Commodore Wilbert McKinley’s Lego ‘Teach-Fleet,’ Madison Smartt Bell’s ‘ZigZag Wanderer,’ and Jacob Panic’s banjo ‘pop-grass’
After a long career as a naval architect, Wilbert McKinley, Jr., is starting over. This time, he’s building an entire fleet by himself – out of Legos. Commodore McKinley’s educational Teach Fleet is the story of a man who finally discovers what he’s meant to do. He becomes a visionary artist and a mentor. As it happens, he’s enjoying a second childhood along the way. Producer Aaron Henkin brings us the story.
UPCOMING EVENT: Commodore McKinley cordially invites listeners to join him at his TEACH FLEET Lego Show & STEM Expo. It’s happening Friday, August 8, 12 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, August 9, 10 a.m. to5 pm. At Cecil College, North East Campus, in the PE Complex. McKinly will be tehere with his entire 150+ ship TEACH FLEET LEGO collection. Also on hand: representatives from the Sea Grant Program, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Coast Guard and the Office of Naval Research. For more information email [email protected]
Madison Smartt Bell is best known as a novelist, but he has always written short fiction as well. Releasing a collection of seemingly unrelated short stories is no easy feat in the evolving world of publishing, but Bell has found a rather unique approach.
The banjo has been on a long, strange musical trip since its first appearance in America. The instrument was first fashioned by enslaved Africans during Colonial times, a musical descendent of their native kora. From there, the banjo rang out through the hills and hollers of Appalachia, a mournful accompaniment to mountain balladeers. Meanwhile, the strumming of the plectrum banjo found its way onto early jazz recordings. Then along came the fast-picking Bluegrass style of Bill Monroe. Recently, the banjo has been enjoying a warm embrace in the world of contemporary rock music, from Modest Mouse to Mumford & Sons. Now, local singer / songwriter Jacob Panic is stretching the banjo’s boundaries one step further.
