Music & Fashion: Two surviving members from a three-piece steel band which appeared in the 1954 Broadway musical House of Flowers will be among the special lineup of individuals being honored at a Tribute to New York Steel Band Pioneers organized by the Trinidad & Tobago Folk Arts Institute, Sunday evening May 20. The gala event will be held at Tropical Paradise Ballroom, Brooklyn from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Artists Studio Tour The 2012 Flatbush Artists Studio Tour will take place on Saturday and Sunday, May 19 and 20, noon to 6:00 p.m. in Ditmas Park, and will feature artists welcoming visitors into their homes and studios showcasing their works ranging from acrylic and oil paintings, carved sculpture, drawings, mixed media, collages, and more. Victorian Flatbush is located a few blocks south of Prospect Park. For information, visit www.flatbushartists.org. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Cold Facts designer Michelle Cole continues to amaze us with her talent and innovative sense of how a lady should look and feel when she puts on a piece of garment. Comment.

Music & Fashion: The Sixth Annual Dance Parade and Festival will take to the streets of New York City on Saturday, May 19 at 1:00 p.m. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Standouts from the world of new-age soca, such as Blaxx and Nadia Batson are blended with a lineup of seasoned veterans including Black Stalin, Sugar Aloes, Edwin Yearwood and Denyse Plummer for the 36th annual edition of the Mother’s Day show, on Saturday, May 12 at Brooklyn Center for Performing Arts, Brooklyn College, starting at 8:00 p.m. Comment.

Music & Fashion: A Pre-Mother’s Day Musical Experience will be held at Saint Francis College, 182 Remsen Street in Brooklyn from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 12. Comment.

Music & Fashion: The second annual staging of a cultural assembly billed “Kingston Pon Di River” reintroduced an African aspect of Jamaica’s culture previously ignored or shunned at mainstream celebrations and heritage festivals. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Mother’s Day Concert Join us for an evening of old school Salsa and Soul concert and dance featuring Black Ivory, The Intruders and Zon del Barrio with MC Bob Love of WBLS 107.5 FM at The Louis Armstrong Center, 33-16 108 St., Corona, Queens. Doors open 7:30 p.m. Showtime 8:00 p.m. For information and tickets, call (718) 651-0096 ext. 217 or (718) 565-2170. Parking available. Contributions are tax deductible and benefit Elmcor’s After School and Youth Programs. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Plans for producing and staging the 45th Annual Labor Day Carnival Festival & Parade is definitely in the firm hands of the new team at the West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA). Comment.

Music & Fashion: On March 3, 2012 Grammy Award-winning flutist Dave Valentin was hospitalized after suffering a stroke during a performance at the Jazz Kitchen in Indianapolis. After hospitalization for 10 days following his return to New York City home, Valentin has made remarkable strides on the road to eventual recovering, but is still unable to perform publicly. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Scholarship Luncheon The Girls High School Alumnae Assn. is holding their Annual Scholarship Luncheon celebrating 25 years of “Sharing The Legacy” and will award honors and scholarships to graduating seniors, 12 noon - 4:00 p.m. at Bethany Baptist Church, 460 Marcus Garvey Blvd., Brooklyn. For tickets and information, call (718) 789i-3996 or (718) 778-0677. Vendors welcome. Call for information. Comment.

Music & Fashion: One hundred handbell ringers from New York and Virginia will descend upon historic Riverside Church to toll handbells during its 34th Annual English Handbell Festival at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 22 in the Church’s Nave, at 490 Riverside Drive (bet. 120th & 122nd St.), Morningside Heights. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Gwen Terry, The Duke Ellington Society, International Women in Jazz, Jazz Foundation of America and Saint Peter’s Church – Jazz Ministry are partnering to produce a fundraiser for Clark Terry on Monday, April 23 at 7:00 p.m. at Saint Peter’s Church, 619 Lexington Avenue, 54th Street, New York City. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Members of the West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA) say are pleased to announce the election of its new board of directors and officers who were duly “nominated, voted in and installed” on Wednesday April 11, 2012 Comment.

