Wgn - The Nocturnal Journal With Dave Hoekstra Podcast

Tonight on Nocturnal Journal with Dave Hoesktra: Chicago artist Tony Fitzpatrick and his artist assistant Yulia Kuznetsova from Russia join us in the studio as they tell the story of how they met and why art has driven Yulia to pursue a career in the U.S that Tony agreed to sponsor. Plus, the attorney that has helped them along the way, Fiona McEntee. Ira Williams of non-profit organization which serves over 1,000 low-income individuals and families annually by delivering safe, […]

Former Chicago pimp turned artist Tony “Bright” Davis, son D’Ante Davis, Project Onward Program Director Rob Lentz join the conversation in the studio. Bright is currently an artist at Project Onward and opens up about his art, redemption against mental illness and more. Plus, Chicago native and Los Angeles based artist Todd Alcott, known for his pulp novel mash up prints of famous rock songs like “Like a Rolling Stone” and “Born to Run” calls in to tell-all of his […]

Tonight on Nocturnal Journal with Dave Hoekstra: The Chicago Police Department has endured seven officer suicides since July. Host Dave Hoekstra talks about the avenues of hope and support with Chicago Police Department lieutenant and Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) commanding officer Antoinette Ursitti, role player and counselor Frederick Nitsch, and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Executive Director Alexa James as they discuss the importance of reducing the mental health stigma within the Chicago Police Department and how to build […]

The Mascot Hall of Fame (MHOF)  in Whiting, Ind. is holding its Grand Opening Celebration this weekend. The “Nocturnal Journey” recently took a day trip to Whiting to check out the museum and all its fun aspects. There’s still time to meet Sky Guy (Chicago Sky), Boomer (Windy City Thunderbolts), the MHOF’s own mascot Reggy and other mascots dropping by on Sunday, April 8. Since it’s soft opening on Dec. 26, 2018, the MHOF has entertained more than 7,000 children, […]

Chicago illustrator  Sharon Rutledge stopped by the Nocturnal Journal to talk about her career, Mike Judge, her native Peoria, Ill. and her recent work on the music documentary “The Center of Nowhere (The Spirit and Sounds of Springfield, Mo.) that will be shown at 7 p.m. April 4 at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago. The Maverick Movie Awards nominated Sharon for “Special Achievement for Animation Sequences” while “The Center of Nowhere” was nominated for “Best Documentary” and “Best Director. For more […]

The 4th Annual Nocturnal Journal baseball opening day special brings together former Montreal Expo Warren Cromartie; the funniest friend of the show, Mike Veeck and Jeff Idelson the president of the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. The free association trio discusses the viability of MLB returning to Montreal, how to maintain interest in the game with kids, Idelson’s upcoming retirement, Cromartie’s friendship with the rock band Rush and much more. For more on the Montreal Baseball Project visit: http://www.montrealbaseballproject.com […]

Grammy-nominated songwriter Pat McLaughlin joins the Nocturnal Journal to talk about his storied Nashville career, his recent collaborations with Dan Auerbach (Black Keys) and John Prine and the meaning of carrying on the tradition of Nashville producer “Cowboy” Jack Clement. Pat will make a rare Chicago appearance with his Nashville band at 8 p.m March 29 at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn. For a deep dive on Pat, check out Dave Hoekstra’s website here: The mighty Pat McLaughlin

Joining Dave on Nocturnal Journal is Stephanie Beilke Conservation Science Associate, Audubon Great Lakes.  With our show’s favorite and only cohost Molly McGown. They will talk about the free local lecture series “Compelling Voices in Birding & Conservation” Also, Dave saw his first robin today. The Chicago Ornithological Society, Chicago Audubon Society, and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum researched diversity in this field, and they want to boost the voices of minorities and women.

