The celebrated Boston-based uilleann piper, Joey Abarta, has unveiled his highly anticipated second solo album, “King of the Blind,” now available for digital download and on vinyl. The title track of the album, “King of the Blind,” is a tune Joey discovered in John & William Neal’s “A Collection of the Most Celebrated Irish Tunes” (1724) and is attributed to the famous 17th century blind Celtic harper, Turlough O’Carolan. Joey’s arrangement of the tune pays homage to the late Liam Og O’Flynn, who recorded it on his self-titled solo album in 1988.
Speaking about the album, Joey expressed his desire for it to be a no-frills, raw, and authentic representation of his organic solo piping style, complete with the occasional squeaks and squawks that are a hallmark of the pipes. He embraced the Japanese concept of “Wabi-Sabi,” the art of finding beauty in imperfection, to illustrate the pipes’ music’s essence and its place in traditional music.
“King of the Blind” offers a glimpse into Joey’s immense respect for the great piping luminaries of the past, from Seamus Ennis to Patsy Touhey to Jerry O’Sullivan, and showcases his remarkable skill as one of today’s most accomplished pipers. Joey’s playing reflects his interest in early American piping styles and historical influences, a point he drives home by collaborating with his wife, Jackie O’Riley, an old-style step and sean nós dancer who features on several tracks.
The album captures the essence of the tunes Joey has encountered, collected, rehearsed, and recorded over the past decade, representing a snapshot of his creative journey. Notably, the project was made possible, in part, by the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s prestigious Artist Fellowship in the Traditional Arts, which recognizes individuals like Joey as bearers and conduits of cultural traditions.
The album is available at Bandcamp.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
This is a fabulous album. Captures many nuances of the instrument and expertly performed by Abarta.