Dane Neal is in for Dave Hoekstra, as Dave, fresh off a three-week road trip, takes his camper van to the 35th Annual American Music Festival at FitzGerald’s Nightclub in Berwyn.  Dave checks in from the fest with Dane, and explains his project The Camper Book, and talks about his road trip, the specifics and the vibe of the van itself, some of the people he encountered along the way, and the sense of community among folks camping on the […]

Dane Neal sits in for Dave Hoekstra as he wraps up his three-week cross-country road trip to gather material for his upcoming project The Camper Book: Celebration of a Movable American Dream.  Dane talks with former Cubs and Sox hurler Steve Trout, who’s reaching out to young players through Trout Baseball Academy; Stephanie Maeritisch and Natalie Stanichuck give a preview of the food and music of the upcoming Square Roots Festival, and vegetarian/vegan chef Jerry James Stone stops by to […]

Dave Hoekstra is on the road gathering material for his latest project, The Camper Book, which will detail his cross-country road trip (mostly down historic Route 66) and the cognitive journey that goes along with being on the road.  Here, Dave talks with Dave Moore of Prime-Time Specialty Vehicles in Elkhart, IN, who tricked out a van for Dave’s road trip.  Caitlin Eck of Chicago Review Press talks about the independent publisher’s travel offerings and bringing The Camper Book to […]

Mike Stephen steps into the driver’s seat on Nocturnal Journal as Dave Hoekstra sets off on a cross-country road trip to gather material for his new project, The Camper Book.  Dave checks in from the Cozy Dog Drive-In Springfield, IL, where owner Buz Waldmire talks about the restaurant’s place in Route 66 lore and his brother, artist Bob Waldmire.  He also visits the Roger Miller Museum in Erick, OK, which pays tribute to the legendary country singer and songwriter. Back […]

Dave Hoekstra visits with gospel singer and Pastor Mitty Collier, of the MLC Christian Fellowship Ministries here in Chicago.  She talks about her earlier secular songs at legendary Chess Records, the story behind her hit “I Had a Talk with My Man”, the inextricable link between soul music and gospel music, and more.  

Blues guitarist and vocalist Guy King joins Dave Hoekstra on the Nocturnal Journal to talk about his latest album Truth.  They discuss King’s discovery of the blues, and his journey to the US from Israel, his long stint playing with Willie King and learning the defining characteristics of the “Chicago sound”; King also plays some live songs from the album with vocalist Sarah Marie Young.  

Dave Hoekstra talks with Michelle Navarre, Head of School at Polaris Charter Academy, a unique elementary charter that serves the West Side’s Humboldt Park neighborhood.  She talks about the school’s “expedition learning” approach (the first type of this curriculum in Chicago) which allows students an in-depth look at social studies and science. Students Solomon, Amiya, Simeon and Nyla talk about honoring neighborhood ‘Peacekeepers’, some of the program’s study units (including a trip to Birmingham for a look at the Civil […]

The Nocturnal Journey brings Dave Hoekstra down to Nashville, TN and the recording studio of prolific singer, songwriter and producer Dan Penn.  Penn sits down with Dave for a talk about his long career, collaborating with his old partner Spooner Oldham, working on tracks like “I’m Your Puppet” and “The Letter”, and finding a soulful outlet in his voice.

The great Tony Fitzpatrick visits with Dave Hoekstra on the Nocturnal Journal; they talk about spending time with Buck O’Neil during a road trip stop in Kansas City, Tony’s opening of the “Secret Birds” at the DePaul Art Museum and his love of the museum as a venue, the ongoing significance of birds in his artwork, the recovery process from his near-fatal heart attack in 2015, his plans to leave the ‘institutional’ art scene behind and more.  

Dave Hoekstra talks with Dan Manesis, owner of the Gobbler Theater in Johnson Creek, WI.  Manesis talks about his efforts to redevelop the Gobbler, once a late 60’s-era supper club, into an intimate live music venue, the challenge of preserving the club’s rotating bar and other unique architectural features, the growing tourism industry in the area (roughly halfway between Milwaukee and Madison), and more. For photos and a closer look at the Gobbler, check out Dave’s website.