Cory Wong, Emily Browning

$20.

press release: Best known for his thrifty guitarwork in the midwestern funk ensemble Vulfpeck, Minneapolis-based guitarist Cory Wong released his sophomore solo record, The Optimist, last fall with a corresponding 7" single release in collaboration with "the sultan of smooth jazz," Dave Koz. In support of the new releases, Wong is hitting the road for a select run of dates, including a performance at Majestic Theatre in Madison, on Friday, February 8.

Hailed as a “multifaceted” artist by NPR and “the most famous Minnesota musician you’ve probably never heard of” by The Current, Wong has established himself as a uniquely prolific guitarist, composer, producer, and sideman. While he may be most recognized these days for his work with Midwestern funk heroes Vulfpeck, the Minneapolis wunderkind boasts a remarkable resume that includes behind the scenes roles on shows like NBC’s ‘The Voice,’ extensive touring with chart-topping singer/songwriter Ben Rector, and performances alongside everyone from Gene Simmons, Questlove, and The Blind Boys of Alabama to Blake Shelton and Bootsy Collins. With his ecstatic sophomore solo album, The Optimist, Wong also reveals himself to be a frontman of the highest caliber, the kind of preternaturally gifted entertainer that commands your full attention with equal parts brilliance and madness.

“My stage persona is Andy Kaufman meets Tony Robbins,” laughs Wong. “I want people to leave my show saying, ‘Wow, I can't believe how funky and amazing that was, but also my stomach hurts from laughing so hard and now I feel the most motivated I’ve ever been in my entire life.’” 

Recorded in spontaneous sessions around the country with a series of all-star lineups (including several longtime Prince collaborators), The Optimist showcases both Wong’s prodigious instrumental virtuosity and his broad emotional reach. The songs are profoundly funky, infectiously joyful, and as playful as they are peerless. Guest vocalists including Vulfpeck singer Antwaun Stanley, Ripe frontman Robbie Wulfsohn, and rising British star KATIS bring additional emotional depth to Wong’s acrobatic compositions which, when paired with his quirky, deliberately lo-fi music videos, feel retro and futuristic all at once. At a time of bitter political strife and deep cultural divisions, Wong has beaten the odds and crafted something truly unifying: an album that delights in the pleasures of human connection and revels in the limitless possibility of artistic collaboration.