Arts & Culture
Rhythmic Displacement and Polyrhythm in Afro-Cuban Jazz
Quick fact
In Afro-Cuban jazz, drummers often play a 3-note pattern (tresillo) over a 4/4 jazz swing, creating a 3-over-4 polyrhythm that underpins the entire groove. This tension is so central that many musicians consider the clave—a rhythmic key pattern—the true heartbeat of the music.
Why this is interesting
You know that moment when the music suddenly feels like it's pulling against the beat, creating a delicious tension that makes you want to move? That's the magic of rhythmic displacement and polyrhythm in Afro-Cuban jazz—but how does it work?