"Social Justice Disco: Songs to Fight Fascists By!" is a new collaborative musical project between Liz Berlin, founding and current member of Rusted Root with jazz diva and activist Phat Man Dee. Phat Man Dee Bio: Cosmic jazz cabaret vocalist Phat Man Dee was recently voted in the Pittsburgh City paper Readers’ Poll of 2016 as one of the city’s “Best Jazz/ Blues Performer”. She performs live approximately 100 dates a year in nightclubs, theaters, educational facilities, private events and festivals. Mandee also teaches voice to young people through two musical programs, Creative Life Support’s We Rock Workshop, and the Afro American Music Institute. Having released four CD’s to critical acclaim, Phat Man Dee spent a glorious summer exploring the hither, the thither and the yon, in a massive 12 country, 15 city tour of Europe, shooting season one of the currently in post production, "Take it to the Bridge with Phat Man Dee”! Her passion for social justice is evidenced by the number of events she has performed for, and organized, to raise funds for and build awareness of important social issues like fighting racism, pursuing environmental justice and peace. Liz Berlin Bio: Recognized as a founding member of multi-platinum selling group, Rusted Root, Liz Berlin's creativity has grown to be a viable force in any project she applies herself to. An accomplished solo artist as well as a member of Drowning Clowns, she is also part owner of Mr. Small's Theatre as well as Mr. Smalls Recording and Mastering Studio. In light of all of her success Liz Berlin continues to give back to the community as the creator and director Creative.Life.Support, the non-profit offshoot of Mr. Smalls, which provides positive recreational activities for the youth culture of the Pittsburgh area. Among its activities are a non-profit record label, music camps, an on-going concert series, a college internship program, recording classes, and associated artist programs. For her efforts in the community though Creative.Life.Support, Liz Berlin received the Jefferson Award for Public Service in 2013, which was created by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, U.S. Senator Robert Taft, Jr., and Samuel Beard to establish a Nobel Prize for public and community service. The Back Story: The first time Mandee ever heard "protest music" was when local peace activist Vincent Eirene was protesting the development of "autonomous flying vehicles" outside of Wean Hall at Carnegie Mellon university in 1993. Today, 23 years later, we all know these devices today as drones, and they do, as he then feared and prophesied, drop bombs on people. The protest music was provided by Liz Berlin and her multi-platinum selling band band Rusted Root. Their message of love, peace and tolerance was one which really struck home for Mandee. Both Liz and Mandee are extremely committed to justice work through art and activism. This album is a culmination of 20 years of friendship, professional collaboration, mentorship and shared belief in a world where we can fight for justice, promote love and peace, and help defeat fascism through dance tunes. Fast forward to April 1, 2016..... Mandee made a bunch of April Fool’s jokes on facebook.... she posts some outrageous things like..... “OMG OMG OMG SO EXCITED!!! The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust just called me and said they ACCEPTED my proposal to host Isaly's chipped ham wrestling at PPG Wintergarten during the Three Rivers Arts Festival! Slippy the Clown (aka David Gruen) will be doing color commentary as I square off with Bill Peduto!!!!” and “What an incredible day! Tom Savini just called me and said he was asked to do special effects for me in a new documentary zombie bio pic about me playing the role of Zoe Saldana playing Nina Simone in a new musical production called "I've Got You Under My Skins”!!!!” and “Very excited to announce that Wendy Bell has agreed to wrestle me in Ramen noodles for a spectacular gala event and fundraiser, and all the money raised will be donated to Whaats Up Pittsburgh!!!” AND finally : “I am so excited to announce mine and Liz Berlin's new social justice disco album!!! We will be reworking Woody Guthrie's classic works like "All You Fascists Are Bound for Hell" and Anne Feeney's "Have You been to jail for justice?" into high energy dance anthems, backed by the fusion force of Rusted Root and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra!” And sometimes, in magical Pittsburgh fashion, dreams do come true. Liz was tagged in the post, and thought it was actually a great idea, as did all of the fans and friends who responded to the post. Less than 3 weeks later Liz and Mandee played their first Social Justice Disco set for the opening weekend of the Funhouse at Mr Smalls, with the same musicians who are on the cd, and it was awesome. So now, with the full length album in process, Phat Man Dee and Liz Berlin are releasing “Fourth Reich Arising” as the first single. Consciously timed before the election, the song speaks of the rise of fascism and why it must be prevented. Mandee and Liz believe that we are all humans, living on one world and as patriotic Americans, that we are a country founded in religious and personal freedom, with opportunity afforded to all who seek relief from persecution. They believe that all people are created equal and we must defend equality and opportunity. With this collaborative effort, they choose to do so through music. The lyrics to this composition were written by Phat Man Dee and they are: "Could be a Fourth Reich be arising, cause the terrorists are here. 
 A Fourth Reich Arising, theyʼve been living here for years. 
 
 They the ones who all be lying, from their tongues to our ears. 
 Donʼt let them build a kingdom based on ignorance and fear. 
 
 They raise up all the masses who refuse to try to think. 
 Pass around their poison people line up and they drink. 
 
 They're the men in the mirrors and they're shoutin' at themselves. 
 Screaming at the murder they been stacking on the shelves. 
 
 Selling hate for Christmas and burning crosses cross the land. 
 I promise that I know the Gods and this is not their plan Big man yelling loud, you put on the yellow star! He will shoot you, if he sees you, he won't let you get far. 
 
 The yellow star of yesterday is Trump's gold crescent of today. 
 Branding all the Muslims and the Mexicans and then. 
 
 Forget them who were here first, and that weʼre all refugees. 
 But didn't even your Jesus say love thy neighbor's the way to be? 
 
 It seems to me that Jesus might be sad at what we do. 
 But don't ask me I'm just another short fat tattooed Jew. 
 
 But I know that keep them out, lock them up and get my gun, 
 it's a call to war and a call to hate and a prayer to the wrong one. 
 
 Cuz I feel that Fourth Reich is rising, rising faster than we can see, 
 all the hatred and all the lies and there's no where left to flee. 
 
 Could a Fourth Reich be arising? We must not let it come too near.
 We cannot let them build a kingdom based on lies and built upon fear. 
 
 We must stop them who build up hate, and feast on fear...."