Abu’s mission is to harness the transformative power of creativity and music to uplift the youth of Baltimore and promote the exchange of intergenerational knowledge, skills, and culture.

Abu the Flutemaker, a musician, performer, and craftsman from Baltimore City, has been inspiring youth and others through his unique musical instruments and motivational message of self-empowerment, perseverance through the arts, and creativity. Abu has performed throughout Baltimore and the nation for community organizations, schools, radio and TV shows, and venues such as the Baltimore Aquarium, Reginald F. Lewis Museum, Visionary Arts Museum, and more. He has also provided instrument-making workshops for students of all ages.

Abu has received a number of awards and citations for his service to youth and the community. He can be seen around town performing at our local farmer’s markets, continuing to share his unique gifts with the community. He also shines a light on Baltimore when taking his show on the road to various schools and communities around the country.

A typical Abu performance includes drums made from coffee cans and car tire inner tubes, six-foot tall Thunder Drums made from porch columns, a saxophone-sounding horn made from a bedpost, a metal trash can turned bass harp, a baseball bat turned bass clarinet, horns out of chair legs, and flutes made from bamboo, including a nose flute, which he plays with his nose. He demonstrates his saxophone made out of PVC plumbing pipe, a xylophone from mirror glass, sardine can thumb pianos, and much more. Abu shares his musical crafts show with audiences of all ages, and at the end of each show, he invites members of the audience to play his instruments. He’ll even show you how to play a drinking straw!