Matt Wong of West Windsor presents a CD release show in conjunction with his new album on Saturday, May 31, at 8:30 p.m. at Small World Coffee in Princeton. “Reflections” is the second album for the teenage guitarist. His scheduled guests include singer songwriters Anker of Cranbury and Raw Coffee from Princeton. They will perform solos, and Anker will do duets with Wong.
The music featured includes songs off the “Reflections” album, covers of music by artists such as the Beatles, Stevie Wonder, and Bon Jovi, and songs by special guests. The CD will be available for purchase. Admission is free.
Wong, a junior at High School South, picked up the guitar at age six and has been playing ever since. He studies with Bruce Arnold in New York City and now has his own students. “Teaching is one of my favorite things to do, and I really look up to my teachers and hope I can be as good as them,” says Wong. “Teaching music also allows you to grow as a musician because you learn quite a lot from your students.”
Guitar is his primary instrument, and he plays both acoustic and electric. “When I do my solo touring and performing, I play acoustic, but when I play in ensembles and with other people, I usually play electric,” he says.
Wong focuses on playing “fingerstyle,” which allows him to hold down the melody, rhythm, and bass parts simultaneously, while adding a little percussion. He was first inspired to play this style when he heard Tommy Emmanuel, a guitar player from Australia, using this method. Using fingerstyle, Wong has composed several originals and has also arranged a number of well known songs in a variation of jazz ballads and rock tunes.
As a composer, Wong has written more than a dozen original tunes. Many of these compositions can be heard on Wong’s debut album, “Fly Me to the Moon,” released in 2011. The album features six originals and six cover tunes, all composed and arranged by him.
Born in New Jersey, Wong has been living in West Windsor for close to 16 years. His mother, Lilian Tsang, works at Princeton University, and his father, Bill Wong, works at Princeton Financial Systems. His sister Molly is 11. His mother “studied piano when she was little and still occasionally plays,” says Wong.
“I know a lot of people whose parents are very skeptical about careers in music, but my parents are not like that at all,” says Wong. “They fully support the work that I do now, and my desire to apply to music school.”
At High School South, Wong plays violin in the orchestra and runs cross country and track and field. As a touring artist, Wong performs throughout the tri-state area, and Pennsylvania. He has been invited to perform at Communiversity in Princeton, Art All Night in Trenton, and has played concerts at venues such as the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City, the Dobbs in Philadelphia, the Saint in Asbury Park, and the Record Collector Store in Bordentown. Wong has shared the stage with Earl Klugh, Bryan Rason, Sarah Donner, and Avi Wisnia.
Wong was invited to the Grammy Foundation’s Grammy Camp in Los Angeles, California, in 2012. He studied engineering for audio and video career track.
Wong’s summer plans this year include practicing, writing, touring, and performing — while working on college applications. He will attend Berklee College of Music’s five-week performance program in Boston. Upcoming performances include July 5 in New York City, August 16 in Belmar, and August 30 in Barrington, with plans for shows in Philadelphia, Wilmington, and other cities in the works. Visit https://mattwong.webs.com for updated shows.
“Since this is my CD release show, I’m trying to make it unique and different from my usual solo shows, and one way I’m doing that is by having guest artists and musicians jam with me,” says Wong. “I’m trying to keep my special guests a secret until the show, but I will tell you that the music that these guests will bring to the show include contemporary jazz, pop, and rock — on top of my usual fingerstyle guitar music.”
Matt Wong and Friends, Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. Saturday, May 31, 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. 609-924-4377. www.smallworldcoffee.com.
