Today, Tank and the Bangas unveil the final part of their spoken word collection, The Soul. All three parts—The Heart, The Mind, The Soul—are now available digitally via Verve Forecast. Listen/share HERE and watch/share the new video for the song “Enjoy The Ride” HERE.
Each chapter of this spoken word collection features Tank collaborating with a different producer. The Soul pairs her with acclaimed producer and jazz musician Robert Glasper, as well as Austin Brown and Brian London, who produced the new song “Who Ha? (feat. J. Ivy).” This follows The Heart with James Poyser and The Mind with Iman Omari.
Listen to the recently released track “Remember,” featuring Samara Joy and Glasper, HERE.
The full project, with a bonus track, is set for physical release on October 11 via Verve Forecast. The physical offering includes an Indie Retail Sea Blue exclusive, as well as a D2C Neon Violet exclusive with a signed litho. Pre-order your physical copy HERE.
“I want poetry to gain even more respect and for more young people to engage with the expression of poetry,” Tank notes. “I want it to be seen as cool again. Poetry has always been my first love because it loved me back—it loved me even before music. Now, I get to share more of that part of myself with the world, in hopes that you love it too. Everything in this world has its place: The Heart deals with matters of my heart, my relationships with men, and the one with myself. The Mind reflects the things I think about as a woman in this world and the relationships I’ve pondered over. And The Soul is a collection of free-flowing poems, both subconscious and conscious, about myself and the city that raised me.”
The band will head out on an extensive tour, including co-headlining dates with Jamila Woods, beginning October 16, and a residency at the legendary Blue Note Jazz Club in New York from November 7-10. See below for a complete list of dates; tickets are available to purchase HERE.
New Orleans-based Tank and the Bangas rose to prominence in 2017 after their unanimous NPR Music Tiny Desk Contest victory. Bringing their blend of poetry, R&B, gospel, and pop to a worldwide stage, Tank and the Bangas have been praised as one of the “best live bands in America” by NPR Music. In 2019, the band released their major label debut, Green Balloon, on Verve Forecast to widespread critical acclaim, earning the band a Best New Artist nomination at that year's Grammy Awards. Their third studio album, Red Balloon, received a nomination for “Best Progressive R&B Album” at the 2023 Grammy Awards.
Throughout their career, the group has performed on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “Austin City Limits,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” and “The Today Show.” They have consistently sold out venues both stateside and abroad, with festival appearances at Coachella, Glastonbury, Bonnaroo, and the Newport Jazz Festival.
Tank and the Bangas are Tarriona “Tank” Ball (lead), Norman Spencer II (multi-instrumentalist), along with new members CJ Knowles Jr. (drummer), Matthew MSkillz (bass), Rob Kellner (keys), and Etienne Stoufflet (saxophone).
TRACK LIST
THE HEART, THE MIND, THE SOUL
A Poem Is (feat. Jill Scott)*
They Don’t See/Whole Foods (feat. aja monet)†
Enjoy The Ride*
Open To Thyself*
Starting Over†
Ghetto Earth*
Remember (feat. Samara Joy & Robert Glasper)‡
Who Ha? (feat. J. Ivy)‡
Little Things (feat. Yaya Bey)†
You’re In Way Over Your Head (feat. Robert Glasper)‡
Am I Still New Orleans (feat. Robert Glasper)‡
*The Heart w/ James Poyser
†The Mind w/ Iman Omari
‡The Soul w/ Robert Glasper
TOUR DATES—TANK AND THE BANGAS
August 30—Napa, CA—Blue Note Jazz Festival Napa 2024
September 14—Richmond, VA—VA PRIDEFEST
September 15—Fort Collins, CO—Gardens on Spring Creek
September 21—Japan—Blue Note Jazz Festival
October 11—Baton Rouge, LA—Chelsea’s Live
October 16—St. Louis, MO—Delmar Hall*
October 18—Milwaukee, WI—Turner Hall Ballroom*
October 19—Minneapolis, MN—First Avenue*
October 20—New Orleans, LA—NOLA Funk Fest 2024*
October 22—Detroit, MI—The Majestic Theatre*
October 23—Lakewood, OH—The Roxy*
October 25—Columbus, OH—The Athenaeum Theatre*
October 26—Millvale, PA—Mr. Small’s Theatre, Funhouse & Café*
October 27—Baltimore, MD—Rams Head Live!*
October 29—Carrboro, NC—Cat’s Cradle*
October 31—Nashville, TN—Brooklyn Bowl*
November 1—Atlanta, GA—Variety Playhouse*
November 2—New Orleans, LA—The Ritz Carlton
November 7—New York, NY—Blue Note
November 8—New York, NY—Blue Note
November 9—New York, NY—Blue Note
November 10—New York, NY—Blue Note
*TATB + Jamila Woods Tour
