Some bands chase a sound. Ranky Tanky carries one forward. This Charleston, South Carolina quintet, formed in 2016, draws its music from Gullah culture, the traditions of Black communities on the Sea Islands off the coasts of South Carolina and Georgia. The band’s name comes from the Gullah language and roughly translates to “work it” or “get funky,” a fitting label for a group whose music causes audiences to do just that. The lineup brings together five distinct voices: Quiana Parler on vocals, Charlton Singleton on trumpet and vocals, Clay Ross on guitar and vocals, Kevin Hamilton on bass, and Quentin Baxter on drums and percussion.

Jazz musicians have long drawn from spirituals and work songs as source material. Still, Ranky Tanky treats Gullah music not as a distant influence to sample but as a living tradition to perform directly, adding jazz improvisation, gospel energy, and blues phrasing without erasing the source.

That approach has earned real recognition. The band’s self-titled debut album reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Jazz chart and brought coverage from NPR’s Fresh Air and NBC’s TODAY. Their 2019 album Good Time won a Grammy for Best Regional Roots Music Album. A live recording from the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival won the same category again in 2023, making Ranky Tanky the most awarded group in the category’s history. Along the way, they’ve performed on platforms like PBS NewsHour and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

The band shows no sign of slowing down. Their new album, “The Village,” released a few weeks ago, is a collection of music that can’t help but make the listener get up and move. For anyone curious about the deep well of tradition still shaping new sounds today, Ranky Tanky offers a rare chance to hear that history performed live, with a groove that asks you to move while it teaches.

Enjoy the tradition, fresh and live, Saturday, September 12th. 

Article written by Middle C Jazz Marketing Support, Kaela Mason.