Musicologists call this pattern “The Rhythm that Conquered the World” for good reason.  This compelling rhythm is at least 700-years old.  It was first documented during the Enlightenment Era of the Persian Empire – around 1300 CE.  It was called Al-Thaquill.  Independently the exact, same rhythm shows up in Latin music in the 19th and 20th centuries as Son Clavé or, when reversed, Son Rhumba.  Again, independently, the rhythm appears in the early days of Rock-n-Roll as the Bo Diddley Rhythm

 

Any rhythm that is seven centuries old, is beloved in very different cultures and is still vibrant in contemporary music demands attention.  So, learn the Son Clavé rhythm and put it on your bodhrán.

 

For details about how the rhythm works and its history, read my blog post:  Feeling the Shadow.

 

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