Are you a jazz fan? The idea of Herbie Hancock get you giddy? Miles Davis give you heart palpitations? Yes? Well, get pumped for Thursday, ’cuz boy does the Haunt have an act for you.

But what about all the rest of ya’ll? Those who idolize Radiohead and Sigur Ros? I’ve got good news for you too. The Haunt has a show Thursday night that you’re bound to love. Yes, ladies and gents, you got it: Jazz and rock will come together in one big Cuong Vu hullabaloo.

Cuong Vu is a jazz trumpeter acclaimed worldwide for his innovative combinations of rock and jazz. He was born in Vietnam and raised in Seattle. Like most middle school kids, he picked up an instrument at age 11, and, unlike most middle school kids, found he loved it. But he loved AC/DC too. What to do?

“In the school system there are really two venues: classical or jazz,” Vu said in an interview. “I went to the classical side, but when I got to college I realized that the music wasn’t really encompassing the music I had grown up with, like rock music, Led Zeppelin and all that. I’m trying to make the music that I really gravitate to, trying to pull everything together that I’m really attracted to.”

Vu is currently playing with bassist Stomu Takeishi and drummer Ted Poor. The three have toured Europe, released several albums and are preparing to take Ithaca by storm. The music really does feel like the love child of Radiohead and Herbie Hancock — it’s a jazzy language, but overlaid with abstract sounds, samplers and a whole lot of layers. I asked Vu about his influences and his songwriting process. Where does the magic come from, man?

Of his influences, he noted the following: “Radiohead, Bjork, at this stage in the game it’s really hard to identify influences. I listen to a lot of music, a progressive rock heavy metal band called Meshuggah — we don’t really draw from them, but we play with that kind of aggression. A band called Deerhoof, Sigur Ros. People are not going to easily identify the influences in our music, but if they become fans and really check us out, then they can start drawing the connections.”

One thing Vu said he envied about rock musicians was their freedom to jam. It might seem that a jazz band should do practically nothing but jam, but the trio operates in a different manner:

“I love the jam of the rock band, but because we’re professionals and live in different parts of the country, we can’t really do that. So I conceptually come up with the skeleton of the piece, and when we come together in rehearsals or on tour, then it really starts to come together, and everyone contributes. But the bulk of the material comes from me. But also the way I write relies on the musicians I play with, because it wouldn’t work at all with other musicians.”

To see what he’s talking about, check out the trio’s two most recent recordings, It’s Mostly Residual and The Vu-Tet Recording. The title track of It’s Mostly Residual was one of my favorites — it starts out jazzy, bluesy, melancholy, and becomes a mélange of bass and noise, even as the melody continues to return and evolve. “Accelarated Thoughts” is interesting as well — you don’t really get how you could like it, seeing as the trumpet is so out there, but you get hooked nonetheless.

The Haunt will feature the trio exploring jazz standards like “Georgia on My Mind” or “It Don’t Mean a Thing.” This will be experimental for Vu, but the group is excited to premiere something new.

“I shied away from standards for a long time because I didn’t feel like I had my own personal way to do it, because it’s been done for so long, there’s not much new to me. But now this band has been together for so long that we’ve developed our own language. I think a lot of people who know what we do are curious to see how we will approach standards. It’s not going to sound like swing music. We’re going to take my composition and use it to address the standard repertoire. Imagine Meshugga trying to improvise over jazz standards.”

So check it out, chillins’. It may not be exactly what you’re used to, but that’s a reason to go, is it not? Especially if you were ever a jazz fan, like my trombone-totin’ self. Vu and the trio have something really unique going on, and, because Ithaca is awesome (you know it is, people) you have a unique chance to go see it. Rock on, darlings. Something good’s about to happen.

Cuong Vu will be playing Thursday evening at 7 p.m. at The Haunt. Admission is $10 with a student ID.