Biography
Born in Saigon, he left Vietnam with his family at the age of five in 1975, settling in Bellevue, Washington (an Eastside suburb of Seattle). He quickly learned English, adapted to his new country and culture and began to play the trumpet at the age of 11, after receiving the instrument as a gift from his mother.
After graduating from Bellevue High School, he was awarded a full scholarship to attend the New England Conservatory of Music, receiving a B.M. degree in jazz studies. While there, he studied with Joe Maneri, George Garzone, John McNeil, Tim Morrison and Dave Holland. Visionary reedman/composer Maneri encouraged Vu to examine the unexplored sonic possibilities of the trumpet. During this time, while rediscovering the jazz legends such as Lester Young, Charlie Parker, and Lee Morgan, Vu developed a deep love for the music of classical composers ranging from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, to Arnold Schoenberg, Witold Lutosławski, and György Ligeti, along with jazz avant gardists such as Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, John Coltrane (post A Love Supreme) and Albert Ayler.
Read more about this topic: Cuong Vu
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