My most phabulous of L'il Phatties!!!! 

 Please frogive my seeming radio silence. I have been traveling a bit and seeing what I can see. I have been to medieval times, spirit havens, made friends with some new wonderful musicians and rekindled friendships with some old ones. It's all been pretty magical and I hope to have some of the videos of my travels out soon. While I document everything, I also have to be the one to edit it!! I am running a one woman shop over here, I do my own bookings, travel logistics, band leading, marketing, promotions, not to mention my fairly busy schedule of vocal coaching, and I do try to do laundry and cook food every once in a while!!! I am however truly blessed to have some exciting things on the near horizon and it would be wonderful to see you! 

This coming weekend I would love to see you in my neighborhood, I am part of a community artist team working to engage with our neighbors and our community in our absolutely stunning treasure known as McKinley Park. It is the oldest park within the original city limits of Pittsburgh and it has so many stories. If you happen to know any of them please DO come by! Please join neighbors, artists, and friends of McKinley Park for a weekend of music, creativity, movement, food, and community connection. 

More info: I LOVE McKINLEY PARK: Neighborhood Celebration Weekend
September 18–20, 2026 | McKinley Park

The McKinley Park Community Artist Team has been gathering stories, memories, and ideas about the park and imagining how future public art can reflect the people, landscape, and history of Beltzhoover, Knoxville, and Allentown. Come celebrate what makes McKinley Park special—and help shape what comes next. While not required, attendees are encouraged to RSVP via email to: christianedolores@noboxengagements.com. All events are rain or shine. In case of extreme weather, cancellations will be announced via social media and email. Follow @shiftworkspgh and @pittsburghparks on Instagram and Facebook. 

My part is on Saturday afternoon - I will be collecting stories and working with my friend and pianist Joe DeFazio to create a new song commemorating our park's legacy in song. Please come on by to help contribute to this new song! It's a whole weekend of events. for a full list of activities here is the google doc to read CLICK HERE  To see the Facebook event page CLICK HERE. 

Next week pn Friday September 25, I will heading to to the Pittsburgh International Airport for a performance with guitarist Carlos Peña on the airside terminal stage from 3 pm - 5 pm! If you are flying in or out of the Pittsburgh international airport, between the hours of three and five pm, come on by and say hey! More info CLICK HERE!

And please save the date and make your reservations for a very special rescheduled performance with my vocal student Esai Aliquo and her grandpa the great saxophonist Don Aliquo Sr.  We are celebrating the release of Esai’s first EP “Inherited Groove” on Saturday, October 10, 2026 at Uncork’d in Sharpsburg, from 4 pm - 7 pm! Due to a bad fall and long recovery, this event was rescheduled from May to October to ensure that Grandpa Don’s injuries were completely healed.

Joining this dynamic grandpa / granddaughter duo will be pianist and composer Joe DeFazio, bassist Bruce Wallace, and myself. The beautiful project showcases a very special intergenerational collaboration between 21 year old up and coming jazz vocalist Esai with her grandfather, 97 years young, beloved saxophonist, bandleader, and educator Don Aliquo Sr. I was onored to produce this project. We recorded at The Church Recording Studio with Dana Cannone and if you haven't heard it yet, please do on your favorite platform! Link to Esai's website and links to her music CLICK HERE! Link to make reservations for the EP release party CLICK HERE! Facebook event info CLICK HERE! 

I just updated my own website calendar, you can usually see the most up to date list of upcoming appearances here: https://phatmandeemusic.com/#calendar

I hope you are well, elections are coming up soon, midterms and local elections are super important. I am a Democratic Committee woman in my ward and we're having a meet and greet with our committee members and local folks running for office on October 14, more ifo on facebook if you would like to join us CLICK HERE! 

Til we meet again, stay strong, check your voter registration, don't let the fascists scare you into silence, we keep each other safe, and survival is half of the revolution. The song I have attached for you today is our version of Moanin' by Bobby Timmons and Jon Hendricks. The two young singers on the track with me are my students Esai Aliquo and Windafire. Of all the excellent musicians on the track, I would be remiss in not mentioning by name, the late, great, and never forgotten pianist Dr James Johnson, with the still swingin' Dr Roger Humphries himself on drums. Friends, I remain ever yours in both song and in justice, Phat Man Dee