Nguyên Lê

Nguyên Lê (Vietnamese: Lê Thành Nguyên; born 14 January 1959) is a French jazz musician and composer of Vietnamese ancestry. His main instrument is guitar, and he also plays bass guitar and guitar synthesizer.

He has released albums as a leader and as a sideman. His 1996 album Tales from Viêt-Nam blends jazz and traditional Vietnamese music. Nguyên Lê has performed with Randy Brecker, Vince Mendoza, Eric Vloeimans, Carla Bley, Michel Portal, Renaud Garcia-Fons, Per Mathisen, Marc Johnson, Peter Erskine, Trilok Gurtu, Paolo Fresu and Dhafer Youssef.

In spring 2011 he released Songs of Freedom, an album with cover versions of pop hits from the 1970s.

Bands Nguyên Lê Trio Nguyên Lê: guitars, arrangements Michel Alibo: electric bass Karim Ziad: drums, percussion Nguyên Lê "Jimi's back" Nguyên Lê: guitars, arrangements Himiko Paganotti: vocals Romain Labaye: bass guitar Gergő Borlai: drums Nguyên Lê "Purple - Celebrating Jimi Hendrix" Nguyên Lê: guitars Michel Alibo:bass guitar Terri Lyne Carrington: drums, vocals Aïda Khann: vocals Corin Curschellas: vocals Me'shell Ndegeocello: bass guitar Karim Ziad: percussion Bojan Zulfikarpasic: piano Huong Thanh & Nguyên Lê - "Dragonfly" Huong Thanh: vocals Nguyên Lê: guitars, arrangements Hao Nhien: traditional instrument zither Dan Bau: flute, percussion François Verly: percussion, synthesizer Michel Alibo: bass guitar Joël Allouche: drums/percussion Nguyên Lê Quartett: Nguyen Le: guitars Paul McCandless: saxophone, clarinet Art Lande: piano Jamey Haddad: percussion ELB (Erskine - Lê - Benita) Peter Erskine: drums Nguyên Lê: guitars, guitar synthesizer Michel Benita: double bass Nguyên Lê "Songs of Freedom": Nguyen Le: guitars, laptop Himiko Paganotti: vocals Illya Amar: vibes/electronics Romain Labaye: bass, vocals Stephane Galland/Gergo Borlai: drums Nguyen Lê & the Dark Side Nine (Celebrating Dark Side of the Moon) Nguyen Lê: guitars, electronics, arrangements Himiko Paganotti: vocals Illya Amar: vibes & electronics Gergo Borlai: drums Romain Labaye: bass guitar Stéphane Guillaume: tenor and soprano sax Sylvain Gontard: trumpet Celine Bonacina: baritone and alto sax Daniel Zimmermann: trombone Nguyên Lê Streams Quartet Illya Amar: vibes & electronics Chris Jennings: bass John Hadfield: drums and percussion

Discography

As leader 1990: Miracles (Musidisc), with Art Lande, Marc Johnson and Peter Erskine 1992: Zanzibar (Musidisc), with Paul McCandless, Joël Allouche 1995: Million Waves (ACT), with Dieter Ilg and drummer Danny Gottlieb 1996: Tales from Vietnam (ACT), with Huong Thanh, Hao Nhien, Paolo Fresu, Trilok Gurtu, Simon Spang-Hanssen, Michel Benita 1997: Three Trios (ACT) 1998: Maghreb & Friends (ACT) 1999: Moon and Wind (ACT), with Huong Thanh 2000: Bakida (ACT), with Renaud Garcia-Fons and Tino di Geraldo featuring Carles Benavent 2002: Purple – Celebrating Jimi Hendrix (ACT) 2005: Walking on the Tiger's Tail (ACT) with Paul McCandless, Art Lande and Jamey Haddad 2006: Homescape (ACT), duos with Paolo Fresu and Dhafer Youssef 2007: Fragile Beauty (ACT), with Huong Thanh 2009: Saiyuki (ACT) 2011: Songs of Freedom (ACT) 2014: Celebrating Dark Side of the Moon (ACT) 2017: Hà Nội Duo (ACT), featuring Ngo Hong Quang 2019: Streams (ACT)

As sideman With Safy Boutella 1992: Mejnoun (Indigo)

Within Uri Caine Ensamble 2006: Uri Caine Ensemble Plays Mozart (Winter & Winter) 2009: The Othello Syndrome (Winter & Winter)

Within ELB, including with Peter Erskine and Michel Benita 2001: ELB (ACT) 2008: Dream Flight (ACT), featuring Stéphane Guillaume

Within Andy Emler Mega Octet 1992: Head Games (Label Bleu)

With Paolo Fresu 1998: Angel (BMG France/RCA Victor) 2012: Cinquant'Anni Suonati – 2 (Gruppo Editoriale L'Espresso S.p.A.)

With François Moutin and André Ceccarelli 1993: Init (Phonogram), featuring Bob Berg

With Cæcilie Norby, Lars Danielsson, and Leszek Możdżer 2013: Silent Ways (ACT)

With Romano/Sclavis/Texier + Enrico Rava, Bojan Z 2012: 3+3 (Label Bleu)

Within Ultramarine 1985: Programme Jungle (Bloomdido) 1989: Dé (America) 2007: E Si Mala (Universal Music France)

With Dhafer Youssef 1999: Malak (Enja), including with Markus Stockhausen, Renaud Garcia-Fons, and Jatinder Thakur

With Tùng Dương 2013: Độc đạo (Dihavina)