Kathy Thompson Band

The Kathy Thompson Band fights to bring their awesome funk to more venues by Dan Bury

If there's one genre Connecticut doesn't have a lot of, it's big, fat, horn-based funk. A trip north to Boston will give you cavities on the stuff, but around here we seem to like our rock funk-less. So I was thrilled to see the Kathy Thompson Band work up a sweat at C.J. Sparrow in Cheshire this past Saturday night. Playing a mix of originals and covers, the Milford-based band brought a party vibe to the bar with their tight horn hooks.

"I've finally got the perfect band where no one's got an attitude, no one's head is bigger than another's," Thompson said after the show. "No one says, 'No, I'm not gonna play that song.'" It shows in the band's coordination and energy — two sets deep, they still had a zeal for taking solos and turning songs into extended funk jams.

Thompson also noted that she likes playing at C.J. Sparrow. Located off the beaten path in Cheshire, the bar has a townie vibe and tends to attract a working-class crowd with its hard rock and blues bills. Many of the patrons on Saturday night were drinking hard and dancing enthusiastically to Thompson's music. Sadly, Thompson's band won't be back to the venue for a while, "because the economy is tanking," she said. "We've got seven guys in the band, sometimes eight."

And there lies the rub for big funk bands: Their large rosters mean a lot of musicians need to be paid at the end of the night. With the average venue allocating most of its entertainment budget for cover bands, it's hard for original funk bands to get off the ground as professionals — at least if they hope to play in bar settings.

- Hartford Advocate

Thursday's show was awesome! Nearly two dozen musicians, ( not counting walk ons and impulsive screamers ) put on what was the BEST KSOMS ever! Big thanks to featured act THE KATHY THOMPSON BAND. KTB is led by Kathy Thompson on vocals and electric guitar. The 5 piece unit kicked out a fantastic set. Tony D on drums and Chris B on bass provided the rhythmic foundation for Kathy and the horn section comprised of JD Herzog on sax and Patrick Casey on trumpet. The band played original material and some smokin' cover stuff that had the C J Sparrow audience up and moving. The band will be appearing for a full evening of entertainment tonight (Friday 4-20) at 9pm for the C J Sparrow Friday evening music showcase. Get out and check out The Kathy Thompson Band. Thanks guys.
- Ken Safety

http://www.blogtalkradio.com:80/TK-Radio/2008/12/04/TK-interviews-Kathy-Thompson - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/TK-Radio

A Match Made in Motown
The Kathy Thompson Band finds its spiritual home at Sally's; Tuesday, August 04, 2009
By Dan Barry


Kathy Thompson Band.
This past Saturday was a big break for the Kathy Thompson Band. They finally made it to the stage at Black-eyed Sally's. Calling it a good match is an understatement. The nine-piece soul and funk band was practically made for Sally's. They attracted a steady stream of dancers the whole night, and by the time they finished, Thompson herself was on the floor, singing and swinging with the crowd.

When your band is essentially a nine-headed hydra, one of the most difficult tasks is to make everyone sound tight. Each musician needs to have an impeccable sense of place and timing. Stage monitors need to be finely calibrated (so that the left hand can hear what the right hand is doing). Each musician needs to pronounce their notes carefully, with precise attacks and cutoffs. The KTB delivered Saturday's set with excellent coordination. Their horn lines were bright, sharp, and stabbity, and their song endings were so funky and abrupt it's a surprise they didn't involve one of Sally's brick walls.

I particularly enjoyed the performance of percussionist Haley Saner (who, come to find out, is Thompson's son). Saner played an electronic percussion pad programmed with a set of conga samples — a setup bound to make any skeptic cringe. But there was no computer doing all the work. Saner, who also plays regular old hand drums, used the electronic pad to cleverly skirt the many difficulties of mic-ing and mixing percussion — the same difficulties that usually force percussion to take a back seat in a band's sound. Saner's playing was loud, proud, and up-front in the mix, complementing the kit drummer at every turn. He also demonstrated a talent for extended improvisation, taking solos that remained exciting where other drummers might falter. Good on Sally's for debuting the KTB — now invite 'em back!



- Hartford Advocate