well thank God for the sun! The Outer Banks has had more than our share of H2O...there are still "ponds" all over with side streets closed and unaccessible...drove up to Wilmington DE on Friday and hit all I left in OBX on the way BUT the show was worth it. The jazz band from Tatnall High is excellent under the direction of Jonathan Whitney (Mr J) and my string ensemble and "Divas" choir really did their homework and added a wonderful flavor of warmth and depth to our theme song for the show "You Raise Me Up."

I was delayed in traffic/weather and got to the school for a 15 minute rehearsal...that's incredible!! Thank yous to Christina Von Duyke, string & vocal director, Jonathan Whitney & Wilson Somers, music directors...and Deb Piper from Nativity Prep and the Salesian High School Marching Band! :) I hope to be back in the area next year if not before. The school itself is beautiful with an awesome performing arts center. Thanks to the community for making the commitment to the arts!

This was sent to me via email...it's by Phillip Moffitt...Happy Thanksgiving:

Gratitude… the sweetest of all the practices… mindfulness of gratitude leads to a direct experience of being connected to life... to the realization that there is a larger context in which your personal story is unfolding.

Cultivating thankfulness for being part of life, blossoms into a feeling of being blessed… an appreciation for the interdependent nature of life… being consciously grateful to family, friends, teachers, benefactors and to all who have come before you who have made it possible for your existence to be comfortable, informed, and empowered.

Gratitude elicits feelings of generosity… creating further joy… softening a heart… building the capacity for forgiveness… meeting life with an open heart… in each moment as it arises.

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving.

inquiring minds want to know...

Many, many! have been inquiring so I'm happy to announce 2010 will bring a new Christian CD to my offerings...I will be in the studio December and January between holidays with a release scheduled for May 2010. I am in the middle of music selection/rehearsal/arrangements...it's not titled yet but I'm sure that will change soon.

Thank you for your inquiries and support!

catch up

Well once again it has been too long since I've blogged...now that it's getting chilly, I realized the other day it is November so I've got some catching up to do! September and October are always busy wedding months...and if Mother Nature cooperates, gorgeous...& she did!

Taste of Edenton was a beautiful night on the water in downtown historic Edenten...great food!! and lots of folks who had a fun-filled evening...if you are in the area, put it on your calendar for next September. That same afternoon I was at the Christian Bookseller in downtown Edenten...wonderful store...I'll be there again Dec 18 Friday (time to be announced but most likely in the afternoon) for the holiday festivities.

Finding Your Passion workshop: Thank you to those who participated...it was a nice day, intimate, casual as we moved it to a home donated for the day on the beach road (thank you D!).

Thank you also to the community at large who were my sounding board before the workshop (Val & Marion!) & to those who were supportive in prayer even though they couldn't participate. I did get something out of it for my own personal use as well as left over pasta from lunch! Thank you Quianna Grace Frost for leading us through the day. A few of us celebrated at the Beach Bread Company that night after my set...was a fun day!

I have been asked by several people when the next workshop will be...I currently do not have any plans as I have a few other projects I'm working on...but we'll see where the spirit take me on this. I have been asked to do a workshop at the Women's Expo March 26 2010 at COA Manteo Campus sponsored by the Dare County Business & Professional Women's Chapter.

I'm also still booking Living Room Concerts especially for the holidays which may include a sing-a-long section...visit the link on the web site for more info.

Coming up in November the fund raiser for animal welfare organizations at the Aquarium in Manteo Friday Nov 20 6pm.

Next Friday Nov 13 I'll be in Wilmington, DE for a fundraiser concert for the Nativity Prep School (we did a fundraiser in May at Holy Redemeer for them). Tickets are still available. Joining me that night will be the Tatnall High School Jazz ensemble, womens chorus and string ensemble. Check my web site calendar for info.

I'll also be at Festival of Trees this year at the Pearl at the Sea Ranch Hotel in Kill Devil Hills Saturday Dec 5...an annual fundraiser for Hot Line...always a fun few days and for a great organization!

