On May 30, 2009, Madagascar Institute & Dark Passage celebrated their mutual 10 year anniversary by throwing a 3 part event called simultaneously : "It Was So Much Better Before... Let's Fix That! " and "A Nelson Affair". In 3 separate attempts throughout the day we have tried to get back to before......more video to follow chronicling said adventures. This video footage , shot by Manny Kivowitz, edited by Mandy Kivowitz-Delfaver, shows the finale of the day, which heretofore included paddle boat water ballet historic naval battles between the Dutch and the British, about the battle which became New York. After that event, 3 exploratory teams were sent on the Nelson Affair, a clandestine scavenger hunt throughout the 5 bouroughs and beyond, sometimes below...... and then completing the day was a block party at the Gowanus Canal, after which the Time Machine so carefully wrought, was destroyed in a freak accident of terrible proportions. Watch in horror as we see a 300 pound singing Jew fly across the stinking canal and into a medium of time and space.

I was inspired to write this song in response to an article I read in "Weird Tales Magazine" by Ken Hite about the concept of Dreamland and it's metaphysical and literal properties..... The musicians on the recording are Mike Murray on the Rhodes, Tony DePaolis on the bass and we recorded the track at Church Recording Studio in Pittsburgh, PA. The video footage was filmed at the New Hazlett Theater in Pittsburgh's Northside by Dave Bjornson.

We were not the first, but in the last 17 years, we were the coldest.... In record breaking sub zero temperatures I joined with 150 or so of my dumbest friends and some of their children at Cooper's Lake Campground to camp out and enjoy the community which believes "Those who burn together stay together". Unless one of us gets frostbite and then, well, you might lose some external bits..... Please to enjoy the burning of our effigy, created by Rob, If you know the names of the fire spinners, let me know and I will add them here in the info section. For info about the event visit http://www.frostburnpgh.com/

At the end of a fairly phenomenal evening of music, Mr Alexander (keys) along with his compatriots Mr Paul Thompson (bass) and Mr James Johnson III (percussion) close out the session with a lovely and inspiring blues. Watch for the incredibly prolific embrochures of Dr Nelson Harrison, Reggie Watkins, Rick Matt, Chris Hemmingway, Matt Parker, Julio Monterrey and others - open to re edit this blurb if someone sends me some names - as they sit in on this wonderful night of music. Please to enjoy. This video was shot by Phat Man Dee on a Canon Powershot A 590 and then edited in Final Cut on her Mac. As you can see, a Mon night at Ava Lounge in Pittsburgh, PA is a pretty special thing.

"What Kind of Woman" was composed by Christiane D and first appears on Phat Man Dee's album "Torch of Blue". Here performed by Phat Man Dee , it features aerialist Erin Carey at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater in Pittsburgh, PA during an evening produced by Zafira Dance Company called "Vaudeville Carnevale". The music recording features musicians Mike Murray, Colter Harper, Tony DePaolis and Chris Parker, and was created at George Heid Studios in Aspinwall, PA. Lighting by Douglas Duerring, video by Dave Urbanic and video post edit by Phat Man Dee.

Lucy Sky Dog was brought to the South Side of Pittsburgh in the early 1990's by the Reverend David Apocalypse and was a mainstay of South Side culture. She was the littlest Beehive janitor and she loved to sniff. She had more brain cells than anyone else because she would sniff them up with her nose after they fell out of everyone else's ears. She partied harder and longer than anyone she knew. By all acocunts she lived to be about 25 , in that time she visited Citylight towers downtown, the basements of the local delis and churches, and she would visit anybody to make sure their beds were as comfortable as her own. Lucy Sky Dog was cared for in her youth by Dave Apocalypse and Andrew the Impaled, later she was passed on along to Phat Man Dee and later her husband as well was given the sacred duty of caring for Lucy. She stayed briefly with other colorful locals of the South Side, Johnny "the Gooch" and Bob Ziller and the Big Daddy Bull Seal! She will be by these people and many many more. She is preceded in the afterlife by her friend, Maccabee the Brown Dog, with whom she shared Mandee. If you have any photos or memories you would like to share, please do so by contacting mandee (at) phatmandee (dot) com.

