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Steve Plever
As DJ Shinytop, I host "What the Funk? Astral Jazz Travels," Saturday evenings from 8-10 on Asheville FM community radio, live-streaming and on-demand at AshevilleFM.org.
About Me
A retired radio journalist and media relations professional, Steve Plever now serves as volunteer Jazz
Director and DJ at Asheville FM, WSFM-LP, a community radio station. His program, “What the Funk?
Astral Jazz Travels” airs from 8-10 on Saturday evenings with livestream available at
ashevillefm.org and the last two episodes available on-demand at ashevillefm.org/archives.
When not listening to music or preparing his show, he is either caring for his baby grandson, playing board
games with his wife, or agonizing over his Fantasy Premier League team.
His professional work included stints at NPR stations as reporter, news director, and host of both news and
music programs. He also was co-producer and co-host of the independent public affairs program “Consider
the Alternatives,” once heard on roughly 100 radio stations nationally. He later served as press officer for
Planned Parenthood of NYC, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and UNC Asheville.
Originally from Brooklyn, NY, he relocated to the mountains of Asheville NC in 1999 with his wife. They
have two grown children and now, one wonderful grandson.
My
Articles
My Jazz Story
Bored at age 11, I pushed aside a rack of my parents' old coats in a closet in my room and discovered shelf full of jazz - a treasure trove of 78s from Louis Armstrong
up through Bird & Diz - very exciting!
Then at age 16, my best friend (now a jazz pianist/composer) convinced me to go with him to try to get into the Village Vanguard to see Charles Mingus - this was
1973 and the drinking age in NY was still 18. Amazingly, they didn't card us and we got seats right up front. We had told parents we would try to get home "early"
but when we were about to leave at midnight, Don Pullen came out and started the late set playing solo and my friend the pianist was not about to leave. We didn't
get home til 5 a.m. and I was grounded for a week, but oh was it worth it - jazz has been my main musical love ever since.
Although I am not a musician, I spend an inordinate amount of time listening to music - mostly but not exclusively jazz - and preparing my radio show. And I am
fortunate that many talented jazz musicians have found a home in Asheville, so I am able to hear great live music many times a month. And many musicians have
generously given their time as guests on my radio program. I don't ask them to perform, but to help me choose recordings that we play and discuss over the air. I am
getting to live the non-musician jazz lover's fantasy life and am grateful for every minute of it.
My Favorite Local Jazz Venues & Festivals
