Coal Bin Productions

ANTHONY J. 'TONY' ARTIS Anthony J. 'Tony' Artis, aka 'Baba Amoah', is a native of Kokomo, Indiana, and has lived in Indianapolis, Indiana, since 1978. He began studying trumpet at age 12, bass guitar at age 15 and African percussion in 1990. He has studied in various cities in the U.S., Ghana, West Africa and Cuba. He is an African drummaker, owner/operator of Amoah's African Drum Works and Coal Bin Productions. Artis loves teaching children and is a teaching artist with Young Audiences of I...

ANTHONY J. 'TONY' ARTIS Anthony J. 'Tony' Artis, aka 'Baba Amoah', is a native of Kokomo, Indiana, and has lived in Indianapolis, Indiana, since 1978. He began studying trumpet at age 12, bass guitar at age 15 and African percussion in 1990. He has studied in various cities in the U.S., Ghana, West Africa and Cuba. He is an African drummaker, owner/operator of Amoah's African Drum Works and Coal Bin Productions. Artis loves teaching children and is a teaching artist with Young Audiences of Indiana and a Master Artist with VSA Arts of Indiana. He is the founder and artistic director of Ori and music director of Sancocho. Tony began his career as a full time musician in 2000, after retiring from his 25 year practice as an architect and semi-professional musician. He likes all genres of music as long as it is performed to the best of the artists' ability. Check out his appearance on WFYI-TV20's 'Across Indiana' on 'YouTube' by typing in the search term "Call of the Ancestors by A.J. Artis". SANCOCHO MUSIC AND DANCE COLLAGE Sancocho, (san-KO-choh) is a stew in Latin America that combines meats, vegetables and spices to create a unique taste. Using this metaphor, the ensemble focuses on music and dance traditions from the African diaspora that are Spanish-speaking and have strong African cultural retentions, such as Rumba and Bailes Orishas from Cuba and Bomba from Puerto Rico. The artistic director, Iris Rosa, and musical director, Tony Artis, lead a group of drummers and dancers to combine a delicious concoction that is sure to satisfy your musical appetite. ORI JAZZ ENSEMBLE Ori', (oh-REE), is a new six piece music ensemble based in Indianapolis, IN, that focuses on contemporary popular music with an emphasis on AfroLatin and AfroCaribbean jazz. The name, Ori', is a word from the Yorubas of southwest Nigeria, West Africa, that refers to the 'little voice' (aka 'conscience') that all of us have inside our heads that guides us on our life path. Let Ori' guide you on a tour of Jazz melodic structures and African diasporic rhythms that will sonically energize, refresh and revitalize. THE CD, "THAT VOICE INSIDE" IS HERE!!! Be the first in your neighborhood to groove with Ori!! AMOAH'S AFRICAN DRUM WORKS Rhythm is an essential part of every living entity of and on this earth. The rhythm of our heartbeat and our breath plays on continuously, even in our sleep. There is a drum in every culture on the planet, but we have strayed from our cultural roots. It is the mission of Amoah's African Drum Works to re-unite us with our drums and put us back in touch with our internal rhythms and one of the most powerful energy sources in the universe … ourselves. Anthony 'Tony' Artis received the name of 'Yaw Amoah' (AH-mo-wah) in the village of Kwao Baa, Eastern Region, Ghana, West Africa, in 1992, during a visit in which he began his study of drum making. Tony named Amoah's African Drum Works in honor of the teachers and people of Kwao Baa, for the extension of their knowledge, wisdom, love and hospitality as they unselfishly welcomed him home.