A Short History of Five Notes

Last updated: 25 february, 2011 - 14:36 GMT

A Short History of Five Notes

Sean Paul, Missy Elliot and Habib Koite all use a deceptively simple but hypnotic beat from the heart of Africa in some of their biggest hits. But what is it? Music journalist Rita Ray journeys to Ghana to find out.

• Duration: 23 minutes

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• The five notes go by many names in different countries and although their origins lie in West Africa, they have travelled back and forth across the Atlantic. In most cases they form a powerful underlying rhythm which is repeated throughout a song during a performance: a group of three beats, answered by another two beats, followed by three beats, answered by two beats, and so on.

  On this map, you can explore a few of the places and musical styles mentioned in the documentary which draw their strength from the five notes.

  

   

  • Chicago, USA
  • Accra, Ghana
  • New York City, USA
  • New Orleans, USA
  • London, UK
  • Havana, Cuba
  • Kingston, Jamaica
  • Detroit, USA
  • Bamako, Mali