Njacko Backo
Kalimba, Ngoni, Hand drums, African Songs & Stories

Njacko is a multi-talented artist and a natural mystic, with a deep
spiritual sense and a refreshing approach to life. Njacko has a wealth of international musical experience, and more than a touch of grassroots wisdom.

Njacko is a musician, composer, dancer, choreographer, author, educator, workshop facilitator, and an energetic and dynamic entertainer. He has produced eight albums to date with his band Kalimba Kalimba, and is currently working on his ninth.

Njacko has performed with his band all over North America, including at Folk on the Rocks (Yellowknife), Sunfest (London), Montreal Jazz Festival (Montreal), Afrofest (Toronto), Northern Lights Festival (Sudbury), Ness Creek (Saskatoon), Musikfest (Bethlehem, PA), Island Folk Festival (Duncan), Ottawa Folk Fest (Ottawa), Canada Day (Ottawa), Tulip Festival (Ottawa), Ontario Science Centre (Toronto), Francophonie (Montreal), Afrikadey
(Calgary), and Vue d¹Afrique (Montreal).

He has taught drum circles in Toronto, Guelph, Muskoka, Trinidad, Amsterdam and Montreal and performs with his students at various drumming festivals, community and charity events. He teaches through the Royal Conservatory of Music, and offers drumming classes at his studio in Toronto. Njacko also
works with Mariposa in the Schools (Toronto), Inner City Angels (Toronto), and Club 2/3 (Montreal) to share the culture of his native village Bazou, Cameroon through drumming, music, dancing, and story telling, with students from pre-school through to university.

Njacko was the artistic director for the African Pavilion at the Granby Zoo in 1996, 1997, and 1999.

He has worked with a long list of African groups, including Africa Salimata, a creation of Salimata Diabate of The National Ballet of Guinea; Mioso Mika (Surinam), Yaya Diallo (author of "The Healing Drum"), Boubacar Diabate (a deeply respected Kora Master), Michelle Turenne (Haitian musician), Oumar Diaye (Guinean musician), and Zab Maboungo (Congolese dancer). He has been a guest musician on several albums including Jane Bunnett's "Ritmo+Soul", Charlie Kert's "Charlie Little Fingers Music," Deborah Dunleavey's "Strike Up the Band", Radio Canada's "Afro Can Roads", and Ann Lederman's "Fiddlesong." Njacko also worked on music for films such as "To Walk with
Lions, "Born Free," ³Spirit in the Tree,² and the documentary of Jane Goodall about pigmies in Cameroon and Congo.

Njacko feels that some of his most significant accomplishments are performances he has done for charitable organizations to help them raise funds for their causes. Some of these charities include Amnesty International/Amnistie International, The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation, Engineers without Borders, Mix Culturel Grane Riviere (Trinidad), the South Africa AIDS Benefit Concert (Toronto), The Steven Lewis Foundation, Dignitas International, Lay Midwives/Les Sages-Femmes Autodidactes, Célébration de la Journee Mondiale de l¹Alimentation, Gears
Racin 24 Hour Spin for Breast Cancer, and the Muhtadi International Drum Festival.