Career
Kaj Backlund started playing trumpet at the age of seven in a youth brass band, led by his father, at the Church of Paavali in Helsinki. At 14-years of age he founded his first big band. Later Backlund had to take a day job as an assistant accountant, but was able to participate to the workshops held in Jyväskylä in 1966 and 1967, where George Russell was teaching.
He started to get work opportunities as a session musician from YLE Radio Dance Orchestra and UMO Jazz Orchestra.
In the beginning of the 1970s Backlund started to arrange Toivo Kärki"s songs. Backlund was founding the Oulunkylä People’s & Jazz school (later Helsinki People’s & Jazz Conservatory) and planning the first curriculum of the Sibelius Academy Jazz Department.
Kaj Backlund"s sons Jari, Jukka and Tapio are all musicians.
