The votes will have all been tallied and the wait finally over when Artvoice honors Buffalo’s Best with the 3rd Annual Artvoice Best of Buffalo Party. Winners will be announced in over 130 categories, from Best Actress to Best Florist to Best Dive Bar, as decided by the coolest judges around—Artvoice readers. This year’s bash features live music by the gypsy jazz combo Babik, a performance by the Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus and a sampling of culinary delights courtesy of the area’s favorite restaurants. Celebrity emcees/presenters will include effervescent radio DJ Val Townsend from 103.3 The Edge, homegrown hipster Airborne Eddie (pictured left at last year’s B-O-B bash, with winners Mary-Alice Demler and Scott Levin) and the irrepressible Chevon Davis. Mayor Byron Brown will also be in attendance, and has graciously agreed to say a few words. The event presents the ideal opportunity to step out, schmooze and raise a toast to those who make our city, well…the best.

For those whose idea of “boogey-ing down” involves the Electric Slide or the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A,” it may be hard to find harmony with older and more traditional cultures on the dance floor. Folkloric Dance Company’s presentation of “Women & Dance…a Timeless Journey,” could bridge this gap in perception. The performance is a celebration of diversity, and an exploration of the bond of international sisterhood created through dance. The dancers showcase styles that span across nearly every continent, from Irish jigs to Middle Eastern belly-dancing, as well as Latin, African and Egyptian traditions. The performance features an eclectic bunch of artists whose backgrounds are as colorful as the concert itself. Gigi Fayed, a flamenco dancer from Florida, has spent 35 years in the business of physical expression, with a career that ranges from teaching yoga and acupressure to international appearances in operas, commercials and films. Andrea Beeman of New York City, known as the “Enchantress of Bioluminosity,” is another renaissance woman of sorts, with a background in both the performing arts and filmmaking. This event is part of the Niagara River Ethnic Dance Festival, and it is also the first dance performance staged at the Church, Ani DiFranco/Righteous Babe’s new event space—also home to Hallwall’s. Just make sure to leave your cowboy boots and platform shoes at home.

Albright-Knox Art Gallery continues its Art of Jazz Series with pianist Judy Carmichael. Noted for her immense jazz piano acumen and energetic performances, Carmichael is one of the foremost musicians of the day. Preceding the performance, Carmichael will deliver a lecture and multimedia presentation called “The Stride Masters,” a tribute to the great musicians of stride and swing piano. One of the most challenging genres of jazz piano, stride is a strenuous and intricate form that was modeled after ragtime and is characterized by the “striding” motion of the left hand. Ms. Carmichael has mastered this form to the extent that Count Basie famously dubbed her “Little Stride.” She hosts her own nationally-syndicated radio program called “Jazz Inspired,” and is a favorite guest on NPR’s Prairie Home Companion. The pre-concert presentation begins at 2pm, with the concert to follow. Joining Carmichael on stage will be acclaimed swing saxophonist Michael Hasim, a native of Geneva, New York

Although legendary producer DJ Vadim spent the last decade building an unparalleled reputation for creating uniquely soulful Hip Hop, the peculiar brilliance of his new One Self project still comes as a surprise. Emerging first as a solo artist before graduating to the venerable Ninja Tunes label, the Russian-born Englishman’s recent Russian Percussion records suffered only from an overabundance of great ideas. Collaborating with dozens of artists from around the world, Vadim moved in multiple directions at once, drawing from disparate incidents of international Hip Hop style. One Self, however, is clearly a singular group concept, firmly rooted in classic form while pursuing a relaxed, jazzy vibe defined by laidback raps and poetic, seductive vocals. Featuring Vadim on beats and MCs Yarah Bravo and Blue Rum 13 providing the rhymes, the group’s album Children of Possibility coalesces instrumental abstraction with soul and reggae influences without sacrificing multi-cultural exploration: in addition to Vadim’s mixed heritage, honey-voiced MC Bravo is half-Brazilian, half-Chilean, was raised in Sweden, and now lives in London; Blue Rum 13 was born in America but now lives in Montreal. Opening the show is Mark Kloud, with visuals by Flip.