As we tentatively dip our toes in and test the metaphorical waters of 2021, Cory Wong has come along to drag us moving and grooving into the New Year with the announcement of his upcoming variety show, Cory and The Wongnotes.
Hot on the heels from a whirlwind 2020, which saw Wong release a blistering eight new albums, the master of funk shows no sign of slowing down with the announcement of a new online show, in which he plays talk show host, sketch show comedian and, of course, electric guitar groove extraordinaire.
Supported by a whole host of guest collaborators, including former Prince session player Sonny T. on bass, Wong regular Petar Janjic on drums and Kevin Gastonguay on keys, the 2:30 trailer gives us a glimpse of what the show has in store for fans of funky music and funny sketches.
Not only does Wong use his ridiculous right-hand technique and effortless grooves to tease us with snippets of new music, we also get a brief look at Wong's natural talents as a talk show host.
"Who is your favorite collaborator and why is it Cory Wong?" Wong jokingly asks his regular recording buddy Cody Fry, who can only laugh in reply.
Also lined up to take the hot seat are Negah Santos and Antwuan Stanley, both of whom take the stage alongside Cory Wong in what promises to be a dizzying display of musical talent and comedic brilliance.
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The show arrives in weekly installments, with new episodes being released on YouTube every Thursday for the next eight weeks.
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And if you thought everything above was already too good to be true, Wong further teased by asking, "Did I mention there's a new album of material from it as well?"
The trailer revealed a 14 January premiere date, so we thankfully don't have Wong to wait before the first episode drops.
Perhaps there is hope for 2021. Well, at least for the next eight weeks.
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Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
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