A recent band with an explosive impact. Its debut album was released in 2017 and topped the Billboard jazz charts. “Good Time” (2019) won a Grammy Award. Their latest album, recorded live at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, was nominated for a Grammy: another win!
A mix of soul, gospel, blues, jazz and folk, the quintet from Charleston, South Carolina, has an original sound that makes it unique on the diverse American music scene, as unique is the Gullah community in the United States: this African American ethnic group has preserved an extraordinary identity, and Ranky Tanky is a proud and committed exponent. Ranky Tanky is a term from the Gullah dialect which can be freely translated as “get funky”. The Gullah rural communities have always inhabited the South Carolina and Georgia coastal regions, down to Florida and the Sea Islands. Their ancestors were the original slaves of West Africa.
The quintet was born from the ashes of a classic jazz quartet (trumpet/guitar/bass/drums), plus Quiana Parler’s powerful voice and stage presence. Their jazz-influenced arrangements give Gullah traditional music a striking modernity. In addition, they have a tremendous emotional impact on stage.