Cuong Vu

Vietnamese-American jazz trumpeter (born 1969)

Cuong Vu

Background information
Born	(1969-09-19) September 19, 1969 (age 54) Saigon, Vietnam
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instrument(s)	Trumpet
Years active	1994–present
Labels	Avant, Knitting Factory, Origin, Cuneiform, Nonesuch

Website	www.cuongvu.com

Musical artist

Cuong Vu (Cường Vũ) (born 19 September 1969) is a Vietnamese-American jazz trumpeter. In addition to his own work as a bandleader, Vu was a member of the Pat Metheny Group. He is the first American person of Vietnamese descent to win a Grammy Award. He won twice for Best Contemporary Jazz Album through his work with the band.^[1] He is currently associate professor and chair of jazz studies at the University of Washington.^[2]

Biography

Born in Saigon on September 19, 1969, Vu immigrated to Seattle with his family when he was six. At 11, he began to play the trumpet. He received a scholarship from the New England Conservatory of Music.^[2]

After graduating Vu moved to New York City in 1994, and formed the group Ragged Jack with Jamie Saft, Andrew D'Angelo, and Jim Black. Vu has worked with Laurie Anderson, David Bowie, Dave Douglas, Myra Melford, Gerry Hemingway, and Mitchell Froom.^[3]

While a member of the Pat Metheny Group, Vu won two Grammy Awards for Best Contemporary Jazz Album: Speaking of Now, The Way Up;^[4]^[5] and one nomination for Best Pop Instrumental Performance for the song "As It Is."^[6] He worked with Metheny mainly as a trumpeter, but also contributed vocals, guitar and various small percussion.

Vu's trio consists of bassist Stomu Takeishi and drummer Ted Poor.

Vu serves as chair and professor in the jazz studies department of the University of Washington's School of Music.^[7]

Discography

As leader

Ragged Jack (Avant, 1997)
Bound (Omnitone, 2000)
Pure (Knitting Factory, 2000)
Come Play with Me (Knitting Factory, 2001)
It's Mostly Residual (ArtistShare/EMI, 2005)
Vu-Tet (ArtistShare, 2007)
Leaps of Faith (Origin, 2011)
Holy Abyss (Cuneiform / E1, 2012)
Cuong Vu Trio Meets Pat Metheny (Nonesuch, 2016)
Ballet (The Music of Michael Gibbs) (RareNoiseRecords, 2017)
Change In The Air (RareNoiseRecords, 2018)

As sideman

1993 – While You Were Out – Orange Then Blue
1996 – Too Close to the Pole – Bobby Previte
1997 – Sanctuary – Dave Douglas
1997 – Interpretations of Lessness – Andy Laster
1997 – Other Pocket – Jeff Song
1997 – Rules of Engagement – Jeff Song
1997 – Yeah/No – Chris Speed
1999 – Chamber Works – Gerry Hemingway
1999 – Deviantics – Chris Speed
1999 – Hold the Elevator: Live in Europe & Other Haunts – Orange Then Blue
2000 – Emit – Chris Speed
2000 – Luciano's Dream – Oscar Noriega
2000 – The Hollow World – Assif Tsahar & the Brass Reeds Ensemble
2001 – "Your Turn to Drive" – David Bowie (single)
2001 – Life on a String – Laurie Anderson
2002 – Speaking of Now – Pat Metheny Group
2002 – Window Silver Bright – Andy Laster
2003 – Speaking of Now (DVD) – Pat Metheny Group
2004 – Transition Sonic – Matthias Lupri
2004 – Where the Two Worlds Touch – Myra Melford
2005 – The Way Up – Pat Metheny Group
2005 – Swell Henry – Chris Speed
2006 – Grill Music – Jesper Løvdal
2006 – The Image of Your Body – Myra Melford
2006 – The Way Up (DVD) – Pat Metheny Group
2008 – Coziness Kills – Jesper Løvdal
2008 – Incendio – Los Dorados
2009 – The Whole Tree Gone – Myra Melford
2010 – Closer – Wasabi Trio meet Cuong Vu
2010 – Gagarin – Mickey Finn + Cuong Vu
2010 – Speak
2014 – Alastor: Book of Angels Volume 21 – Eyvind Kang
2019 – Overseas – Nguyên Lê

Awards

Year	Nominees	Category	Nominated for	Result
2003	Cuong Vu (As a member of Pat Metheny Group)^[1]	Best Pop Instrumental Performance	"As It Is"	Nominated
2003		Best Contemporary Jazz Album	Speaking of Now	Won
2005		Best Contemporary Jazz Album	The Way Up	Won

References

^ ^a ^b "Cuong Vu | Artist". grammy.com. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Cuong Vu". All About Jazz. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
^ "Credits Of Cuong Vu". Allmusic. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
^ "Complete list of Grammy nominees; ceremony set for Feb. 23". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Corporation. January 8, 2003. p. 5. Archived from the original on August 16, 2011. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
^ "The Complete List of Grammy Nominations". The New York Times. December 8, 2005. p. 3. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
^ "2002 Grammy Award Winners". Grammy.com. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
^ "Cuong Vu | School of Music | University of Washington".

External links

Cuong Vu official site
audio sample
Interview
Cuong Vu at AllMusic
Review of Naked Truth album Vu is on
Cuong Vu at Dutch television show 'Vrije Geluiden' with Bob van Luijt and Yonga Sun
Cuong Vu Interview by breakthruradio.com Archived 2014-06-06 at the Wayback Machine