Cuong Vu biography

Cuong Vu was six when his family left their home in Vietnam and moved to Seattle, Washington.  When he was 11 his mother gave him a trumpet to satisfy his musical curiosities, which led to relentless practice sessions and eventually a scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music.

While at NEC, Vu encountered saxophonist/composer Joe Maneri, who encouraged him to take a path that led into unknown regions that emphasize originality and personal concepts of what music is.  For Cuong, this path included searching for his own sound by pushing the established sonority and role of the trumpet into areas that hadn't been vastly explored, as well as finding new forms, textures, and approaches to every improvisation.

Though he received his BM in jazz studies, Vu was exposed to classical and post-modern classical music at the conservatory.  He fell in love with the music of Beethoven, Schoenberg, Lutoslawski and Ligetí, to name a few.  Embracing all of the music that has shaped him from childhood until now, Vu has funneled these influences, filtering them into a unique language and voice in both his playing and writing.

Vu now resides in New York.  He is in demand as a sideman, yet is more recognized as a leader with his bands JACKhouse, Scratcher (featuring Holly Palmer), and VU-TET (featuring Jim Black, Curtis Hasselbring, Chris Speed and Stomu Takeishi).  Recording and performances have included stints with Dave Douglas, Gerry Hemingway, Dougie Bowne, Bobby Previte, Mark Helias, Chris Speed, Andy Laster, Ken Schaphorst and Orange Then Blue.

Recently, Vu toured worldwide with the Pat Metheny Group, not only playing, but singing as well.