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Come Play with Me

Cuong Vu
1 disc

1. Dreams, Come Play With Me
2. Vina's Lullaby
3. Amniotic
4. Safekeeping
5. Again and Again and Again
Additional Info

Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): 298
Credits

Producer Cuong Vu; Laurent Brondel
Engineer Laurent Brondel; Peter Beckerman
Personnel: Cuong Vu (trumpet); Laurent Brondel (guitar, lap steel guitar);
Stomu Takeishi (bass); John Hollenbeck (drums).
Recorded at Mr. Small's Funhouse, New York, New York on May 18, 2001.
Personnel: Cuong Vu (trumpet); John Hollenbeck (drums).
Audio Mixer: Laurent Brondel.
Recording information: Mr. Small's Farmhouse (05/18/2001).
Editor: Laurent Brondel.
Redefining the concept of a horn-led trio, trumpeter Cuong Vu uses a minimum of instruments to acheive a bounty of tonal colors on COME PLAY WITH ME. Key to Vu's success in this endeavor is bassist Stomu Takeishi, whose fretless work reveals a kaleidoscope of sounds and feels, from agressive, full-throttle attack to languid, pastel notes that drift slowly and gently across the compositions, to a percussive, rhythmic approach. Takeishi is the only member of the trio capable of playing chords, so he also takes a more harmonic role here than your average bassist.
For his part, Vu offers concise, melodic lines that are both spare and elegant, lacing his rhythmically involving, harmonically concise compositions with short bursts of eloquence and occasional fiery outpourings. This is no out-jazz free-for-all, it's a carefully crafted album of forward-looking modern jazz where construction is equally as important as expression, and both prosper in the capable hands of this unusual trio.
Critic Reviews

The Wire (1/02, p.75) - "...Takes the epic sci-fi peaks of MIles Davis circa BIG FUN and anchors them with a straight rocking, stripped down rhythm section..."
JazzTimes (5/02, pp.139-40) - "...An album for the patient to get lost in..."