The Gullahs belong to an African American culture that coalesced off the coast of the Carolinas during slave times. Their chief connection to American music has been to provide the setting and characters of George Gershwin’s opera Porgy & Bess. However, the Charleston, S.C. group Ranky Tanky (Gullah dialect for “get funky”) hopes to put its mark on music. Their self-titled album features limber rhythms, shining trumpeting and the emotive vocals of Quiana Parler. Ranky Tanky is a selection of traditional Gullah songs infused with folk poetry and gospel spirituality, carried on lucid musicianship and the genuine soulfulness of Parler’s voice.
