It can arguably be stated that the Son, Bossa Nova, and Rumba clave can trace their roots to the Drum Gahu tradition in Africa.
Although the Gahu rhythm was originally played by the Gankogui (a double bell similar to the Agogo bell), it's function was the same in that it provided the 'heartbeat' of the music.
To further my students' knowledge of clave, I introduced the Gahu 'clave' rhythm. Then they played along with recordings of each tradition. Once they became solid in these 'play alongs', I had them play 1 style as they listened to a different one.
Having 4 students who were particularly good at playing these rhythms I wrote a quartet for claves that included all 4 of the traditions. It started with 1 player playing Gahu followed by the others one at a time. Eventually one player's part would morph into a different tradition. The final 2 players would introduce the remaining rhythms. The piece ended with everyone playing the Rumba Clave
I didn't realize how difficult it was until we started rehearsing it. To play a rhythm similar to another with only an eighth or quarter note difference with four layers required total concentration. Ultimately they performed it perfectly. Whether anyone in the audience could follow the transition of these rhythms, I'm sure that those four students will always remember that performance.
Although the Gahu rhythm was originally played by the Gankogui (a double bell similar to the Agogo bell), it's function was the same in that it provided the 'heartbeat' of the music.
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Top: Agogo bell
Bottom: African Double bell
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I didn't realize how difficult it was until we started rehearsing it. To play a rhythm similar to another with only an eighth or quarter note difference with four layers required total concentration. Ultimately they performed it perfectly. Whether anyone in the audience could follow the transition of these rhythms, I'm sure that those four students will always remember that performance.
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