Media Consultant, Digital Marketing and Promotions/Branding Strategies
MFA- Theater Arts-Directing/Production
Columbia University New York
BS degree -Theater Arts/Communications Cal State Univ. Dom. Hills
Post-grad education: USC- Film & New Media
Live in So. California, grew up in Los Angeles
Award-winning Playwright and Poet, Tu’Nook has been tapped to direct the Theatre Perception Consortium’s production, The Club Alabam. It was announced recently by Robert J. Carmack, company Marketing and Media Consultant.
Tu’Nook is an educator,performance poet,playwright and actress. She has been published in Guild Press Anthology, “Full Circle Eight”, UCLA’s Black English Student Association Journal “TAZ” and, in the anthology, “Butterflies” on the Wind from Hunan/Guild Press Publishing House in China. Tu’Nook also has performed in various poetry venues and theatrical projects in Southern California.
She is a co-author of the stage play, “Sweetwater Blues”, “DaRoot”, “Return”, and “North On South Central”. a 1940s jazz musical that was a 2004 NAACP Theater Award winner, Howlin’ Blues and Dirty Dogs(the life of Big Mama Thornton) a 2010 NAACP Theater Award winner, and the “Fiancée of Voo Doo. (an African Folktale)
While she takes her work in theater very serious, she still have…
On June 18, we lost one of the few remaining Jazz giants, pianist Horace Silver. As a serious fan of this man’s music, I have to take you all the way back to my early teen days in junior high, when I first heard a tune called Filthy McNasty. A live set (recorded at the Village Gate) finds pianist/composer Horace Silver and his most acclaimed quintet (the one with trumpeter Blue Mitchell, tenor saxophonist Junior Cook, bassist Gene Taylor and drummer Roy Brooks) stretching out on four selections, including this song “Filthy McNasty in May 1961 .
Its 1963, while most kids my age were groovin’ to Motown sounds, a handful of my special friends and I were learning instruments.
Los Angeles,Calif._ June Glides into Summer 2021 with a Bang as Throwbacks are “IN” Again!
In a recent conference on the state of affairs in music and entertainment. Though the scene looks devastated in some areas, and just plain “Busted and Disgusted” conditions for bars/supper clubs even at 50%.
One half of maximum patronage at one time is not cutting it”. In Los Angeles county alone, where a large portion of restaurants are under water. especially the small “Mom & Pop” cafe/ bistros for a niche market, they’re hit the heaviest. Musicians and all the support within the Entertainment business are hoping to see a major change by summer. The summer may be the “Sink or Swim” time for medium, large chains, and entertainment businesses. Follow us on @FreedomJazzDance at Facebook pages or email us at pocketjazz@musician.org
Pocket Jazz Presents team are readying themselves with an eclectic bunch of dramatic shows with music of the era , such as Sam Cooke Legacy Revue, Nina Simone Tribute:High Priestess! Or, Charlie Parker Legacy Compositions:Wounded Feathers! featured as a point of information and historical “Edutainment” series. Included, an Interview show about Artists interviewing Artists about ART.
ON FACEBOOK: Pocketjazzpresents page/ @FreedomJazzDance
Bombingham 63/ (They Called it Dynamite Hill) ~ produced by Robert J. Carmack and Vel Omarr with Naomi Stenson. Cast members ..Naomi Pryor-Stenson -Ms. Collins / Mechelle LaChaux- I.Willie Johnson -Music Minister, wife of Dr. Johnson/ Robert J. Carmack -Dr Robert J. Johnson
Vel Omarr, who stars as Sam Cooke in the original story, The Awakening stated, “We’re not just putting on a show, but actually in some cases , shedding new light on old myths and half truths . Black artists and their historical status” are sometimes left for self-interpretation. Pocket jazz produced a one night only show in 2018 .. it was a sold out performances, but could not extend the performances beyond the one night only dates.
COMING 2021/22
Pocket Jazz Presents~High Priestess- a Nina Simone Tribute~moving, dramatic showcase of the social /protest music from early 1960s. 1965 setting in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Calif. : while rehabbing from an injured right hand, Nina is surprised when interviewed by a reporter from Ebony magazine. but he’s also from her hometown in North Carolina. Special curated songs and music, original writings based on a play written by R.J. Carmack. Historical material about civil rights, the leaders who were part of the struggle. running time for show is 90 plus minutes. And, a Q&A session for ½ hour post-performance by artists and directors. Target : Educational , Theaters,and dinner clubs. Running time:2 hours Fees: TBA
Sam Cooke Legacy series: L.A. early 1962-1964 -dramatic scenes infused with the very popular Sam Cooke songs performed to perfection by Soul Singer/actor, Vel Omarr -5-7 piece band plus backing vocalists, additional actor-L.C. Cooke / brother. Show running time is 1.5 hours.
