Tsunami Benefit @ Shadow Lounge & more!

It's raining, it's pouring and Pittsburgh's never boring..... And to  prove it I say unto you thus, I have 2 gigs you could come to this  weekend, 2 next week and you can even hear me on the radio......

To help promote the following event, Randy Baumann of WDVE has kindly  invited me to sing on the radio tomorrow, Thursday April 14, 2011 at 9:45 am! Singing with me will be Miguel Sague III and Izzy Arlet on guitar. Tune in for the Randy Baumann show on 102.5 on your FM dial in the Pittsburgh area tomorrow at 9:45 to hear us sing and promote the Tsunami benefit!
http://www.dve.com/main.html

First on this weekends order of business please check out the benefit my sister Beth Kivowitz, Geña and I put together an awesome show to benefit the International Medical Corp's relief work in Japan and we'd be honored to see you this Friday at the Shadow Lounge.

Friday, April 15th 2011
Pittsburgh Artists Rally to Raise $$$ for the Tragedy in Japan
Shadow Lounge, 5972 Baum Blvd., E. Liberty, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412) 363-8277

Doors open at 7:30 pm, show at 8 pm, 18 & older, $10 entrance fee
($5 extra to compete in video game competition)
Proceeds to benefit the International Medical Corp's efforts in Japan,
for motr : http://www.internationalmedicalcorps.org/

Performers include: 
Phat Man Dee with Miguel Sague III & Carlos Peña, Geña y Peña, Gene Stovall, Onya Grounz, Christina Springer, BenShannon, Daryl Fleming, Amoeba Knievel, Alba Flamenca, Barb York, Musuhallpa, Lady Elizabeth Couteau of Bridge City Bombshells, Ivivi Mori (Dj Soy Sos & Geña), Abafasi, Christine Andrews of Zafira, Emay and Erin (fire dancers).

The following day on Saturday April 16, 2011 I am singing at the
Backstage Bar with Miguel Sague III and Carlos Peña from 5 to 7 pm.
655 Penn Ave, Downtown, Pittsburgh, PA
All ages, light menu, delicious cocktails and me with 2 of my favoritist musicians ever!

Later that night you may catch me at the Formula 412 cd release party at Mr Small's Funhouse in Milvale. I did a guest back up vocal behind  one of Mr Masai Turner's fabulous and inspired rhymes, the track is "One Hit Wonderful".
To see their recent music videos check them out on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/formula412tv
Show info: http://www.mrsmalls.com/NewPHP/home.php?section=events

This just in: April 22 I am opening up for one of America's greatest blues treasures, Candye Kane at Moondogs in Blawnox!

And also next week I am making an appearance at Pittsburgh's newest jazz  club, NOLA on the Square!  

Saturday April 23, 2011 from 8 pm to midnight I am singing with Carlos Peña, Ralphie Crewe and George Jones at 24 Market Square, Downtown, Pittsburgh, PA! $5 donation to get in is voluntary and all proceeds go to help rebuild the 9th ward in New Orleans.

And for this week's digital offerings I would like to hip you to the  fact that very shortly I will have online a new song by Poogie Bell and myself called "Tokyo on a Sunday" I will let you know as soon as it is online, all proceed of the song for one year will go to help Tsunami victims. I will be debuting it on Fri night at the Shadow Lounge benefit show. It features Bobby Sparks (keys) Tony DePaolis (bass) and Chris Parker (guitar) and was produced by Dana Cannone atChurch Recording Studios. I will send a link as soon as it is active.

And a free offering from myself and Teresa Foley of PittsburghFilmmakers and Locally Toned! You too can have a Phat Man Dee ringtone, I recorded an improv scat version of the melody of Torch of Blue and it is now available as a free ringtone! For more info on this fascinating project and to get me on your phone visit:
http://locallytoned.wordpress.com/2011/04/04/phat-man-dees-tone/

Love and light!
Mandee

Phat Man Dee singing Three Times this weekend!

You heard it here first folks, if you are in the Pittsburgh area this weekend, 

I would love to see your shiny pretty face! If you aren't, well, I love ya anyways!

