In Spanish, clave literally means "key"—a fitting term for the rhythmic foundation that is essential to understanding and performing Cuban music. The most iconic of these is the son clave, a pattern of five strokes organized in "2-3" or "3-2" groupings. This rhythm is a direct descendant of African drumming and bell patterns, and variations of it appear across the globe, particularly in cultures whose musical identities were forged through the African diaspora.

Clave takes the "Standard Bell Pattern" of Africa as its DNA, tracing its mutation into various rhythmic iterations found throughout the world. The work opens with a ritualistic trombone solo—a call to gather that introduces the primary motive. This theme is soon juxtaposed against the bell pattern, launching the ensemble into a robust and driving opening section.

The journey then travels through the Americas: first to Cuba for a gentle son, and then to Brazil, where the bossa nova emerges, anchored by the characteristic bossa clave played on the pandeiro. Following a virtuosic cadenza for the percussion ensemble, the music returns to its roots with an Afrobeat-inspired finale. The piece culminates in an ebullient coda, where echoes of these diverse dances collide in a high-energy celebration.