Margret,

Thank you for asking the question. And this has caused me to wonder if off beat clapping is a naturarally found in Aborigine and other non-African descent cultures?

And Margret,since you mentioned books, yes Samuel Floyd'Jr's "The Power of Black Music:Interpreting Its History from Africa to the United States {Oxford, New York; Oxford University Press} is a very interesting book on that subject.

Here are some other ones in no particular order:

Samuel Charters; "The Roots of the Blues-An African Search";
                Boston; London,Marion Boyars, 1981

John Storm Roberts: "Black Music of Two Worlds:African, Caribbean,
                   Latin, and African-American Traditions"
                   New York, Simon & Shuster Macmillan, 1998him   

Francis Bebey [translated by Josephine Bennett}:
             "African Music: A Peoples' Art";
             Chicago, Lawrence Hill Books, 1975                     

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Aso Magret, what is "GMWA Mass Choirs"?

Also, I'm friends with a several members of a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania dance group that annually puts on Lanston Hughes' VBlack Nativity. Great that you were adopted by them!!

Of course, you and I are already related since we're both 'Catters !![not to mention women, not to mention human beings, not to mention children of God!!]

Peace,
Azizi