Photo Credit: Kristen Drum

Cory Wong has released a live, 14-minute version of his song, “Meditation,” the title track off his 2020 collaborative effort with Jon Batiste. The performance was captured at his sold-out show which took place at New York’s Brooklyn Steel in February of this year. 

The song begins with an introductory minute of fast-paced, muted plucking, which transcends into melodic chords that usher in the drums. Wong makes use of pedals throughout the piece, allowing him to manipulate the guitar’s sound, and giving it a prominent echo with precise timing. The performance showcases the piano’s almost underwater-sounding reverb and lets the listener hear each intricate piece of instrumentation, including chimes and a horn section as the music begins to grow. 

“There’s something about performing ‘Meditation’ live where it feels like an intimate/holy moment in the show. It’s such a simple melody, but it seems to be one that resonates the deepest with the audience. It was a dream to play in front of a sold-out crowd at Brooklyn Steel coming back for our first tour after ‘the thing’. We still don’t take for granted how special it is to be able to gather as performer and audience in the same room,” Wong said in a press release. 

Watch Cory Wong perform “Meditation” at Brooklyn Steel below.