Music & Fashion: The elegant and unique style of Guyanese fashion designer, Michelle Cole, will take center stage at the Crown Heights Pace Setters Lions Club Tea Party and Fashion Show Extravaganza, schedule to take place on April 29. Show time is at 3:00 p.m. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Drawing on the Hispanic and Mayan influences in her country, 18-year-old Belizean fashion designer Rebecca Stirm emerged the winner in a culture-inspired challenge in the second episode of Caribbean fashion designer reality series Mission Catwalk, filmed in Kingston, Jamaica on April 10. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Luv My Pet is holding low cost dog and cat vaccination clinics at Petland Discounts at 43-10 Ditmars Blvd, LaGuardia Center, LIC (Ditmars), 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. & on Sun., April 22 at 8989 Union Turnpike, Stop & Shop Center, Glendale, Queens, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. For information, call Amy Eisenberg at (631) 273-6363. Comment.

Music & Fashion: In Numerology, the number nine represents attainment, satisfaction and accomplishment. All words easily attributed to Rome Neal, as he celebrated the ninth anniversary of his popular Banana Puddin’ Jazz series on April 7, 2012. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Lehman Center for the Performing Arts continues its tremendous 31st season with a superstar of popular song – the GRAMMY Award-winning “poet laureate of soul music,” Smokey Robinson, on Saturday, April 28 at 8:00 p.m. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Girls Empowerment A Cause A Concern A Solution Network Inc. presents their fifth Annual Girls Empowerment Conference featuring continental breakfast, luncheon, workshops, giveaways, guest speakers, resource circle, session on bullying and special workshops for parents along with information on resources for college career choices, self empowerment leadership opportunities, living healthy & more, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at York College, 94-20 Guy R. Brewer Blvd., Jamaica, Queens. Girls ages 12 - 21 years, come out and be a member of ACACAS. Visit www.acacas.org or register at docjune607@aol.com. Comment.

Music & Fashion: On April 19, Council Member Darlene Mealy - 41st Council District, Brooklyn, in collaboration with Circuit Productions Inc./Susan Goldbetter, producer - will present “Brownsville to Broadway.” Comment.

Music & Fashion: Jamaicans are jubilant that the island is celebrating 50 years of independence from Britain. However, Kingstonians should be particularly elated that the capital city is also marking a milestone anniversary and 140 years since obtaining the status. Comment.

Music & Fashion: April 6 begins both the beginning of Easter weekend for Christians and for Jewish people, it is the first night of the eight-day Passover holiday celebrating freedom from slavery from Egypt, the Exodus. Comment.

Music & Fashion: A celebration of the sights, sounds, color and culture of the Caribbean will be on display in New York June 3-9 as the Caribbean Tourism Organization stages yet another annual showcase aimed at promoting tourism to the region. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Acclaimed jazz saxophonist-composer Yosvany Terry heads to the Jazz Standard in Manhattan for back-to-back performances on April 10 and 11. Comment.

Music & Fashion: The queen of soul, Aretha Franklin probably made her own history on March 24 when she personally invited a very select group to join her for a private dinner marking her 70th birthday and gifted them with the promise of new music. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Health Fair Crown Heights Beacon Program is holding its second annual Health Fair at P.S. 138, 760 Prospect Place, between Nostrand & Rogers avenues, Brooklyn, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., featuring free blood pressure and diabetes screenings, mammograms, HIV/AIDs testing, health & nutrition information along with free giveaways, Child IDs and library cards. For information, call (718) 771-3105 or (718) 919-0744. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Despite international visibility and fame, there is an age old debate that resonates among clash fans of which sound rules Jamaica’s countryside -- Bass Odyssey or Black Kat. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Sirius Satellite Radio Program Director and radio host, Pat McKay and Indy label executive, artiste manager and record producer, Robert Livingston will each receive a Lifetime Achievement Award for their outstanding contribution to the entertainment industry at New York’s signature Caribbean fashion event -- Irie Fashion Rave. Comment.

