Abstract
This study explores how Carnatic rhythmic concepts can function as structural elements in jazz through analytical case studies of Miguel Zenón and Dafnis Prieto. Rather than approaching cross-cultural exchange as stylistic fusion, the research examines the structural integration of rhythmic principles derived from the Carnatic tradition within jazz contexts. Focusing on selected sections of Zenón’s Identities Are Changeable and Prieto’s Humanoid, the study examines how changes in subdivision and rhythmic grouping shape the structure of these works. Through score analysis, the research considers how changes in rhythmic density, subdivision, and cyclic organization contribute to the structural design of the music in ways that relate conceptually to Carnatic rhythmic ideas. The findings suggest that these rhythmic principles can function as structural tools for shaping phrase structure and rhythmic development in jazz composition. The project also includes an original composition, Piedra, along with a set of applied drum set studies that translate these rhythmic processes into performance practice. Together, the analytical and creative components offer a perspective on structural integration as a method for understanding intercultural rhythmic interaction in jazz.