the fi rst signs of ragtime to contemporary fusion in a tasty record you can qualify as one half tribute, one half stylistic exercise. Because while each title on the album is a Laferriere composition, they have that familiar sound which could turn them into standards as great the music they recall. Educational value, yes, but apart from any questions of period or style, this is a jazz orchestra combining power with nuance, and its precision makes it stand out thanks to Stan Laferriere’s unique feel for arrangements and his skill in instrumentation.