Tonight, Friday night I am singing in 2 places, but on the same street, so you could actually attend both were you so driven. At about 8:30 or so I will sing as an opener act for the lovely Miss Tess, the Twilight Brigade and Elliot Sussman at Hambone's in Lawrenceville, at 4207 Butler Street. $7, 21 and over.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=169910736393317

Same night, just a little later, and 2 blocks closer to town at 10 pm, I am emceeing another phenomenal night of lovely ladies at Belvedere's, 4016 Butler St. in Lawrenceville, a night of live jazz by Pittsburgh's number one and number two best jazz artists (according to the City Paper readers poll 2010) namely me and Olga Watkins, and we're doing a duet together as we accompany the incredible dancers of the Bridge City Bombshells! Doors open at 9:00pm and show at 10 pm! 21 and over, $8 before 10 pm and $10 after 10 pm. Drink specials: $2 Yuenglings $3 Wells
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=198897510128980

And then tomorrow on Saturday, March 26  from 7:00pm - 9:00pm, at the Christine Frechard Gallery at 5871 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, if you would like me to sing to you with 2 of my favorite musicians (and not to backing tracks in smoky loud clubs) live and in person in a great art gallery check out the Facebook event page! Only $10 and ALL AGES!
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=138847262850421

 
And if you cannot attend I understand, for now, but please save the date of April 15!  We are planning a big Tsunami benefit for Japan at the Shadow Lounge, confirmed performers so far include myself, Geña of Machete, Miguel Sague III and Carlos Peña of Guaracha, Christina Springer, Daryl Fleming, Ben Shannon, Alba Flamenca (formerly Flamenco Pittsburgh) and more! Also a video game competition and raffle, so save the date and we'll send out more info soon!

Love and light,
Mandee

Spring, Song, Phat Man Dee and you!

Hello friends! just a quick shout out to remind you that tonight, on St Patrick's Day 2011 I am singing at the Smiling Moose on Pittsburgh's glorious and historic South Side, as an opener for the everyone's favorite circus sideshow cum hip hopper from Cleveland, Bushwalla!
Also playing is Caleb Lovely!
I would love to see you, it shall be a phabulous evening of musical righteouscity...
I saw Bushwalla when he emceed the Jason Mraz tour last year and he was hilarious, I cannot wait to hear his music in person!
Here's the specifics of it all:
Thursday March 17, 2011 Bushwalla, Phat Man Dee and Caleb Lovely
Showtime is 7 pm at the Smiling Moose - upstairs and it is an ALL AGES
show!
Only $10 at the door.
1306 E. Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203
http://bushwalla.net/

For more info about the evening:
http://www.druskyentertainment.com/calendar.php

Also next week:
Friday, March 25, 2011
I have 2 shows! I am emceeing the Bridge City Bombshells burlesque
extravaganza with Olga Watkins Band!

Bang Bang Burlesque with ALL LIVE MUSIC!
Live and in person at Belvedere's!
21 and over.
$8 before 10pm $10 after
Doors @ 9pm Showtime 10pm
 $2 Yuenglings $3 Wells
Facebok event page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=198897510128980

That same night I am running over to Hambone's to open up for Miss
Tess w/ The Twilight Broadcasters, with Elliott Sussman during Olga's
first set, more details online:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=169910736393317

Next day on Saturday March 26

I am singing at the Christine Frechard Art Gallery with my good
friends and musical co conspirators, Miguel Sague III and Carlos Peña
of Guaraha.
5871 Forbes Avenue (between Murray and Shady), Pittsburgh, Pa. 15217
ALL AGES, 7 pm - 9 pm , $10 at the door

Come one, come all, it's Spring now so don't forget to call..... your
friends and make a date to come out and have some fun with us!
Love and spicy vegan buttercakes,
Mandee
http://www.reverbnation.com/phatmandee

Phat Man Dee w/ Rusted Root and Bushwalla!

Friends, last week I suggested Spring was about to be sprung, and for our wonderful show with Coyote Run and it seemed that I was right, of course once they took their magical gaelic goodness away, the green and warm weather seemed to follow them, but they were not the only trick up my phat little sleeve! If you came to that show, I thank you for your attendance, and we had a wonderful night didn't we??? When they broke out into "Whalesong" in 4 part harmony with the didgeridoo I thought I'd lose it.... and if you'd told me 5 years ago I'd be singing Stevie Nicks and Tears for Fears songs as well as Irish rebel songs with Terry Griffith on a stage in front of people I'd have called you slightly tetched..... But miracles do happen and wishes do come true. Last week's gigs and this coming week of gigs is proof of that.

Friday March 11, 2011

I am singing as guests load onto the Gateway Clipper for a cruise with Rusted Root! It will be lovely, I'm singing with Colter Harper and Miguel Sague III, just a short set, but I've been listening to Root for so many years and this is something I have always wanted to be part of.

*NOTE*

I am *ONLY* singing as people are loading on, from 7:30 - 7:55 p.m., and though I am making a brief cameo appearance with Rusted Root during their set, if you wish to see me with guitarist Colter Harper and percussionist Miguel Sague III then you must be early and on the boat by 7 p.m.. Once the boat departs there is another opening band "Bear Cub" and though I have heard good things about them, I've never heard them personally.

