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Where to find it

by John Purin

A comprehensive guide to global grooves around town could easily fill this newspaper - what follows is just a few highlights. Keep in mind that the most magical music is often that which you discover on your own.

Europa (51 Stuart Street in the Theatre District; 482-3939) may well be the most chic of Boston's clubs. As you might have guessed, it's largely a Eurodisco scene, but there's also an Asian night on Thursday, and Fridays are devoted to the talents of the New England Latin DJ Association.

The nearby Roxy (279 Tremont Street; 338-7699) features an International Night on Fridays. The club is also distinguished as the city's premier venue for live Latin acts, usually on Sunday nights.

The Western Front (343 Western Avenue in Cambridge; 492-7772) has a well-earned reputation as the area's top reggae club, and it often books bands performing in lesser-known Caribbean styles.

If you want to boogie outside the bar scene, there are plenty of places to enjoy international folk-dancing (see Listings under Dance: Participation for details).

Café Teatro, (Jorge Hernández Cultural Center, 85 West Newton Street; 927-1700), now in its 12th season, regularly brings in the best local and international Puerto Rican and Latin American musicians. Ethnic fairs and festivals usually include a healthy dose of music, both traditional and contemporary.

As the poet says, music is the food of love. But if your squeeze prefers more prosaic nourishment, many restaurants boast live entertainment. A good bet is the Saffron Grill (795 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge; 441-9020), which features Persian music on Fridays.