Charleston’s Ranky Tanky has little left to prove, particularly after winning a pair of Grammy Awards and spending nearly a decade introducing Gullah music to audiences around the world.
Since forming in 2016, the quintet has built a reputation for blending the rich musical traditions of the South Carolina and Georgia Lowcountry with jazz, funk, gospel and R&B, creating a sound that feels timeless and unmistakably contemporary.
That steady artistic evolution is reflected in the band’s growing national profile, from acclaimed recordings and international touring to high-profile television appearances and collaborations with some of the country’s most respected musicians.
That makes the confidence behind its just-released album, This Village, feel earned.
This Village is not just the longest Ranky Tanky album yet, at 16 tracks, but it also features the most original material written by the band. It was even produced by drummer Quentin Baxter.
But the real statement is in the music itself. This is by far the band’s most musically expansive album. It opens with a mournful string arrangement that leads into the title track. “Rejoice” is pure gospel joy. “Be Alright” brings reggae rhythms into the mix. And “Lie Down,” featuring some seriously filthy guitar from Clay Ross, is a flat-out rock song.
The lyrical content is equally compelling. On the title track and lead single, vocalist Quiana Parler and singer-trumpeter Charlton Singleton, who wrote the song, deliver a heartfelt meditation on family, community and the strength that comes from neighbors lifting one another up. It’s a fitting mission statement for a band that has long celebrated the shared traditions and enduring spirit of Gullah culture.
“I originally wrote it about my grandparents and the role that the older folks in the Gullah community have within their community on the island,” Singleton said in a recent interview with the Charleston City Paper. “I was reflecting on how that was starting to happen with my parents. But the song also talks about the joy and love and peace that is in these Gullah neighborhoods.”
Parler added, “You don’t have to be related to be family. And that goes back to having strong community leadership, respect and love.
“It’s like the Gullah people did when they were brought here,” she said. “They didn’t know each other, and they had a language barrier. But there was still that foundation of the rhythm.”
The band’s new album is also its most collaborative. For the first time, the group, which also includes bassist Kevin Hamilton, brought in outside musicians and production staff, including vocalist Lisa Fischer (The Rolling Stones), Grammy-winning engineer Vance Powell (Chris Stapleton, Jack White) and Charleston musician Demetrius Doctor, who played piano and provided the string arrangement on the title track.
“We featured some amazing artists,” Parler said. “We reached outside of our realm and included others to create. Why not reach back into our community, or our own village?”
As for the stylistic variety on This Village, Singleton sees it as a continued exploration of the reach of Gullah music.
“Our narrative has always been that Gullah music has been around for centuries. So with these genres that I call ‘new,’ whether it’s bluegrass or blues, rock, R&B or jazz, you can find Gullah in those things as opposed to the other way around. So yes, the album is eclectic, but I think that’s just the beauty of the span of Gullah music.”
Now that the album is out, Singleton is ready to share it with live audiences. He said the next step for Ranky Tanky is a lot of touring.
“Everybody looks forward to going back out on the road,” he said. “Everybody looks forward to having people check out something new. There are a lot of songs on the album that people haven’t heard, so we’re excited for people to hear them.”
Help keep the City Paper free.
No paywalls.
No subscription cost.
Free delivery at 800 locations.
Help support independent journalism by donating today.