New Years Eve is just around the corner & I will be at First Night in Williamsburg, VA ...

and one item for next year: SARAH HART a wonderful singer/songwriter whose material you hear at church and on my Christian CDs will be joining us January 31st, Sunday 3pm at Holy Redeemer in Kitty Hawk. Tickets will be available on the web site or by calling me. For those of you who have enjoyed my music and CDs, this is a great opportunity to meet the writer and hear her versions and material from her other CDs (Christian and folk). Check out Sarah's web site for more info: www.sarahhartmusic.com...hope you can make it!

til we meet again - stay warm, take time out for friends & family...God bless!

my summer time back up vocalists

I met Marion about 3 summers ago at Millers...she comes each year with family to enjoy the Outer Banks beauty, good food at Millers and wonderful music on the deck! Marion is writing a book which should be out BEFORE her next visit to OBX...we'll keep you posted on the final copy availability. Good luck Marion!
Tale of the Whale is a most scenic venue...the water, the light house off in the distance, the water fowl, the people...ahh yes the people. Occasionally folks will bring friends and make a night of it on the gazebo...that's exactly what this group did the week before the season ended...a beautiful evening inspired them to join me on all the songs they knew singing back ups on material especially from my CD of standards, AT LAST: Slow Boat to China was the favorite! Thank you Barbara, Gladys, Mary Ellen, and Dee!

End of our Summer Concert Series

Vocalist Scott Hopkin, keyboardist Carolyn

Hopkin & Kim Kalman

Christian Rap artist, NOTE & Kim Kalman

Kim Kalman & saxophonist Pastor DeCarmo

from Bay View Chapel in Stumpy Point

Bill Pitt from ICO, Kim Kalman & Marilyn Canning,

Beach Food Pantry

Last night was the last of our Christian Music Summer Concert Series for the '09 season. Over the course of 8 evening performances we had approximately 450 attendees who contributed $1020 to our "love offering" which was split 50-50 and presented to its recipients last night: Marilyn Canning from the Beach Food Pantry and Bill Pitt from ICO (Interfaith Community Outreach). We enlisted the talents of 8 other Christian artists who blessed us with their material, energy and time. I am humbled and honored to be part of such a generous community. Thank you to all who supported us this summer. See you in 2010!

Connie the blue heron & white egret were doing "the dance" without you tonight at Millers! missed ya!!

Peace...

kim

beautiful music for our wedding ceremony...

Kim,

Thank you so much for providing us w/such beautiful music for our wedding ceremony. You have the most beautiful voice and the songs you sang hold such great meaning to us. You helped to make our wedding day all the more special by being a part of it. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts! Sara & Tom Longstretch

Sara & Tom were married on the pier in Manteo July 24. Congratulations Sara & Tom!

Where has the summer gone?! Just a few more weeks 'til we start winding down...

Bagels to Beef has become quite the networking spot: we celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, life and death, introduce new neighbors...very neat...come have a bagel & coffee and enjoy life!

We saw dolphins at Millers on the waterfront last night...a first for me at that venue...they swam right off the gazebo.

The Jarvisburg Church of Christ Praise & Worship band, headed up by Gene Berry along with members Michele on guitar, Eric on guitar, Kim on flute, George on guitar, Bob on bass, Brian on drums, Donna on guitar & Kevin on sound did a wonderful job of raising the roof on Monday at our Christian Music Concert Series...thank you to all for sharing talents & time...& unloading & loading 2 trucks worth of equipment!! I was impressed with the mix...good job Kev! They will be at the ICO Family Festival at the Church of Christ in Jarvisburg Saturday Sept 12 ...check out the ICO web site (www.interfaithcommunityoutreach.org) for more info on this or call 480-0070. It's a fund raiser..all are welcome!

Christian Rap artist, Nick Jenkins aka NOTE

This Monday August 31 at Holy Trinity will be the last Monday scheduled for the concert series. "Note" will be back along with some special musical guests performing with me and on their own: Pastor DeCarmo from Stumpy Point Bay View Chapel on saxophone, Carolyn Hopkin (keyboardist) and Scott (vocalist) and who knows who else will show up! We will be presenting ICO and our local Food Pantry with donations of $500 each (raised through our "love offerings" from the series). I am so excited to be able to do this on behalf of our volunteer musicians and all the folks who came to enjoy the music. Thank you to all involved for sharing talent and to all who supported us...God is smiling upon you!