Details:

This Friday Mar 11, 2011 at 7 p.m., 21 and over
Begin boarding the Gateway Clipper at the dock at Station Square in Pittsburgh, PA
Phone: 412-355-7980
Buy Tickets online for $25, show is 21 and over:
http://www.gatewayclipper.com/cruise_detail.asp
More info:
http://www.druskyentertainment.com/calendar.php?venue=Gateway%20Clipper

And this impending St Patrick's Day

Thursday Mar 17, 2011

Last year I had the good fortune to see my friend and a previous companion in music, Mr Reggie Watkins, play his trombone with Jason Mraz here in Pittsburgh. I love and miss Reggie, he played on my debut album "Life Just Goes On".

Anyhoo, the emcee for this event was a hilarious performer named Bushwalla. and he's an entertainer after my own heart. We both have Reggie in common, we're both circus sideshow freaks and geeks from the old school, and we both love to make people happy with our music. His medium is hip hop, and his rhymes are edgy and somehow poignant, I cannot wait to hear his music live and in person on Carson Street and at the Smiling Moose! I hope you come the other opening act will be the Caleb Lovely Band.
Details:
Thursday Mar 17, 2011 at the Smiling Moose
1306 E Carson St, South Side, Pittsburgh, PA 15203
7 p.m., all ages, $10
For info on this show CLICK HERE 

I hope to see you at one or both of these shows, gigs like this don't come around every day. Until then, for your viewing pleasure, in late 2009 I worked with a pretty interesting photographer, Matt Hoyle, while he was shooting images of circus people. He's from Australia and lives in NYC. Last year he did a talk in Dubai at a TED X event, his talk was called "Perfect Imperfection" and he interviewed me and showed my picture and let me speak about beauty to all these people. It's pretty cool.

TEDxDubai 2010| Matt Hoyle from Giorgio Ungania on Vimeo.
The video is online at: http://vimeo.com/19071450

Safe travels, please come out to the gig!
Mandee

This Sat! Coyote Run w/ Terry Griffith & Phat Man Dee

Spring is desperately attempting to get sprung and I for one hope you  will join us on Sat night and help it along!  I know I have mentioned this show in past email/blog blasts, but the weekend is nigh and I am  really excited about it.

This Saturday night I am bringing together under one roof and on one  stage my favorite Irish and Celtic musicians to ever walk the planet.  From Virginia the incredible talents of Coyote Run and in addition to their fiddle and their bagpipe they use didgeridoo and djembe and their mastery of their instruments and the stories behind their songs just shine right through. Their ultra tight vocal harmonies just bowl me over and I know you'll love them. I met them out at Starwood last summer and I am thrilled they're coming here, I really hope you will come out to see it.

.Flier made by Mr Arm of the SSOA

Their latest music video for "Oak and Ash and Thorn" :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPBSMoeYCfE
My favorite song that they do so very well "Whalesong" :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXsqexdtlIU

Some great press quotes:

"Imagine Jethro Tull on Broadway and you start to get the picture." --
Sam McDonald, Music Editor, Daily Press, Norfolk, VA

"If the Red Hot Chili Peppers wore kilts...they might sound like this
band." -- Mike Farragher, The Irish Voice, Boston, MA

Their website:

http://www.coyoterun.com/

Also joining us for a set this night is Terry Griffith , locally celebrated Irish Balladeer and an organizer for the St Patrick's Day Parade.
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/terrygriffith
http://www.pittsburghirish.org/griffith/index1.htm

Accompanying me are my trusty companions Miguel Sague III on conga and Carlos Peña on guitar of Guaracha Latin Dance Band.

Specific details:

This Saturday Mar 5, 2011 at Howler's Coyote Cafe in Bloomfield at 4509 Liberty Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15224
http://www.howlerscoyotecafe.com
Doors open at 8:00 pm / Show begins at 9:00 pm
Admittance is for ages 21 and over

Cost: $15 at the door or $12 in advance
For advance tickets please pay pal directly to mandee@phatmandee.com
The tickets will be held at will call at the door the evening of the event, or rather, the name used to purchase the tix will be at the door on a list and you will be granted entry.

I really hope to see you there! If for some reason you are in Kent on Mrach 4, this Friday I will also be singing at my friend Halim El-Dabh's birthday party at Standing Rock Art Center.  He is a wonderful composer who has given so much to world in terms of music and ethnomusicology.
http://www.halimeldabh.com/

One last note, this month I lost my father Jay Leslie Kivowitz. He was a wonderful photographer who stoked my love of music with his adoration of Peter Paul and Mary as I was growing up. He is missed.
http://obits.cleveland.com/obituaries/cleveland/obituary.aspx?n=jay-l...