Music & Fashion: In addition to receiving an array of prizes which include the opportunity to show at London Fashion week in September 2012, the winner of Mission Catwalk Season two will learn the secrets of Savile Row tailoring under the watchful tutelage of world renowned Master Tailor Prof. Andrew Ramroop OBE at his Savile Row Academy (SRA) in London. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Some veterans of the New York steel band scene who, back in the 1950s and ‘60s, laid the foundation for the steel band movement that now exists in the city, will be honored at a gala tribute at Brooklyn’s Tropical Paradise Ballroom organized by the Trinidad & Tobago Folk Arts Institute on Sunday evening, May 20. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Birthday Bash Jammins Entertainment presents live performance by Jamaica’s hottest sensation I-Octane & the official return of Tony Matterhorn to the U.S. Celebrity Birthday Bash, 10:00 p.m., at Pulse 48, 1020 East 48 St., corner of Farragut Rd., Brooklyn. Tickets available at tix4me.com or call (718) 282-8041. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Lehman Center for the Performing Arts continues its spectacular 31st season with the return of legendary salsa pioneers La Sonora Ponceña on Saturday, March 24, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. Comment.

Music & Fashion: The Carlyle Hotel is pleased to welcome back R&B legend Bettye LaVette - who the Huffington Post has dubbed “the high priestess of R&B”- to the legendary Café Carlyle in a return three-week engagement playing through March 31. Ms. LaVette will once again showcase her inimitable style, gut wrenching vocals and songs from throughout her five decade career in a soul-shattering evening. She’ll be accompanied by a band led by her musical director Alan Hill. Comment.

Music & Fashion: It’s a bitterly cold Sunday morning in New York City and I am on the world-famous stage at the Blue Note Jazz Club interviewing the extraordinarily talented Jamaican jazz musician Monty Alexander. Comment.

Music & Fashion: KES ALL IN post Trinidad Carnival concert tour begins with Trinidad’s own, KES the BAND & Friends, at the Best Buy Theater NYC on Friday, March 9. Comment.

Music & Fashion: The staging of the 16th Annual Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival was indeed a memorable musical event and one of a series of premier music festivals honoring the country’s 50 years of independence. from British rule. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Jazzy Mondays at For My Sweet is proud to open the month of March with Aziza and her quartet. A singer, songwriter and pianist, Aziza was the musical director for Natalie Cole and also worked with such notables as Alicia Keys, Ahmad Jamal and Phil Upchurch. She has also written several hit recordings. Comment.

Music & Fashion: World-renowned master of traditional Japanese instruments, Masayo Ishigure will be featured at a music recital on Sunday, March 4 at 3:00 p.m. in Christ Chapel of the Church, entrance at 91 Claremont Ave. (bet. 120th & 122nd St.), Morningside Heights. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Jazzy Monday at “For My Sweet” was packed on Monday, Feb. 20, to hear Kym Hampton make her vocal debut with The Jeff King Band. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Education Program Family-to-Family Education Program will be offering a series of 12 weekly classes structured to help caregivers understand & support individuals with serious mental illness while maintaining their well being, starting 3/3/12 at Kings County Hospital Center, 451 Clarkson Ave., between New York Ave. & E 34 St., Room 3022, Brooklyn, 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Free for family members, partners & significant others. Registration is required. Call (718) 512-5269. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Soca star Machel Montano who described himself as “Mr Fete,” has copped an unprecedented hat-trick for 2012 when he took the Road March title with his song “Pump Yuh Flag.” He scored back-to-back wins having captured last year’s Road March with his tune “Advantage.” Comment.

Music & Fashion: Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, in association with Sal Abbatiello of Fever Records, continues its fabulous 31st season with a spectacular celebration of 25 years of Freestyle music -- Forever Freestyle 6 -- on Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Soca superstar Machel Montano scored a double when he took the International Power Soca Monarch and the Groovy Soca Monarch titles on Fantastic Friday night at the Hasley Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Perhaps it was less than a surprise when Bob and Rita Marley’s youngest son Stephen took the best reggae album category at the recent Grammy awards. Comment.

