The Botanical Garden at the Complutense University will present a double programme on 25 June, as part of the Nights at the Botanical Festival, which will include performances by Cory Wong, one of the great innovators of the jazz legacy, and the Australian musician, Don West, considered to be the latest soul sensation.
Cory Wong is a guitarist, bass player and composer born in Poughkeepsie (United States) in 1985 who embarked on his professional career in 2012 with Quartet/Quintet, thanks to which he rose to fame on the jazz scene. Throughout his career, he has worked with other great artists, such as Dave Koz, Metropole Orkest, Stay Human or Chris Thile.
He has ten solo LPs, as well as diverse albums in conjunction with other musicians. Among the latter, Meditations alongside Jon Batiste stands out, for which he was nominated for a Grammy for the Best Album of the New Era. On this occasion, Wong will present the two albums he has just released this year: Wong's Café and Power Station, although other legendary songs from his repertoire are bound to be heard.
Don West is an Australian singer and model considered to be one of the most promising figures in contemporary soul. He has expressed his admiration for legends such as Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and D’Angelo in different interviews, whereby these influences are clearly evident on listening to his brilliant debut album, Give Me All Your Love (2025). This album has been nominated for various awards in the Australian music industry, including the AIR, APRA, NSW and Vanda & Young Awards.
With a combination of elegant and seductive soul songs, a well-groomed look and youth on his side, West has all the ingredients to stand out. His sound will appeal to fans of artists like Jalen Ngonda, Khruangbin or Leon Bridges.