Love light and music,
Mandee

Tomorrow Fri Jan 28, Mandee w/ Flamenco Pittsburgh & Bridge City Bombshells!

It's cold outside, so I suggest we all get together and do one of 3 things....

A.) Wander around downtown in the Cultural District and celebrate how incredibly amazing our art, music and dance scene is.....
or
B.) Head over to Belvedere's in Lawrenceville and watch pretty girls take off their clothes in an an incredibly artful and sexy fashion
or
C.) Pretend you're Phat Man Dee and do both.....

If you want to do both then I encourage you, for the very selfish reason, that I wish to sing to you and also see your faces when you bear witness to the incredible artistry of the beautiful dancers with whom I am privileged to work tomorrow evening.

Here's the deets:

Tomorrow Friday January 28, 2011

I shall make a cameo appearance with Flamenco Pittsburgh at 6 pm. The beautiful dancer Carolina Loyola Garcia has requested I sing "Besame Mucho" with the world renowned flamenco guitarist Jon Bañuelos for her, as she pierces my soul with her phenomenal movements yet again.
6 PM SHOW ONLY at Pierce Gallery 805/807 Liberty Ave downtown, lower level
Gallery Crawl is free and open to the public, for more info visit:
http://www.pgharts.org/education/gallerycrawl.aspx
http://jonbanuelos.com/
http://www.flamencopittsburgh.org/

Later THAT SAME EVENING

I shall join my favorite burlesque troupe, Pittsburgh's prettiest darlings, the "Bridge City Bombshells" at Belevdere's in Lawrenceville. I am their emcee for the evening and will also be singing a 40 min set with my trio, including Miguel "Cha" Sague III and Carlos Peña of Guaracha Latin Dance Band.
Doors open at 9 pm, and show time is 10 pm.
21 and over, tickets are $10 for men and $7 for women.
4016 Butler Street in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh.
If you're on the face book here's a handy dandy event page!
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=141308472594111

I would love to see you at both. If I cannot see you now, dates to mark and remember:

March 5th at Howler's Coyote Cafe with local Irish balladeer Terry Griffith and internationally celebrated Celtic rock sensation Coyote Run!

March 17 at the Smiling Moose opening for Bushwalla!

Also every Wednesday night at the Shadow Lounge, my friend and conga player Miguel "Cha" Sague III leads a band his father started 20 years ago, "Guaracha Latin Dance Band" and they do a weekly event called "Food Bank Fiesta" and they play salsa/cumbia/bolero/reggaton and they have me sit in sometimes as well. So, if it is a Wednesday in Pittsburgh, then it is very likely you will see me there, and if you do see me there it is then very likely I will sing something in Spanish with them. Cha is a wonderful sideman for me and I adore playing and singing with him, but if you haven't seen him leading his own 10 piece band with original Guaracha members and new kids just coming up, complete with 2 guitars, a horn section, multiple drummers and his incredible Pops hitting those high notes like it's 1969, then you're missing out in a serious way. Every Wednesday, Shadow Lounge, $7 or $5 with non perishable food donation for the Greater Pittsburgh Area Food Bank.

So I am back in school right now at Pittsburgh Filmmakers, and am really looking forward to getting my hands on their fleet of shiny new hi def video cameras and also to this this spring, when I will be shooting my podcasts wherein I showcase my favorite local creative artists across genres to the world in a free downloadable form. I also am planning a big live performance dvd shoot, so I can better share my music with the world. Your support has meant so much to me over the years, it is such an honor to sing to people who want to hear. Bless you. I look forward to inviting you to these events as the logistics unfold.

For now allow me to leave you with a new poem, it is my answer to all these wonderful Pittsburgh songs by artists like Wiz khalifa and Kelle Maize that are showcasing our fair city.

"My Pittsburgh Anthem" by Phat Man Dee

"What you think that being from Steel Town really truly is?
Is it football or is it hockey, well that stuff ain't my biz

All that big big money flowing through downtown
But in my steel city we got three rivers and we know how to get down

Flamenco dancers' flashing eyes will stare you down the line
Puerto Rican queens singing in and out of time

Cuban shaman science is sweating out Penn Hills
We have so much music, its how we pay our bills

Jazz giants coming forth as Sean and Reggie blow
Our musicians play with rock stars , they touring with the show

So welcome to my Pittsburgh, It's thick with dance and song
With middle eastern dancers swinging to Balkan beats and eastern gongs

Circus clowns are biking with punkers in the night
Hip hoppers rhyming fully, together under steel town's night

Yeah welcome to my Pittsburgh, though its not the one you'd see
On the tv or in the stadium, in my Pittsburgh we're singing free."

