Vic Wong is a jazz guitarist, double-bassist, tenor banjoist, and ukulele(ist?) in based in San Francisco. He specializes in early jazz styles of the ’30s and ’40s. Sometimes, in the comfort of his home, he makes horrible noises on lap steel when nobody is around to hear.

Vic proudly plays regularly in a wide variety of local bands, including jazz/blues/swing combo the Cottontails, earth’s only theremin-lounge band: Project Pimento, and swing-era Hawaiian group the Alcatraz Islanders. He wont bother to list every band because that would be unproductive use of our time.

Also, if you twist his arm not very hard, you can find him playing solo jazz guitar, reggae, ska, soul, R&B, funk, rock, folky singer-songwriter, bossa nova, choro, top-40 or whatever the paycheck is sufficient for. He’s likes everything and is versatile, is what I’m saying.

Vic’s first musical passion is the gypsy jazz music of the music of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli. He leads the band Panique. Check out what the ubiquitous jazz wordsmith Michael Steinman had to say about the group:

“Panique is a rare group, subtle and inventive… In their mix of standards and less-known material, they embody the great virtues of memorable swing improvisation: a speaking eloquence in their solos; delightful ensemble interplay; extraordinary subtlety in their dynamics, tempos, and shadings; and a real understanding of how deeply listeners need melodies.  Although the members of the group look youthful, they are mature improvisers with well-developed imaginations, ears, hearts, and wit.” —Michael Steinman, Jazz Lives