Music & Fashion: When Whitney Houston made an early morning appearance in Central Park three years ago, she repeated an act her mother Cissy initiated by introducing her to a Manhattan crowd at a time she was an unknown teenager. Comment.

Music & Fashion: “I wanted to do something located more in the jazz idiom,” says Buyu Ambroise on how his third CD, “Jazzpora,” differs from his last ones. With the core Blues in Red Band–his musical companions since the first CD, Ambroise reveals his musical influences, Haitian, African and North American, all places Ambroise has called home. Comment.

Music & Fashion: There was a time when few television programs showcased the talents of African-Americans. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Recently signed to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music label, Nigerian artist D’banj will perform for the first time in New York City on Feb. 19, 2012. Comment.

Music & Fashion: BAMcafe Live BAMcafe Live! presents Mo Beasley’s LoveStorm featuring spoken word, music & dance 9:00 p.m. (Happy Hour: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.), at BAM, Peter Jay Sharp Bldg., 30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn. Admission free. For additonal event information, visit www.bam.org/view.aspx?pid=4006. Comments (1).

Music & Fashion: Jamaica’s music ambassador Richie Stephens is still celebrating the positive response from music lovers, friends and well wishers for his hit single “Live Your Life,” which was recorded last year with his friend Gentleman. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Continuing Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Visionary Voices series, Grammy-winning vocalist Dianne Reeves performs in Rose Theater, Feb. 24-25 at 8:00 p.m. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Phoenix Francisco realized her love for the performing arts at the tender age of six. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Lehman Center for the Performing Arts celebrates its 31st season with an exclusive New York City appearance by a true genius of vocal improvisation, ten-time GRAMMY Award winner Bobby McFerrin on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. Comment.

Music & Fashion: The O’Jays, comprised of Eddie Levert, Walter Williams and Eric Nolan Grant, performed to a packed house at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts in the Bronx, N.Y., on Saturday, Jan. 14, singing songs from their classic repertoire. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Track & Field returns to the Garden with the U.S. Open featuring match-ups in sprints, hurdles & field events to kick off the 2012 Olympic Year, 7:30 p.m. at Madison Square Garden, Seventh Ave., between 31 & 33 streets, Manhattan. Tickets available at the MSG Box Office, Ticketmaster at (866) 858-0008, all Ticketmaster outlets & via thegarden.com. Comment.

Music & Fashion: R&B and Gospel stars Bebe & Cece Winans will perform in concert at the Kupferberg Center for the Arts at Queens College in Flushing on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, at 8:00 p.m. in its Colden Auditorium. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Doo Wop, originated in the streets of New York and Philadelphia, with groups standing on street corners harmonizing. It developed into a distinct music genre, originally sung by African Americans, then later other ethnicities adopted the genre. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College’s 2011-2012 Target FamilyFun series continues with the return of children’s musical group, Hot Peas ‘N’ Butter, on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. Comment.

Music & Fashion: It will be a star studded event featuring the legendary Mighty Sparrow and the Queen of Soca Calypso Rose as the Bartlett Brothers kick off their third decade of producing top entertainment on the high seas. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Steel pan was the focus at the recent Tropicalfete Countdown of the top-100 international Caribbean songs for 2011. Comments (1).

Music & Fashion: NEW YORK (AP) — She’s got a $5 million recording contract, but Melanie Amaro still sees herself as a nurse someday. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Acclaimed recording artist Oleta Adams remembers seeing commercials for Ajax laundry detergent as a child in which a knight on a white horse sweeps into the homes of apron-clad but iron-fisted women to help them with their household chores. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Grand Opening Cumbe: Center for African & Diaspora Dance Studio located at 558 Fulton St., near Flatbush Ave., 2nd Fl., Fort Greene, Brooklyn, is having a free Grand Opening weekend event on Sat. & Sun., Jan. 7 & 8 & will be offering free dance & drumming classes for children & adults, 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., as well as a family friendly live concert by Brown Rice Family Band, on Sat., Jan. 7 only, at 8:00 p.m. For scheduling information, call (718) 935-9700 or visit infor@cumbedance.com. Comment.