Follow me on twitter if you'd like to get more info in a more timely if sometimes disheveled fashion:
http://www/twitter.com/phatmandee

Love and light always my friends,
Mandee

2 Shows Tomorrow, New Holiday EP released, & Pgh City Paper says I'm Number 2!

Merry ChristmaChannaKwanzaa!

I've said it before and I'll say it again, especially now, because I have a NEW trio of songs I hope you will purchase for your Holiday enjoyment!  You can buy the downloads right now for only $5.
The new ep is called "Phat Man Dee and friends, Merry ChristmaChannaKwanzaa Vol. 1" and is available RIGHT NOW online!!

I am sorry I missed getting these up for Channukah proper, I really really tried, who the heck knew Kislev came so EARLY this year??? I used to be in that "Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad" show for a reason...... So I hope you enjoy that little holiday offering, it has been some years in the making, but now that I can so easily upload tunes to CD Baby and get digital distribution through them for less than it costs to actually press 1000 discs, hopefully I shall be able to release more music than an album every 5 years.....

I would like to remind you that I have 2 shows tomorrow, the first one is FREE and the second one is a benefit, so I think if you can, I'd love to see you at both!!

December 11, 2010, 5 pm - 7 pm, all ages, NO COVER CHARGE Live at the Backstage Bar , Phat Man Dee with Colter Harper on his magical looping baritone guitar and Miguel Sague III with his Afro Cuban percussion. Together we make sweet music and I will be in my Santa mini dress......
http://www.pgharts.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=123171

Immediately following that wonderful cocktail hit, I am heading with Miguel and Colter over to the Shadow Lounge 5972 Baum Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, where we have a packed night of entertainment. Some of Pittsburgh's best musicians and artists get together to support the dream of Dr. J.S. Kofi Gbolonyo to set up an arts and technology institute in Ghana, a school to train Ghanaian youth with limited financial means in both traditional and Western music.

Christiane D., Colter Harper, Preach Freedom, Phat Man Dee, Machete Kisumontao, Timbeleza, Staycee Pearl, Joy Ike, Miguel Sague Jr. & Miguel Sague III of Guaracha, Emay, Emily Pinkerton, Anicet Mundundu, Dj. Soy Sos, Megadef and the Pitt African Drumming Ensemble will be among the many artists giving their talents to this cause.
"Nunya adidoe, asi metu ne o"
“Knowledge is [like] a baobab tree, [one person’s] hands cannot embrace it”
--Ewe proverb

http://www.ghanaschoolproject.com/Ghanaschoolproject/Welcome.html
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=162633877093823
http://www.shadowlounge.net/

And in case you had not heard, I am very very honored to say that:
 "I'm Number Two! I'm Number Two!" (Envision me dancing around and chanting this with hundreds of issues of the City Paper blowing around me in a giant paper cyclone.....)
That is to say, all of my wonderful fans and friends have all come together and voted in the Pittsburgh City Paper Best Of Poll for 2010 and decided by democratic process that I am the 2nd best Jazz performer in Pittsburgh, PA right now! I am so touched, and so honored, I am just happy to know I have nice people like you, that like to hear me sing. That is all I ever wanted and to get what you
want in this life is a major blessing. Thank you. You are the best ChristmaChannaKwanzaa present ever, and no plastic, rhinestone or even Bakelite diamond and ruby encrusted tchatchke would ever mean more to me than that.
You can read all of the results in the poll online at:

http://digital.turn-page.com/issue/20995

Whatever you celebrate, and however you celebrate, I hope you spend some time with your loved ones and I feel blessed to have you in my life. Please enjoy my new tunes, I hope to see you at a show, and in the end, I'm just happy to be alive in the world right now with you.

Lights and love,
Mandee

PS New Years Eve.... Shhhhh..... Speak Easy at Shadow Lounge..... with me singing with Carlos Peña, Miguel Sague III, with burlesque and circus stars Foxy Moxy and David Doyle..... I don't know much about the event except that I am singing, I have heard all kinds of rumors about costumes and passwords.... but that's about it. I think there are only about 20 more VIP tickets left, so it's worth checking out soon before the ads go out....

http://www.blindtigerpgh.com

We'll be going til 2 am, so if you want to get your annual celebrational freak on, I will be available to assist in any musical way I can.....