slaves were allowed to keep their drum tradition they played in a place

call Congo Square

the most important aspect of African drumming for jazz musicians is the way

improvisation is organized is generally some type of high rhythm called the

bell rhythm

and everybody can hear that rhythm

and then there is a lower rhythm

then the middle rhythm will be the person

that improvises

these things together

this form of improvisation became a part of jazz

that is one very important aspect of African music

another important aspect of African music the jazz musician inherited

is the prevalence of ritual and the importance of ritual

so we have these two worlds colliding one the African world where a part might be

played 200 years the same way

with very little change so the ritual is important it reminds you of who you are and it wards

off evils spirits it gives you comfort and lets know you can fend off

whatever is in the environment that is disturbing you and then we have European

focus on evolution so when those two things that appear to be opposites come

together we have jazz