The Go-Go Beat
Here in America, there are many different types of African-American sub-cultural rhythms. These rhythms were spawned out of neighborhoods and communities all across the country, and have become key identifiable elements in the types of music in which they are used. These include Latin jazz, New Orleans brass band, and Mardi Gras Indian music, to name a few. The go-go beat, or go-go swing, is one of those grooves. This rhythm originated in the Washington D.C. area in the ’70s and has become the most identifiable trademark of go-go music, which is a subgenre of funk and dance music. The go-go beat is a very infectious, syncopated rhythm that is seldom heard outside the D.C. area.