Cory Wong is a
guitar hero whose fortress of solitude is in a neighborhood several zip codes
shy of all that six-string royalty you might think of when somebody utters the
words “guitar hero.” His approach to the guitar is melodic and gentle, more
like a conversation between an audience’s ears and his Strat. But when
required, the man can knuckle down and play some serious funk. Hey, it worked
for Andy Summers.
Wong is embraced by
jammers, but he’s quick to point out that he’s in control of the chaos and
jams. And it all manifests in a splendid splash of groove and color. Whether
you catch him in Vulfpeck or Fearless Flyers, as a
solo artist, or as a sideman spanning the globe, Wong is a fantastic guitarist
who is fun to dig and get snagged on his hooks.
In a recent
interview, Wong had answers to questions about the classic Stratocaster twang,
staying on script, and being big in Peru. An edited transcript follows.
CITY:
You have a feather-light touch to funk, yet the resulting groove is way deep.
Is that on purpose?
Wong: Yes, there are certain times when I really want to lay in because the
sound needs to be a little heavier. But the feel is a little more at home for
me with a lighter touch. So yes, it is intentional and on purpose; it’s always
the sound and the feel that I’m chasing. I don’t think about it unless it’s the
sound and what it feels like.
You opt for that
classic Stratocaster boing and twang. How important is that to your overall
sound?
It’s big to me
because it’s where I feel most at home. Of course there’s that thing – “The
sound and the tone and the feel is all in your hands” – and that’s 100 percent
true. That being said, when I play in that fourth pickup
position, it is the most potent version of me. When I play there, it just feels
and sounds like me.
How close do you
stay to the script?
That’s a great
question. I have compositions with certain parts that need to be played a
specific way. And there are certain spots that are jumping points. I like to
feel things arranged and worked out. But I love the exploration and the
experimentation of live music.
Even in the studio,
I build in these jumping points where there’s some freedom. So I like things
that are scripted because that’s what makes the song the song. In instrumental
music, I like to stay a little closer to home, kind of spoon feed it that “This
is the song.”
How do you name a
song with no lyrics?
Well, Frank, that’s
the hardest part of my job. I can write music all day long, but the place I get
hung up is naming something. I’ve gotten a little better, whether it’s a catchphrase
or something funny. I’ve got a song on my upcoming album called “Airplane
Mode.” That phrase didn’t exist five years ago. Or sometimes I’ll ask people,
“What does this song remind you of?”
Somebody said to
me that you’re big in Peru. Please explain.
My guitar teacher
and mentor in college was Andreas Prado. He’s a Peruvian legend, a superstar in
Peru. He taught me how to play traditional Peruvian music. He invited me down
to Lima to explore the music scene. So I went down and produced a few records
that did really well, did a couple of tours that were awesome; we heard
ourselves on the radio.
Talk a little
about your work in television.
For a while I was
doing some charting and arranging for “The Voice.” I never met anyone on the
show, though. It was all done via e-mail.
Who are your
influences?
They come from the
realm of Prince, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Michael Jackson. I grew up in
Minneapolis. Prince was everywhere, and being a funk guitar player, that was a
good thing. I’m a huge Bรฉla Fleck and the Flecktones
fan – still the best concert I’ve ever seen. And of course, Scofield, Frisell, and Metheny.
What first got
you into music?
My dad. He was
listening to Weather Report, Zeppelin, Keith Jarrett all around the house when
I was a kid. It’s what got me into deep music. And of course, pop. I’m a 90’s
alt-rock kid – stuff I just love like Weezer, Foo
Fighters. I love so much of that music.
Of all the bands
you are currently in, your solo work, and playing as a sideman, which one
really scratches your itch?
Fearless Flyers
scratches the Olympic funk itch, playing to the outer limits of what we can do.
But it’s all music centered around the guitar, whoever I’m playing with.
What’s something you always do?
I always laugh and
smile.
What’s something
you’ll never do?
I’ll never give up
on my calling in life. I’ll never give up on what I was put on this earth to
do.
This article appears in Jan 9-15, 2019.
