Uncle Festive

Morehead State Public Radio | By Paul Hitchcock

Published March 1, 2016 at 11:55 PM EST

Sunday Night Jazz Showcase

Program #110 (February 28 at 8:00PM)

Uncle Festive played accessible, contemporary, funky jazz-influenced music during its existence.

Its four members first came together as the backup group for pop singer Barry Manilow. When Manilow decided to take 1986 off, the quartet (guitarist John Pondel, keyboardist Ron Pedley, bassist Marc Levine and drummer Bud Harner) started playing independently as a unit, using the name Uncle Festive.

Randy Drake took over as drummer in 1992 when Harner (who continued producing for the group) departed. The Los Angeles-based unit recorded for Denon and Bluemoon, performing catchy music that still sounds reasonably fresh.

Arts/Culture

Paul Hitchcock

Paul Hitchcock earned his Masters in Communications from Morehead State University and Bachelors in Radio-TV/Psychology from Georgetown College. A veteran broadcaster for more than 40 years and an avid fan of blues, jazz and American roots music. Hitchcock has been with WMKY since 1986 and was named General Manager in 2003. He currently hosts "Muddy Bottom Blues" (Fri., 8pm-9pm), "Nothin' But The Blues" (Sat., 8pm-12am), "Sunday Night Jazz Showcase" and "Live From The Jazz Lounge" (Sun., 8pm-9pm) and "The Golden Age of Radio" (Sun., 2pm-3pm). He also serves as producer for "A Time For Tales" and "The Reader's Notebook."

See stories by Paul Hitchcock