Cory Wong

Minneapolis guitarist and composer Cory Wong brings his rhythm-first funk to Stylus in Leeds on 4 December 2026. First noticed alongside Vulfpeck and the offshoot The Fearless Flyers, he’s shaped an instrumental language that sits between jazz, pop and rock: tight right‑hand patterns, bright harmonies and horn parts locked to the pocket. His solo path traces that groove-focused approach, from Cory Wong and the Green Screen Band and The Optimist to Motivational Music for the Syncopated Soul, The Striped Album and The Lucky One.

On stage, Wong leads a band that’s tight but flexible, folding arranged hits into open sections for group improvisation. The set pivots on clean guitar tone, syncopation and call‑and‑response figures with the rhythm section at the centre. Also active with his large ensemble The Wongnotes and frequent collaborators from soul and contemporary jazz, he treats the live format as a conversation in time and texture, where writing and interplay drive the momentum. This date at Stylus is a chance to hear that balance of precision and openness in real time, anchored by groove and melodic hooks.