Wowy wow wow! Hi!!!  We probably met at one of the 150+ shows I do every year in schools and theatres! Thanks for stopping by my website!   I feel so lucky to be a Teaching Artist, actor, singer and a songwriter.  I've had the opportunity to perform on TV, sing commercials, do animated voice overs, record CD's, sing in jazz clubs, work with very accomplished famous people, and work on the stage - doing what I love to do most in life.

I grew up on eastern Long Island in NY and after college I moved to NYC to pursue my dreams to be a musican.  I worked many types of jobs, including working for the great Paul Simon (ask your parents or goole the name) While working for Paul Simon, I met Bakithi Kumalo; we got married and we returned to LI to raise our two daughters, Mbali (Bali) and Daliswa (DiDi).

People usually will find me smiling and/or laughing. I, personally, think I have a great sense of humor and tell funny jokes but mostly my friends think my jokes are a bit corny! When I was a real little, my brother's nickname for me was 'crocodile tears' because I'd always cry big tears about anything anytime - and that usually meant I could get him in trouble with our parents! But the truth is; I've always been a bit dramatic and drawn to the stage - a place to express feelings. From reciting the traditional Easter Address at my church, to dance classes & piano lessons, school projects and concerts, I was consumed as a child on creative expression. I used to make up stories and songs all the time as a kid! I can remember using spools of thread and batteries to be little passengers on a Hot Wheels track school bus! And I remember recording stories about martians and people screaming in fear as they ran out of town to safety on a portable cassette machine my dad gave me one birthday! I've enjoyed playing the piano since I was about 8 years old - I try to practice as often as I eat. You know how I like to talk, right?   I've managed to learn to speak 5 languages!  This way I can always communicate, no matter where I go!!!

My first taste of children's theatre happened in 1981 when I had the opportunity to compose and produce a Sunday family performance at the local university theater - St Joseph's College in Patchogue, NY. This experience had me truly bitten by the theatre bug and ever since I've pretty much concentrated my talents on working with, and for, kids. Along my life's path, I've been blessed to record, know and perform with great artists like Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Jewel, Diana Ross, Rod Stewart, Mary J Blige, Arif Mardin, Chieli Minucci, Eileen Ivers, and Harry Belafonte, among others. I've also appeared with various artists on TV shows like Oprah, 60 Minutes, Rosie, Regis & Kathi Lee, The View, VH-1 Storytellers, The Today Show, and Dave Letterman's Late Show.  Hey, next time you're at the Bronx Zoo visiting your friends (LOL), listen for my voice at the Congo Conservation exhibit - you'll hear my soprano voice singing throughout the movie.  If you listen real carefully, you can also hear me singing in the choir on the "Between the Lions" theme song on PBS!