One thing for sure, Summer 2021 is certainly going to be a swim or sink moment in my humble opinion. As part of a creative team of artist, we look forward to audience returns in 100% formats.
Kamaad Tauhid is a contributing editor at Hipstersanctuary.com @blues2jazzguy email: pocketjazz@musician.org
August 29th is a very famous birthday for various people..One for Michael Jackson so-called King of Pop, but this one is about the King of Be Bop Saxophonists Charlie Parker or, aka, Yard Bird! The Jazz community in Leimert Park was honoring the “Bird” on his 99 birthday.
Parker a 34 year old man died in March 1955, months before his 35th Birthday. Before that happened, Yard Bird or “Charlie’ was known as the absolute truth on jazz saxophone. Most youngsters or vet musicians wanted to play and sound like him..some even went to the pits of hell with major drugs and its abuse to follow the Bird. After saying all that, Robert J. Carmack wrote a play about the man, about the two inner-men other that “Bird,” Most people knew nothing about.. the others were the man as Father, Husband and musical genius!. Carmack’s play was not being performed…
Howard Rumsey, a jazz bassist and entrepreneur who helped popularize the notion of a progressive West Coast jazz scene in the 1950s as leader of the Lighthouse All-Stars, died on July 15 in Newport Beach,Calif. the cause was complications of pneumonia, said Nancy Simonian, a longtime friend. He was 97.
Growing up in the early 1960s in Los Angeles gave me lots of opportunities. To learn an instrument, and get skilled enough to play in various church and school orchestras and marching bands, If you were like me that was not enough, I liked jazz when most of my friends and peers were boppin’ to Motown.
One of my greatest opportunities came in the form of playing saxophone in a youth band sponsored by the late Gerald Wilson and the Grant Music Center, Henry Grant, Conductor…
DON’T miss out on a candid and soulful chat with musician, songwriter,record producer AND MUSICIAN, RIC POWELL stopped by the studio during Black History month, and we were able to finally get the video edited and readied for action. a fun time was had discussing the historical debut album of Donny Hathaway.. where Ric attended Howard with the great Donny Hathaway and gigged around the DC area.
Check Out Ric Powell as special guest of Voices From the Window… the Donny Hathaway story regarding Everything /Everything! Now debuting new Virtual Online Show.. view the show at Facebook group,
“Black History” 365 & at Pocket jazz Presents pages ..all on Facebook April 25th – recurring shows on Demand
Soul singer and actor, Vel Omarr .. making a strong statement for Love.
Catch Vel Omarr in his latest dramatic production with Pocket Jazz presents: The Awakening with Vel Omarr as Sam Cooke.. Catch your copy of his latest recording , How can I make You Mine.
Los Angeles,Calif. It was announced today by Pocket Jazz Presents creator and chief content developer,Robert J. Carmack, MFA. Story by Kamaad Tauhid
Robert J. Carmack, writer, producer and musician, is currently arranging a new collective made up of elite unsung artists and craftspeople the pandemic forgot about.. actors,musicians, poets,painters,sculptors, music arrangers,set designers,sound and lighting.
Pocket Jazz Presents was formed as themed, small jazz concerts produced by Carmack ,in and around the Los Angeles / Southern California area. hence, pocket-size jazz concert, big in quality and creativity, infusing jazz,poetry and Improv theater together.
One of the most innovative ways of telling stories about Black Historical characters or events that were traumatic or Game-changing. Voices From the Window series; a collection of short vignettes and infotainment programs to educate and entertain. Beginning, April 25 2021, the new series will debut on several Facebook pages: VOICES FROM the WINDOW- a Zoom formatted show about social change subject matter,black historic characters, and past events that impacted the lives of a people..‘
Debuting Voices from the Window – a 30 min interview with artists on artists about artists- April 25th – Donny Hathaway: Everything Everything – 50 Years! Special Guest, Ric Powell – producer/co writer, musician and co-publisher. album released 1970.
April 27- The Awakening: Sam and L.C. Cooke- a dramatic fantasy about Sam Cooke awakening to find his Brother,L.C. staring at him, asking him questions. Since Cooke died in 1964, ??
April 30- Dynamite Hill:Bombingham 63 – a dramatic and searing look into the lives of four select characters from the Alabama 16th street church bombing in 1963, 4 girls dead and many severely injured.Pocket Jazz Presents are creating the concepts and arranging the historical data into a dramatic presentation. All performed improv, no scripts!
Its riveting and speaks volumes of early black theater memories of NEC, or Karamu House, Mafundi Institute and Paul Robeson players, in which Robert was a co-founding member going back to 1972.
