Ewa Heiwa is a Cameroonian Japanese fusion group. Ewa, hope in a Cameroonian dialect, and Heiwa peace in Japanese. This was a one off concert and we all hope at sometime there will be a reprise.


Njack Backo, Val Wooloshyn – kalimba (thumb piano), ngoni, zaa koua (harps), djembe and ashikos (drums)
Kyoko Ogoda- Marimba and Percussion
Paul Clifford – Bass
Kingstonian Paul Clifford attended the University of Toronto (U of T) jazz program where he studied under Dave Young, Jim Vivian, and Phil Nimmons. Upon his return from Japan in 2011, he has been performing locally with David Barton, Greg Runions, Taylor Donaldson, and The Gertrudes.


Ewa Heiwa: Cameroon, Japan, Kingston
Originally from Japan, Kyoko Ogoda has studied marimba since the age of nine. While attending the U of T she studied percussion and marimba with Robin Engelman and Beverly Johnston, and toured Canada, the US, and Italy with the Japanese taiko drumming group Nagata Shachu.

Born in rural Cameroon, Njacko has spent his life writing and performing music in Africa, Europe, and North America. He began playing percussion and making instruments at the age of three. Njacko’s music is rooted in traditional Cameroon 6/8 rhythms that appeal to both jazz and world music connoisseurs. He has performed throughout Europe and North America, appearing at major festivals including the Hillside Festival, Sunfest, the Montréal Jazz Festival, and the Houston Jazz Festival.

Njacko met Kingstonian Valery Woloshyn at the Muhtadi International Drumming Festival in 2001 and they have been partners in life and music ever since. Valery has studied African and Cameroonian music with Njacko for the past ten years, performing with the Marni Levitt trio for the past year. Together, Valery and Njacko perform original compositions on a host of traditional African instruments and are working together on a new album planned for release in 2012.