This song was written by Bubba Hernadez, it was originally recorded on his Grammy nominated release "Polka Freakout" with Alex Meixner. It is performed here by Phat Man Dee with Tony DePaolis (bass) and Mike Murray (electric piano) at the Living Room Theater in the Gershwin Hotel, and presented by artist Neke Carson. The video was taken by Cheryl Harmeling on a Canon Powershot A 590.

This is a new tune I wrote , still unreleased, but here is a live performance of the song at the Living Room Theater in the Gershwin Hotel in NYC. We were presented by Neke Carson on Dec 8 , 2008 and had a lovely little show. The footage was shot on Canon Powershot A 590 by my friend Cheryl Harmeling.

This video is of vocalist Phat Man Dee and the dancers Maria Hamer, Olivia Kissel, and Christine Andrews of Zafira Dance Company as they perform the song "Ay Linda Amiga". The performance occurred at "A Benefit for Breena" at the Lava Lounge. Footage shot by Renee Rosensteel and editing by Phat Man Dee. The song Ay Linda Amiga was taught to Mandee at Luethi Petersen Camp and is available on her new album "Torch of Blue" , it is an old song from Spain about the 15th century or so, the name of the composer is unknown. The backing tracks feature musicians Mike Murray, Colter Harper, Kenny Peagler, Tony DePaolis, and Chris Parker, from the recording for "Torch of Blue".

This glorious musical celebration the season was filmed at Pittsburgh Community Television in the North Side of Pittsburgh, PA. Herein we have such classics as "Gandhi Lives!" by Tommy Amoeba and "O Tannebaum/Havah Nagilla" as live jazz mash-up. Phat Man Dee's original take of Silent Night, it should be noted, was done at the express prompting of Bruce Krane, PCTV producer, Man Dee herself did not actually think it was at all appropriate for a community television holiday special and fundraiser. And apparently neither did the executives at the tv station, the phat chick mastication version of "Silent Night" was edited out of the piece that actually aired......and really who can blame them? They were nice enough to give us the copy and put it on the net.....For that alone, if you like this video you should visit : http://www.cmarket.com/auction/Auctio... and check out their auction items , they are raising $$ to keep this kind of television available to the people of Pittsburgh , PA to create. Viva los television estudios publicos a Pittsburgh! http://pctv21.org/ Vocals by Phat Man Dee and guitar by Colter "Jesus" Harper.

Korel and I used to play together alot. He is a consummate musician. When he lived in Pittsburgh, not only did he play in my band, The Liquitones, but also in Crisis Car, The Crawling Low Band, The Johnsons , just to name a few. Since moving to the Los Angeles area he has toured with Charlie Mars, Wicked Wisdom, and currently with the Goo Goo Dolls. On a recent visit to Pittsburgh our schedules found time for each other at Beth Claussen's vocal studio in Highland Park. This was filmed November 26, 2007 by Beth Claussen and edited by me, Phat Man Dee. I have never actually ridden the Delta Queen, but I sure hope to sing to her in person one day. This song is one of our favorites and was one we played at our regular gigs together, John Hartford is the composer, and I guess it takes one American treasure to write such a pretty song for another.

This lovely dancer hails from Pittsburgh, PA. She is captured here from a performance we did at the New Hazlett Theater, in June of 2007 for a celebration of women in the arts.

This was my final project in my class at Pittsburgh Filmmakers, I have video footage from my performance with Christine of Zafira at the Hazlett Theatre in Pittsburgh's North Side and footage of my performance with Billy Woods in the back of Phil's truck at Phil's Grill at Sirius Rising. Both concerts occurred in the summer of 2007 and I put this short together in Aug of 2007.

This video was filmed and produced at Mr Small's Funhouse in Milvale, PA. Colter Harper-guitar, Nathan Peck-bass, Alex Peck-drums, Tommy Amoeba-XMAS tree. Painting by Kevin Wenner, dress painted by Marci Gehring. Special thanks to Viewpoint Rentals