RIFF. When Africa Got Us Groovin’

A captivating museum-musical journey!

Time line
Photo : Amélie Breton

African musical instruments
Photo : Amélie Breton

Miles Davis’s red trumpet
Photo : Amélie Breton

Concert Garden
Photo : Amélie Breton

Gerry Boulet’s organ
Photo : Amélie Breton

Latin musical instruments
Photo : Amélie Breton

RIFF: noun. – In jazz or pop music, a short rhythmic or melodic formula used repeatedly. When you put an Angolan djembe, a Cameroonian horn, and a Gabonese xylophone next to Louis Armstrong’s trumpet, Gerry Boulet’s organ, and Jimi Hendrix’s guitar, it’s easy to see the influence African musical culture has had on today’s popular music in North and South America. More than any other cultural phenomenon, music has traveled from continent to continent, where it has been adopted, blended, and transformed over the years. That’s the captivating topic of the big exhibition RIFF. When Africa Got Us Groovin’, which runs at Musée de la civilisation from June 2, 2010, to March 13, 2011. A Musée de la civilisation exhibition based on Music in Motion by the National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden, the Netherlands. The exhibition is presented by Sun Life Financial in conjunction with Tourisme Québec, Québec City Tourism, Hôtel Loews Le Concorde as the official hotel of the exhibition, Radio-Canada, and Le Soleil daily newspaper. Alcoa is a partner for all Musée de la civilisation programming.

The first African slaves taken to the Americas in the early 17th century brought with them their rituals, music, and dance. From the Negro spiritual to jazz, rock, bebop, salsa, rap, hip hop, and techno, all these genres share a common musical thread dating back to these distant origins.

Legendary objects from legendary figures
The exhibition invites visitors to follow this musical journey through clips from interviews and shows, soundtracks, traditional African musical instruments, and objects that once belonged to some of the biggest names in American music. It also highlights the importance of key figures and pivotal events in the history of pop music across the Americas.

An exhibition in the Museum’s image
“Combining history, ethnology, and, of course, music, Riff. When Africa Got Us Groovin’ uses sounds, images, and a simply magnificent stage design to explore a fabulous chapter of the history of music, as well as the social history of the Americas from slavery to emancipation and black affirmation in the United States and across the Americas,” said Musée de la civilisation interim director Danielle Poiré. “It’s an exhibition custom made for Musée de la civilisation both in terms of the subject matter itself and the countless ways to explore it. The finished product is a fun and informative treat for the eyes and ears.”

An exhibition in two parts, three movements!
The exhibition layout invites visitors to discover just how omnipresent music is in everyday life. First it explores sounds associated with African culture, such as Senegalese and Cameroonian rituals. Next three presentations on big screens explain the main components that characterize all types of music with African influences: riffs, superimposed riffs, and improvisation. The exhibition then presents a timeline with five short documentaries that illustrate the evolution of African American music through to its current forms: From Spirituals to 1960s Rock, Jazz, Latin Music, Rhythms Reinvented, and Afro-Québec Music.

The expansive and beautifully designed Concert Garden gives visitors the chance to watch, listen to, and enjoy excerpts of concerts by some of the leading lights in popular American music, including Earth, Wind & Fire (Let’s Groove), Ray Charles (What’d I Say), B.B. King (Caledonia), Jimi Hendrix (Foxy Lady), Chick Corea (Vulcan Worlds), Stevie Wonder (Superstition), and Beyonce (Déjà Vu Medley). An extraordinary sensory experience!

Listen to the music
No exhibition on music is complete without leaving a lot of room for actually listening to music. Throughout the exhibition visitors will be able to listen to a wide range of music, including traditional African and Latin sounds, as well as a number of classics: Sing, Sing, Sing by Benny Goodman; So What by Miles Davis; Hound Dog by Elvis Presley; Oye como va with Tito Puente; Chan Chan by Buena Vista Social Club; Thriller by Michael Jackson; Tassez-vous de l’là by Dédé Fortin and Les Colocs; A-Tisket, A-Tasket sung by Ella Fitzgerald; and West End Blues by Louis Armstrong, to name just a few.

See the music
The traditional musical instruments at the beginning of the tour and the legendary objects of American popular music at the end serve as nice bookends that enhance the visual presentation of the exhibition.

The public will get to admire some sixty traditional musical instruments from Africa (talking drums, thumb pianos, xylophones, horns, bells, and more) and Latin America (maracas, noisemakers, drums, rattles, lutes, and others), as well as some of the earliest jazz instruments.

At the end of the exhibition, visitors can get in touch with their inner groupie as they admire objects that belonged to their musical idols. Who wouldn’t get a kick out of seeing Elvis Presley’s Perfecto-style motorcycle jacket, Miles Davis’s red trumpet, Ella Fitzgerald’s stage dress, James Brown’s cape, Benny Goodman’s clarinet, Dédé Fortin’s electric guitar, Jimi Hendrix’s acoustic guitar, Charlie Biddle’s double bass, Ray Charles’ onstage tuxedo, Tito Puente’s marimba and mallets, Michael Jackson’s jacket (worn during his 1984 tour), and so many others? Visitors can listen to pieces by their favorite artists’ as they gaze at objects that once belonged to them.

Riffs and rhythms for the whole family
In the heart of the exhibition, the Construct...Sound Studio educational zone offers some intriguing musical experiences for the whole family. Discovery and fun for one and all!

A musical summer!
A theme as rich as music naturally helped inspire the Museum’s summer programming. So all summer long, the Museum courtyard will play host to groups and artists that explore a wide range of musical styles.

A surprising and fascinating microsite
People who want to take another look at the exhibition’s content or explore various musical concepts can visit www.mcq.org/riff to discover an incredibly vibrant and dynamic website.

RIFF. When Africa Got Us Groovin’ runs at Québec City’s Musée de la Civilisation from June 2, 2010, to March 13, 2011. A Musée de la civilisation exhibition based on Music in Motion by the Museum Volkenkunde, Leiden, the Netherlands. The exhibition is presented by Sun Life Financial, in conjunction with Tourisme Québec, Québec City Tourism, Hôtel Loews Le Concorde, as the official hotel of the exhibition Radio-Canada and Le Soleil. Alcoa is a partner for all Musée de la civilisation programming.

Information and Reservations
Press relations : Serge Poulin, 418 528-2072 / Email


Issued: June 1st, 2010