Voodoo Drums

Voodoo Drums: Voodoo Drums

by AAJ Staff
February 1, 2002

When one examines the role rhythm plays in jazz, it's a complicated affair. The early introduction of European instruments, which essentially make up the modern jazz drummer's kit, brought with it the legacy of the marching band: timekeeping, accents, and (eventually) swing. But the sphere of African rhythm, as it has been maintained in traditions throughout the African diaspora, encompasses a far greater range of texture and color. Many of these instruments are played with hands, not sticks. American jazz ...