"Oh it's a long long while....

from May to December.... but the daze grow short, when you reach September"
And the sweet lyrics of Maxwell Anderson mean as much today as when Kurt Weill put them to music in 1938. My favorite version will always be Billy Eckstein's.  Here is a link to hear his incredible performance:
https://youtu.be/baP_cFd8j4E

For me.... I hope I get some precious daze with you sometime soon.
My shows that I have lined up are very exciting and I am thrilled to share them with you!

Sunday September 11, 2016, doors at 12 pm, show at 1 pm 

Golden Legends Champion Challenge

James Street Speakeasy and Gastropub, 422 Foreland St, Pittsburgh 

Get your tickets before they sell out! I am simply thrilled to be part of this wonderful event and can't wait to croon on stage with these legendary performers! Come cheer on our Golden Legend Champion Challenge 2016 program participants as they compete for the title of Golden Legend Champion! More about the organization: Golden Legend Champion Challenge is the ultimate show and competition hybrid that brings Living Legends of burlesque and up-and-coming burlesque performers together in a mentoring program that benefits all involved. Each of the selected proteges will be paired with a Legend from whom to receive one-on-one mentoring in preparation for the challenge. Legends are presented with the opportunity to help mold and nurture emerging burlesque performers. Each pair has the chance to bond in a way unique to Golden Legends, with the end goal of enhancing performance skills and making lifelong friendships worth their weight in gold. 

Age Limit: 21+   Tickets: $25 general admission - $90 reserved table for 4 - $150 Golden Reserved VIP Table for 4 with many perks! 

Friday September 16, 2016, 5 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. 

ReNEW Arts Festival Juried Exhibition opening gala

623 Smithfield Street, downtown, Pittsburgh

I am so excited to be singing with my band The Cultural District, Carlos Peña (guitar), Dwayne Dolphin (bass) and Miguel Sague III (conga/vox) as part of the opening reception for the juried exhibition of the ReNEW Festival! This exhibit features works by 21 artists from Southwestern PA that incorporate creative reuse or themes of sustainability or transformation. The artworks in the exhibit were selected by jurors Eric Crosby, Richard Armstrong Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Carnegie Museum of Art; DS Kinsel, Artist / Co-Founder of BOOM Concepts; and Kilolo Luckett, Art Historian + Cultural Producer. This incredible month long festival is taking place all over Pittsburgh and at multiple venues, please check out the website and check out all the amazing experiences this art extravaganza has to offer! More info: http://www.renewfestival.com 

Saturday September 24, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.

Mad Hatter Tea Party with 3rd Street Bellydance

220 3rd Street, Carnegie, PA

Tickets $15 or $10 if you are in costume, kids free! 

I am thrilled to be part of this delightful evening of bellydance and music with friends all the way from Connecticut, North Carolina, and Ohio! Live music by the mesmerizing Ancien! Vocal Diva Phat Man Dee will dazzle! AND Performances by Eliot Snaith, The Tribe of Eos, Ellie Olin, Jennifer Senn’s CattyWhomp Tribe with guest Margaret Campbell, Kari and Banafsaji, Joanna Abeland 3rd Street Belly Dance, and more!!

Friday October 7, 2016 at 7 p.m. 

Fashion Extravaganza at the ReNEW Arts Festival

Wintergarden at 1 PPG Place

I shall be emceeing this phenomenal event curated by my dear friend Karen Page, the fashion and costuming instructor at CAPA High School! Celebrate radical fashions at this high energy showcase of garments, accessories and jewelry inspired by creative reuse of materials, sustainable practices and transformative processes. This showcase of designs by local artists includes fashions by fiber artists, fashion designers, and also CAPA students who were inspired by Drap-Art visiting artist Dolo Navas while she was residency at their school. Music and refreshments. Family-friendly. 
http://renewfestival.com/event/fashion-extravaganza/

Saturday October 15, 2016 at 10 p.m. 

Turned On! Burlesque Takes the Mic! 

James Street Speakyeasy and Gastropub 

422 Foreland St, Northside, Pittsburgh 

Join us for a unique night of music! Your favorite local Pittsburgh burlesque and drag performers... SING for YOU! Plus a few musical guest surprises, and live musicians. 
Fierce! VIP front-row tables for 4 (only 4 available) 
Tables for 4 (only eight availble) 
General admission $10 at the door 
Featured Guest: Eileen Galvin from Cols OH 
Local HEADLINER: Phat Man Dee!!! 
Also Featuring: Members of the Velvet Hearts Pittsburgh... Corvida Bleux Holly DeVyne Eden Ivy Luscious D Vita Valentina Viva Valezz! and your host Devon Orel And our friends: Lynn Brigham Georgia Bea Cummings Lita D'Vargas Shaneful Desires of Hot Metal Hardware Gerra Cassandra Meloy Moon: Variety Artist Vyrus V Ixen Arla White and Honey Merlot from Columbus! with the The Ukulele Cowboy Society! (And I don't want to give too much away, but I should mention the organizer of this event Viva Valezz, has a giant oyster shell stage prop that she dances in front of, made by the magical props designer and historical victorian restoration carpenter Ed Pinto, and I have a set of waves made by him as well, and so far they have never been on stage together as part of the same act.... but when you get Viva, Mandee and some sea themed burlesque props in one room together at one time, amazing things could happen!!!!) 

So that is what I have on the books currently. I am working on a couple projects, making another Unity Concert with my fellow artist/ activist co-conspirators, working on creating "Phat Man Dee's Phantom Pop Up Jazz Club and Jam Session", working on a couple different recording projects, a social justice disco album with my old friend and mentor Liz Berlin, working on making a jazz standards album with my mentors Dr Johnson and Howard Alexander.  I am also still editing video from Europe and I have alot more video I have shot since then, so I am just kind of working my way through it.... I am also still teaching voice to young students at the Afro-American Music Institute (AAMI) , and my classes meet every Saturday at 2 p.m. at the school We are located at 7131 Hamilton Ave. in the Homewood section of Pittsburgh, and you can register your child for my class, or yourself for the adult singing class led by Dr Johnson, or an instrument class with any one of our incredible faculty by calling 412-241-6775. More info can be found on our website: http://afroamericanmusic.org/

I might be hitting you all up, my wonderful fans and friends, for some support.... I recently became sponsored through Fractured Atlas, so donations made through any fundraiser I do will be tax deductible. I am still kind of deciding what project to raise $$ for, it will probably be the recording projects, since I spent all my $$ I had been saving on renovations to help my mama move into my house. She just retired from her position as a special needs instructor at the Chinle school on the Navajo Nation and she came back to Pittsburgh last week. As soon as I get this work completed, she is moving in with Tommy and I, so I am really happy about that but I spent all my recording budget on fixing some floors so we can install a stairlift for her. So, don't get mad if I start the fundraising thingy again. I will do it as a "Pre Sale" support the new records (listen to me, next I'll revert to calling them albums and think we're doing a release party at the NRM or something!) However, I probably won't need nearly as much as I did to go to Europe, so hopefully it won't be too painful. Speaking of Europe, young Alistair McQueen and I completed another video from our jounrney last year, it's me solo singing "Streets of London" on the Westminster Bridge.

Love you, be kind to each other. We are one people, on one earth, and this is the life we are living, right now.  Yours in peace, Mandee