Clave (rhythm)

Clave is a rhythmic pattern or timeline which has its roots in West African music and was developed in Cuba. The clave serves as a tool for temporal organization, and essentially all Afro-Cuban music of Yoruban descent (including Cuban popular music such as salsa) is based around the clave rhythm. The word ?clave? is Spanish for ?key?, in the sense of an answer key or a musical key signature. This is in contrast to the Spanish word ?llave?, which means key in the sense of the key to a door. This name helps to emphasize the functional importance of the clave as a structural element in Cuban music.

References

• "La Africania De La Musica Folklorica De Cuba," 1950, Ediciones Universales, en español Hardcover illustrated edition. ISBN 8489750181
• Salsa Guidebook for Piano and Ensemble (1993). Petaluma: Sher Music. ISBN 0-9614701-9-4