Beach Music Recommendations

• By Emma Pearce
• Published Winter 2006

Therapy Band

REGGAE
Therapy Band is among the best reggae innovators around and has made many outdoor affairs a happy, rocking mesh of covers and original tunes involving salsa, soca, and hip-hop. They have shared the stage with Queen Latifah and a number of dancehall greats. (from $1,200; 718-479-4911).

Forro in the Dark

BRAZILIAN
Forró is country music from northeast Brazil that inspires what the Brazilians call bate-coxa, or thigh banging. FITD combines Zabumba drums, the triangle, and accordion-the traditional forró instruments-with guitar, flutes, cavaquinho, and the essential fun machine, a retro electronic organ that makes ripping music. FITD claims they will make everyone shake until the bride says it's time for her to take care of some other business (from $7,000; 917-689-9360).

Melvin Dean Ensemble

CALYPSO
Numerous Hamptons parties have been carried into the wee hours by Melvin Dean's twenty-year-old ensemble. An intuitive performer who also sings with an Afro-Caribbean group, Dean has a long list of calypso- and reggae- arranged classics, like "Can't Help Falling in Love" and "Red, Red Wine." He'll rally together a three-to-eight-piece ensemble, depending on the occasion (from $500; steeltheshow.com).

Aguila y Plata

MARIACHI
These mariachi greats come donned in their traje de charro jackets, belt buckles, and sombreros. Aguileo Ramos leads this large ensemble-seven players, including two violins, two trumpets, an acoustic and bass guitar, and a vocalist. They play traditional Mexican music or popular Latin tunes-think Gypsy Kings, mariachi style (from $2,000, through Grey Entertainment; 212-242-8780; aguilayplata.com).