Mr. Carmack went out and recruited his old friends from his early years with The Paul Robeson Players, former players include Vel Omarr and Naomi Pryor-Stenson. characters and cast members ~
The Awakening: cast~ Sam Cooke/Vel Omarr and L.C. Cooke- Robert J. Carmack,MFA ~ Dynamite Hill: cast~ Naomi Pryor-Stenson as Sister Collins..Vel Omarr as Deacon Trass, Mechelle LaChaux as Mrs./Mother Johnson and Robert J. Carmack as Dr. Robert Johnson, DDM & surgery
Voices From the Window_ a innovative approach of relaxed informal chat with artists on artists about art with artists.all in a Zoom format, opening up to Q&A after show and engaging through email or texts. Hosted by Robert J. Carmack and Vel Omarr, both men, are producers for Pocket Jazz Presents.
Coming attractions: Ric Powell musician producer and songwriter Donny Hathaway story/ everything everything. Jazz musician and saxophonist Ghasem Batamuntu, Sandra Booker. June 2021- Black Music Month!
For more details follow us on facebook Pocketjazzpresents/ @Freedomjazzdance or http://www.hipstersanctuary.com 951-456-5874
Vel Omarr as Sam Cooke and Robert J. Carmack as brother, L.C. Cooke
It was announced last week by Pocket Jazz Presents Chief Content Developer and Founder, Robert J. Carmack. Pocket Jazz Presents is a content developer and a co-op of artists, musicians,photographers, singers and poets. We operate as a creative collective and at times, represent the little boutique Cafe ,Gig workers, independent artists and small business venue owners . a wide assortment of goods and services offered for nominal fees or Barter.
The Pandemic across the country has made life worse for those entertainers and all the jobs that support the Entertainment industry. Carmack is finding opportunities to work on building alliances and support groups who can be converted into audiences after the “all-clear”sign is posted for audiences to return. ” I have gone into survival mode now that two of my Theater shows were cancelled in 2020 in Los Angeles and one in San Francisco (Nina Simone play, Interview with the High Priestess:NINA! also, a Charlie Parker return to Bay area in ,Wounded Feathers a Jazz Tragedy.
Pocket Jazz with Robert, recruited some of Robert’s old friends, Mr. Vel Omarr, soul singer, songwriter,actor/director of stage plays and music productions,the Chicago native by way of Mississippi is currently portraying several roles for Pocket Jazz stories,including Sam Cooke. Omarr’s credits also include songs written for Movies and some now Streaming on-line as we speak. can not list at time but will list in next article. Vel Omarr is the founder of the Soultown Artists Channel.
Hailing from Detroit, and finding her way to join family members in California, while settling initially in Carson. she met Robert Carmack , a college student and Drama teacher at a local arts academy. Naomi excelled in the workshops and early productions. A major change came when the adult workshop split off from the academy and became the Paul Robeson players, a full theater ensemble,1972..joining Robert Carmack and Robert Browning as the Original founding members,among a few others who are no longer with us. We introduce Ms. Naomi Pryor-Stenson.
Introducing Ms. Mechelle LaChaux, Singer/songwriter,actress and stage management. just to name a few of this dynamic lady’s skills. Her energy in the “Moment” acting. She’s also dedicated to a high Bar of excellence in music. Worked with Robert in the formation of creating. the San Francisco Bay – Area African American Musicians Association. This organization was established to bolster more Black musicians involvement in the active cultural scene in the S.F. Bay area 2004-2009.
This group of Black professionals are grinding out some very interesting dramatic content ,using historic events and figures. for example , Feb, 26, 27 and 28 . Pocket Jazz is posting its Debut Program entitled, Stories From the Window. In a Zoom formatted set, Carmack and company will bring emotional , gripping subject matter as the “1963- 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing” in Birmingham Alabama, and the mysterious Life & Death of Sam Cooke 1960s. later on, other key figures will be featured. The short vignettes are just a slice of life involving the people in a pivotal moment in time. In the 1963 Bombing . The Four actors are representing four nameless victims of the bombing who was just going to Church. No previously written script is used , Improvisational skills are at play, told from the audience’s point of View . Hence, Stories from the window.. The Zoom “Box/Window” format is where I draw the title. LIVE/taped!
We will project what these four characters were doing only ONE HOUR before they arrived ,only to be injured severely, others died.. Other themes may be about eclectic Blues lady Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith, Charlie Parker and Sam’s Brother L.C. Cooke. we are happy to release the precursors to our stage efforts. Ready on day-one to tour these shows.. on stage, in backyards once audiences are safe to return.
For more information follow us at PocketJazzPresents/@FreedomJazzDance on facebook or email us your contact ,so we can place you on our action events list. pocketjazz@musician.org ~ our office number is 951-456-5874. our next article, Meet the Cast Members at http://www.hipstersanctuary.com Feb. 18th 2021.. until all shows have posted .
supporting websites and support groups on Facebook Soul Gumbo Unlimited, Prancin N’ Romancin’ Cove, S.F.B.A.A.A.M. and SoulTown Artists Channel on facebook.,
