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Earth, Wind & Fire - Betcha

The early writings of Richard A. Waterman helped define hot rhythms in African music and the retention in the Americas of related musical elements. Waterman describes two very important rhythmic traits present in African music, percussion polyrhythms or mixed metres and temporal displacement of the melodic phrase or offbeat phrasing of melodies. Waterman also puts forth the theory that Africans enslaved in the United States were often not allowed to keep percussion instruments, so their use of African multi metered polyrhythms eventually disappeared. It can in fact be observed that there is generally less use of polyrhythms in the music of North America than in that of Central America, South America, or the Caribbean. Perhaps this caused the African American music of the United States to be more European than African, as Waterman states. However, it may be, as Oliver and others have suggested, that the black music of North America was more influenced by African music from another part of that continent, the savanna region of West Africa, than that of the rain forests of the Guinea coast where such polyrhythms were widespread.

In any case, the polyrhythmic drumming of the West African coast seems to have gotten much of the early researchers’ attention. Similarities exist between the complex West African polyrhythms and those present in much Latin American music. Particular rhythms found in Latin America, such as the rhythmic patterns of the habanera, samba, and other dances, have been identified in African music as well. Since at least the mid nineteenth century these beats have periodically been the vehicles for the reinvigoration of North American popular music.

Writers often use the term syncopation in discussing many types of American music, including ragtime, jazz, and rhythm & blues. The problem with using the term in our current discourse is one of accuracy. The Harvard Dictionary of Music defines syncopation as follows, A momentary contradiction of the prevailing meter or pulse. While this might be a good way to describe the occasional use of offbeat accents in the music of Beethoven, for example, it does not adequately account for music that regularly uses offbeat patterns.
Source: The New Blue Music: Changes In Rhythm & Blues, 1950-1999 by Richard J. Ripani


Earth, Wind & Fire - Betcha
  • Genre: R&B, Funk, Neo Soul
  • Released: May 20, 2003
  • Produced by: Maurice White, Tim Kelley and Bob Robinson

"Earth, Wind & Fire was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, cementing their lasting impact on popular music. Their contributions to arts and culture were acknowledged in Washington DC with the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors in 2019."

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