THE KATE THOMPSON COMBO

The Kate Thompson Combo celebrates jazz standards and country classics. We love to cover Iowa artists. We frequently partner with local dancers to bring a unique movement element to our performances. In 2021 we received a grant from the Iowa Arts Council to help us continue to bring our live performances to all corners of the state. 

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Kate is a well-known vocalist who has performed in blues/rock groups and jazz bands around Iowa for 20 years. She was a founding company member of the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Arts and starred in many musicals in the Iowa City/Cedar Rapids area. 

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Multi-talented instrumentalist Nate Fair is featured on saxophone, keyboard and flute. He can be frequently seen performing with his rock band, Murphy's Law. 

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Gil McNaughton is bassist and keeper of the rhythm. Our resident choreographer, he is also an instructor at the Robert Thomas Dancenter. 

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Four time winner of the Iowa State Fair mandolin competition, Steve Hurst plays anything with strings - guitar, mandolin and ukulele. He also performs locally with traditional string band the Onion Creek Cloggers and New Orleans jazz with the Dixie Slicks. 

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Wade Presley plays drum set for the combo. Since his teenage years, Wade has performed in various bands and musical groups. Most recently, Wade served as a band director in the Nevada School District.

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Support provided by the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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