TRANSCRIPT:
I’m Mark Rapp, and this is Rapp on Jazz.
Polyrhythms are multiple rhythms played simultaneously and are the heartbeat of much jazz music. They add complexity, surprise, and an irresistible groove that keeps listeners hooked.
Rooted in African musical traditions, polyrhythms came to jazz through blues, gospel, and Afro-Cuban influences. Imagine a 3-beat pattern weaving against a 4-beat pattern—creating a rhythmic conversation between instruments.
Jazz legends like Thelonious Monk, Max Roach, and Art Blakey used polyrhythms to add depth and tension, making their music cerebral and danceable.
Polyrhythms are central to Latin jazz—consider the interplay between congas, timbales, and the clave pattern driving the rhythm.
Polyrhythms keep time, tell stories, challenge expectations, and push jazz into new dimensions.
This has been Rapp on Jazz, a co-production of ColaJazz and SC Public Radio, made possible by The ETV Endowment of South Carolina.