GRAMMY® Award-nominated songwriter, producer, and guitarist extraordinaire Cory Wong is set for his busiest year yet, including a brand-new album, a spectacularly wide-ranging live schedule, a star-studded new season of his popular Wong Notes podcast, and the eagerly awaited return of Cory and the Wongnotes, his inventive online musical variety series showcasing live performances, original sketch comedy, special guests, interviews, and much more.
Created and hosted by the seemingly inexhaustible Wong, the series’ second season premieres Tuesday, April 12 exclusively via the Minneapolis, MN-based artist’s hugely popular YouTube channel, with new episodes set to debut each Tuesday. A consummate reflection of Wong’s outsized vision and unstoppable passion for music, comedy, performance, and conversation, the new season of Cory and the Wongnotes will feature extended episodes showcasing long-form interviews, fresh new sketches, and unprecedented collaborations with musical guests including Chromeo, Billy Strings, Big Wild, Victor Wooten, Bela Fleck, Lindsay Ell, Mark Lettieri, Sierra Hull, Larry Carlton, Joey Dosik, and Nate Smith. An exclusive Cory and the Wongnotes trailer is streaming now on YouTube. In addition, Wong has just shared "The Great British Bass Off" skit.
WATCH CORY AND THE WONGNOTES SEASON TWO TRAILER
WATCH "THE GREAT BRITISH BASS OFF" SKIT
“This season of Cory and The Wongnotes is exciting for me because I got to invite some of my musical heroes on to the show, and even write music with them,” Wong says. “The guests on this season are incredible musicians; each with an interesting and unique journey with how they’ve arrived where they’re at. I got to dive deep with them both musically and personally with extended interviews and recording live in the room together. Each episode has its own theme and I was able to explore how those themes relate to everyday life as a musician. The sketch comedy plays off of each theme and how my mind sees the world through the musician's lens.”
The new season of Cory and the Wongnotes will also celebrate Wong’s upcoming new album, POWER STATION, arriving Friday, April 29. The album – which sees featured appearances from many of his Cory and the Wongnotes guests – includes the first single, “Power Station,” available at all DSPs and streaming services on Friday, April 8; an official music video is streaming now on YouTube.
As if all that weren’t enough, 2022 will see Wong traveling the world performing a typically varied array of live dates, including sold-out headline shows, festival sets, and much more. North American dates begin April 29 with two very special late-night sets at New Orleans, LA’s Republic NOLA as part of the 9th Annual Nolafunk Series During Jazz Fest. Additional dates will be announced. For complete details and remaining ticket availability, please see www.corywongmusic.com/tour.
CORY WONG
ON TOUR 2022
APRIL
9 – Rome, IT – Auditorium Parco della Musica: Sala Sinopoli
11 – Zürich, CH – Kaufleuten
12 – Paris, FR – La Cigale (SOLD OUT)
13 – Dublin, IR – Button Factory
14 – Dublin, IR – Button Factory (SOLD OUT)
29 – New Orleans, LA – Republic NOLA (9th Annual Nolafunk Series During Jazz Fest – 2 Sets)
MAY
7 – Minneapolis, MN – Symphony Ball 2022 Concert & Party: Brilliance †
28 – Chillicothe, IL – Summer Camp Music Festival *
29 – Petoskey, MI – Great Lakes Center for the Arts
JUNE
3 - Lorton, VA - Workhouse Arts Center
4 – Oak Hill, WV – Mountain Music Festival *
5 - Lexington, KY - The Burl
24 – Rothbury, MI – Electric Forest Festival *
25 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl Jazz Fest *
JULY
1 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
4 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre **
10 - Rotterdam, NL - North Sea Jazz festival *
11 – Vienne, FR – Jazz a Vienne 2022 ^
12 - Madrid, ES - Noches del Botánico *
16 – Pori, FI – Pori Jazz 2022 *
19 - Molde, NO - Moldejazz *
28 - Darrington, WA - Summer Meltdown *
30 - Newport, RI - Newport Jazz *
AUGUST
11 – Telluride, CO – Telluride Jazz Festival *
