Gullah heritage is born out of the West African transatlantic slave trade, and its traditions are still rich in the Caribbean, throughout the coastal south, and especially in the islands of South Carolina. Influences are still felt in the art, dance, food, spirituality and storytelling culture of the region, and it informs the musical style of the quintet Ranky Tanky.
With various influences, from jazz folk and gospel to R&B, funk and soul, the band's members all have diverse performing backgrounds, and only recently began to collaborate as the unit known as Ranky Tanky. Featuring Clay Ross on guitar, Quiana Parler on vocals, Charlton Singleton on trumpet, Quentin E. Baxter on drums and Kevin Hamilton on acoustic bass, Ranky Tanky marches through five songs in this performance, all from their self-titled debut release which reached No. 1 on multiple jazz charts upon its release in 2017.
You can find Ranky Tanky touring throughout the U.S. early May through late August.
SET LIST
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.