Review: Cory & The Wongnotes by Cory Wong

Cory Wong

By Mike O’Cull

Visionary guitarist and Grammy nominee Cory Wong gets funky in a large-band way on his first new release of 2021 Cory and The Wongnotes. Set to drop February 5th, 2021, the record is yet another ultra-creative chapter in the story of the hyper-talented and impossible-to-pigeonhole musician, songwriter, podcaster, host, and producer from Minnesota. The album finds Wong working with an 11-piece big band featuring a full six-member horn section along with vocalists Cody Fry and Antwaun Stanley to create delirious, syncopated sounds for dancing people. Wong’s snapping clean guitar tones, hip changes, and effervescent energy are in full effect on these sessions and he’s well on his way to becoming a guitar hero for the next generation of listeners seeking music that’s smart, fresh, and kinetic.

Wong is known to many for his work as a member of Vulfpeck and The Fearless Flyers, his collaborations with Dave Koz, and guest appearances on CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Minnesota Public Radio’s Live From Here with Chris Thile. He also hosts a popular podcast Wong Notes that’s presented in partnership with Premier Guitar Magazine and just unveiled his own variety show/web series called (what else?) Cory and The Wong Notes showcasing live performances, original sketch comedy, special guests, interviews, and much more on his YouTube channel. He’s a relentless creator and Renaissance man who seems to never stop working and consistently reaches new artistic milestones.

Wong starts the new record with his most-happening “Cory and The Wongnotes Theme Music,” which is a brisk, 30-second blast of horn-drenched funk that lets you know at once where this album is heading. It’s crisp, articulate, and sets the tone for what’s to follow. The first full song, “Merci,” is next and delivers a larger and more fleshed-out sample of Wong’s brand of groove music that is obviously influenced by the iconic funk masters of the past while also coming off as modern and relevant. Wong is a stellar rhythm guitarist and composer who doesn’t live for shredding solos but rather for the big picture his songs paint so vividly.

“Heist” starts off with an addictive bass figure that’s quickly topped by the aforementioned horn section in all its magnificence. It’s an instrumental, like most of the tracks on Cory and The Wongnotes, but never devolves into a long jam over a one-chord vamp. Wong’s compositional chops are mighty to behold and his instro cuts are well-conceived and as memorable as anything with a voice out front. The band grooves like a single, sentient being that exists only to help fans find their souls on the dancefloor and will quickly pull you into its hypnotic magic.

“Coming Back Around (Feat. Cody Fry)” is the album’s first single and digs deep into the well of vintage soul music. Fry is a fine singer with a smooth tone that fits the track perfectly, especially his falsetto parts. Still, the band pushes its modern energy underneath the old-school spirit of the song and Cory rips off a brief, blazing guitar solo that’s both technical and tasty. “United (Feat. Antwaun Stanely)” is energetic, positive, and joyful from one end to the other. Stanley is another great singer with a gift for phrasing and a gorgeous sound in every part of his register.

Every moment of Cory and The Wongnotes is amazingly musical and entertaining. It’s easy to get why Wong’s star has ascended so quickly. He’s a seemingly limitless talent whose music rocks other musicians as well as the people in the street. Ever the hard worker, Wong has several new releases scheduled for the rest of this year and, wherever he chooses to take his skills on them, you know it’s going to be cool. We all deserve to get down to funk like this. Be sure you get in on it.