12 – Telluride, CO – Telluride Jazz Festival *
18 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Federal Theatre #
27 - Bridgeview, IL - Sacred Rose
SEPTEMBER
18 - Paso Robles, CA - Whale Rock
* Festival Performance
† Special Guest Performer with The Minnesota Orchestra
^ w/George Benson
# w/Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
** Supporting Blues Traveler
# # #
Cory Wong is a masterful musician and impossible-to-categorize artist adept at blending a variety of genres into his own unique sound. From his work as a member of Vulfpeck and The Fearless Flyers to collaborations with Dave Koz and Jon Batiste, the Minneapolis, MN-based Wong has proven a restless creator and visionary musician hailed for his distinctly original approach and dazzling live performances. 2020 saw Wong release an extraordinarily diverse series of eight original albums, spanning a stunning selection of sounds and musical styles. The following year proved almost as eventful, highlighted by the debut of his YouTube musical variety series, Cory and the Wongnotes, as well as an original album collecting music from the series’ first season backed by his explosive new 11-piece big band. In addition to new collaborations with Koz and Stockholm-based pop trio Dirty Loops, 2021 also saw the release of THE PAISLEY PARK SESSION, an all-new live album and livestream concert event recorded and filmed at Prince’s legendary Paisley Park private estate and production complex just outside Wong’s hometown of Minneapolis. What’s more, last year saw the launch of Fender’s Cory Wong Signature Stratocaster® – Wong’s first-ever Fender® signature. Inspired by his beloved Highway One Strat®, which he purchased second-hand as a teenager in Minneapolis, the Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster® is available now HERE. The ever-creative Wong wrapped up 2021 with Wong On Ice, an ambitious live musical and athletic performance that saw him and his 11-person ensemble performing in skates and full hockey gear. Mere days later, he kicked off what looks to be another wildly prolific year with Wong's Café, an all-new collection featuring guest appearances from saxophonist Eddie Barbash (Jon Batiste and Stay Human).
PRAISE FOR CORY WONG:
“Cory Wong speaks the same way he plays the guitar. Rhythmic and energetic, and with purpose and intent. It’s no wonder he’s become a next-generation guitar hero, a go-to player for Vulfpeck, and a popular podcaster.”
- AMERICAN SONGWRITER
“Since its explosion on an unsuspecting world in the spring of 1954 many players have explored the delights of Leo Fender’s iconic Stratocaster design. In recent years, however, very few have left such a palpable mark on the instrument as Cory Wong whose powerful, deep-pocket clean playing is a vital part of Vulfpeck’s joyful funk as well as Wong’s GRAMMY®-nominated solo projects.”
- GUITAR.com
“Funk legend James Brown used to call himself ‘the hardest working man in show business.' In 2020, that guy is Cory Wong, the modern funk master.”
- GUITAR WORLD
“For anyone who grew up listening to Tower of Power, The Brecker Brothers, and Prince, Wong’s music should strike a familiar, groove-happy tone. For anyone lacking those reference points, Wong may almost sound revelatory.”
- THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE
“Whether it be Vulfpeck, Fearless Flyers, or his other numerous collaborations, the funk sphere is incomplete without Cory Wong, an artist whose approach to music-making is nonpareil… When Wong begins a project, he is sure to accomplish it with unbridled gusto, and the result never fails to hit all the right notes.”
- ATWOOD MAGAZINE
“Cory Wong is a masterful guitar player, and that’s in no unreasonable sense of the word. His right-hand technique is unfathomable, his internal metronome is on point and his groove untouchable—and that’s even before you discuss his GRAMMY®-nominated composition and songwriting as a solo artist or as a member of his band Vulfpeck.”
- MXDWN
# # #
CORY WONG
POWER STATION
Release Date: Friday, April 29
