The BRC founder has been a long time fan of the slightly dark and urbane humor of cartoons in `The New Yorker` magazine. Upon returning home recently from an annual trek to NYC to see some Broadway plays, he discovered a mirthful banjo joke in the June issue of the aforementioned magazine. Although 5-string humor is sometimes tiresome, this cartoon earns a laugh- and maybe your chuckle, too.
A year ago, however, when the BRC founder retired from hand surgery at the university hospital, the faculty gave him a unique banjo/hand statuette in gratitude for 37 years on the staff as an educator. He also received an even larger statuette featuring a guitar from the resident physicians in training. Both gracious gifts reside in his music room surrounded by 5-stringers and guitars. Lucky guy.
A few days after the NYC trip, a university mathematician brought a banjo that he built to the BRC for inspection and advice.
Although a non musician, he had constructed the instrument of richly-figured Missouri walnut and designed a scooped fretboard for his brother who plays old timey style music.
The peg head and fingerboard scoop both have a burled walnut veneer, and the 5-stringer has that fat pocky intonation that clawhammer enthusiasts cherish.
It was a remarkably ambitious and successful project which he built carefully by the numbers. Very nicely calculated job, Professor.
Lucky brother….
This lone but handsome banjo now boldly hangs in the community art gallery from March 14 until May 5 along side a raft of impressionist paintings of foodstuffs. It must have been the Luck of the Irish.
