Njacko Backo
Encyclopedia
Multi-talented artist Njacko Backo was born in 1958 in Cameroon. He was raised in a very musical family and spent most of his childhood in a village called Bazou in western Cameroon. As a child, like most children in his village, he spent time making instruments, playing music, and learning the music of his anscestors. He studied drumming (toum and kak), kalimba (also called the thumb piano, however he plays with his fingers), percussion (various instruments), and an African harp called zaa koua.
Njacko left Cameroon at the age of 17 and traveled through several Central and West African countries doing various jobs during the day, and working in clubs with different musicians at night. He studied many different kinds of traditional and popular African music during his travels. He eventually made his way to Paris by the time he was 21 years old. While living in Europe, Njacko continued to work as a musician, dancer and choreographer and worked with groups like Africa Salimata, Ernest Cissé, Sosoba, Vinjama, and Mioso Mika. He also began his recording career with his first two albums in Amsterdam: Le Destin and Bamileké Reggae.
Njacko currently lives in Toronto, Canada, but he first arrived in Montréal
in 1989. He worked with other African artists, including the late Boubacar Diabaté, Oumar Diayé, and dancer Zab Maboungo. He formed his band Njacko Backo and Kalimba Kalimba in 1990 and has independently released a total of 10 full-length albums to date. The most recent album is "Ou est L'Amour" and was released in June 2010. He received the Fiati Memorial Award for Best Traditional Performance from Toronto-based Music Africa in 1999, and more recently received an honourable mention in the World Music category of the 2006 International Songwriting Competition for his song "Mama Oh".
In addition to recording, Njacko also teaches extensively in the Greater Toronto Area through an organization called Mariposa in the Schools. He has produced three instructional African drumming CDs and one instructional DVD.
Njacko left Cameroon at the age of 17 and traveled through several Central and West African countries doing various jobs during the day, and working in clubs with different musicians at night. He studied many different kinds of traditional and popular African music during his travels. He eventually made his way to Paris by the time he was 21 years old. While living in Europe, Njacko continued to work as a musician, dancer and choreographer and worked with groups like Africa Salimata, Ernest Cissé, Sosoba, Vinjama, and Mioso Mika. He also began his recording career with his first two albums in Amsterdam: Le Destin and Bamileké Reggae.
Njacko currently lives in Toronto, Canada, but he first arrived in Montréal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in 1989. He worked with other African artists, including the late Boubacar Diabaté, Oumar Diayé, and dancer Zab Maboungo. He formed his band Njacko Backo and Kalimba Kalimba in 1990 and has independently released a total of 10 full-length albums to date. The most recent album is "Ou est L'Amour" and was released in June 2010. He received the Fiati Memorial Award for Best Traditional Performance from Toronto-based Music Africa in 1999, and more recently received an honourable mention in the World Music category of the 2006 International Songwriting Competition for his song "Mama Oh".
In addition to recording, Njacko also teaches extensively in the Greater Toronto Area through an organization called Mariposa in the Schools. He has produced three instructional African drumming CDs and one instructional DVD.