Jim Flint, founder and owner of the historic drag performance club The Baton–it celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and they just moved from River North to Uptown. Jim has been around for all 50 years. He also wrote the book “Jim Flint: The Boy From Peoria,”  

The Family Gold transform the Allstate Skyline Studio into a bonafide honky tonk on the Nocturnal Journal with Dave Hoekstra. They play a series of brand new songs and talk about Chicago’s burgeoning honky tonk scene, as well as how each member began playing this traditional style of music.

Dave Hoekstra is joined by musician Dale Watson by phone to talk about his honky-tonk friendly new record, “Call Me Lucky”. They discuss Watson’s love for Memphis, the open road and why truck driving is a big inspiration in his persona and music.

Extracto will be at Simon’s Sunday night. They join the Nocturnal Journal with live music right here!

Voice artist Ken Nordine, the creator of “Word Jazz,” died Saturday at the age of 98. Over the years, he visited with a number of WGN Radio shows to discuss his career. May 2015, with Dave Hoekstra January 2014, with Bob Sirott and Marianne Murciano April 2010, with Steve King and Johnnie Putman

Dave Hoekstra welcomes Jeff Skrentny and Molly McGown to talk about “beer drinkers with a birding problem” and the upcoming Birds and Beers event at Metropolitan Brewing.   http://serve.castfire.com/audio/3596811/hoekstra-birds-and-beers_2019-02-16-180111.64kmono.mp3

Dave Hoekstra welcomes the Young Stracke All-Stars from the Old Town School of Folk Music into the Allstate Skyline Studio to show their stuff. The band will be calling it quits after 11 years with a final show at Chicago’s legendary Hideout on February 16th. The performance also features Corky Siegel and Hippocampus Longsword. Tickets are available now.   http://serve.castfire.com/audio/3595741/3595741_2019-02-13-150841.64kmono.mp3

After receiving a diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis, Lilly Smartelli decided to tie the knot with her one true love: her faithful dog Bernie. She joins Dave Hoekstra by phone to talk about her new book,“The $5 Dog Wedding”, and why she chose to wed her beloved pooch. A portion of the proceeds from the book will go to Donate Life America, an organization seeking to increase the number of donated organs for those that need them. http://serve.castfire.com/audio/3595736/hoesktra-woman-marries-dog_2019-02-13-145736.64kmono.mp3

Dave Hoekstra welcomes The Chicago Soul Jazz Collective featuring John Fournier, on tenor sax, Macon Fahmy on piano, Brian Courage on acoustic bass and Keith Brooks on drums. Together they  play classics from the 1960s soul jazz era like Chicago’s own Ramsey Lewis and Eddie Harris. Stop by the record release party for their debut album on Feb. 13 at Wire in Berwyn. http://serve.castfire.com/audio/3594900/hoekstra-chicago-soul-jazz-collective_2019-02-11-121800.64kmono.mp3

Dave Hoekstra dives into the world of Alpine and Eastern European music with a some live tunes and a discussion on the Zither with master zitherist Kurt Von Eckroth, his wife and vocalist Meagan Von Eckroth and DePaul music professor/conductor Jeff Kowalkowski. They talk about the instrument’s history and applications in classical and folk music, how the portability made it possible to bring music into the mountains, the zither’s crossover into the restaurant scene in mid-century America and how Orson Welles brought […]

Dave Hoekstra talks with writer Laura O. Foster, who creates travel guidebooks for the Portland, Oregon area, about her book Walking with Ramona: Exploring Beverly Cleary’s Portland, which covers the very real places that inspired the world built by Cleary in her Ramona Quimby series of children’s books.  They talk about how the sense of location ties into Cleary’s writing, and how her ability to capture life through a kid’s eyes has helped her work endure over the years; Walking with Ramona’s […]

Dave Hoekstra visits with John Hughes of the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, who is in town with a mobile version of the museum put together with White Sox fans in mind for SoxFest 2019.  They talk about what’s in the mobile exhibit and some of the rare pieces in the museum in Louisville, some tales of debauchery from Super Bowl XLI in Miami and their time covering the baseball beat, and more. http://serve.castfire.com/audio/3590094/3590094_2019-01-28-000834.64kmono.mp3