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.
The show arrives in weekly installments, with new episodes being released on YouTube every Thursday for the next eight weeks.
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.
“The ‘industry’ strings you along with these empty accolades but labels paying you on time can keep your life from falling apart”: Beyoncé session guitarist Justus West says awards don't pay the bills – and labels need to take more accountability
“I managed to stay behind at The Marquee when everyone had gone home. I asked him, ‘How do you get that sound?’ He said, ‘Well, it’s easy...’” In 1969, a young Brian May hid in a venue to speak to Rory Gallagher – and it led to his tonal breakthrough
