I am thrilled and humbled to share that Njacko Backo and Kalimbas At Work has been nominated for a 2021 Juno Award! J'aime Mon École was nominated in the Children's Album of the Year category. This is my first Juno nomination, the first time that I have recorded music that I've written for children, and the first time that I've worked with a Producer in the studio (the incredible Ken Whiteley). For more than 30 years, I have worked for children in schools, camps, libraries and after school prog…

Drum roll please....the details of our album release party are here! We are so excited to invite you to celebrate the release of Njacko's 12th album, and his first with his band Njacko Backo and Kalimbas At Work. We will be launching the album at the Small World Music Centre (in Toronto) on February 29th. Njacko Backo and Kalimbas At Work (Njacko, Anne Lederman, Walter Maclean, Valery Woloshyn) will be joined onstage by two very special guests who are featured on our album - Ken Whiteley and Jos…

We are proud to share that both of our new albums are finished and ready for your enjoyment. A Tous Les Enfants De La Terre (To All The Children Of The World) and J'aime Mon Ecole (I Love My School). The ablums feature the sweet sounds of kalimba (African thumb piano) and ngoni (African harp) in unique configurations you won't find anywhere else. On this album my composing grew from my focus on developing my ngoni-playing skills which has allowed me to do something that I’ve never done before;…

Honoured to be a Finalist for the Inaugural Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prizes I'm really excited to share the news that I have been selected as one of fifteen finalists for the first ever Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prizes! My fellow finalists include this amazing group of inspiring artists and creators: Robin Dann, singer, composer, pop musician Sunny Drake, playwright Sarah Gartshore, Indigenous playwright Alice Ping Yee Ho, composer Jean-Michel Le Gal, Francophone theatre-maker Ce…

Those of you who receive our newsletter already know that we have very exciting news – Njacko Backo and Kalimbas At Work are in the studio right now recording a new album! The album will be called A Tous Les Enfants de la Terre/To All the Children of the World. This is the first time that Njacko is recording an album with songs on it specifically for young people and schools. The album will include four songs that Njacko already teaches and performs in schools. The remaining 12 songs are written…