ABSTRACT
Among ensembles of invented and reinvented musical instruments, none may perhaps be more unique than the orchestras played and led by a single musician. The history of the one-man band is a study in uniqueness, and among the most unusual is the piatarbajo, designed and built by Joe Barrick. Joe Barrick’s next version of the piatar, built about 15 years ago, added bass guitar and banjo, and later a snare drum. Joe Barrick’s repertoire draws on the music he has listened to all his life, mostly country songs, lots of tunes associated with Bob Wills: “San Antonio Rose,” “Spanish Two-Step,” “Joe Turner Blues,” “Over the Waves.” As a young man, Barrick had the feeling that there was more to music than three mandolin chords, and although he has greatly expanded his array of instruments and is carrying much more than a single mandolin, he has creatively preserved his independence and self-determination.
