Cory Wong (US)
The American funk guitarist and self-proclaimed 'hype man', 36-year old Cory Wong, began his career in the Minneapolis band Dr. Mambo's Combo, together with some of Prince's former band members. Soon after this, he rose to fame due to his frequent collaborations with Vulfpeck and icons such as Gene Simmons, Questlove, Bootsy Collins and Blake Shelton. Wong is known for his energy, charismatic stage presence and infectious smile, and his unique sound on the intersection of jazz, pop, R&B, funk, soul and rock and everything in between. Cory Wong: ''For me, it's all about the listener's experience. I want them to have a visceral response like: 'I feel better,' 'That was really fun,' or 'I got to escape for an hour.’ If I can get one person to feel good this way, it's a success''.