André Michael Tanker (25 September 1941 – 28 February 2003) was a

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago, officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean, comprising the main islands of Trinidad and Tobago, along with several List of islands of Trinidad and Tobago, smaller i ...

musician and

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

Background and career

Born in Woodbrook,

Port of Spain Port of Spain ( ; Trinidadian and Tobagonian English, Trinidadian English: ''Port ah Spain'' ) is the capital and chief port of Trinidad and Tobago. With a municipal population of 49,867 (2017), an urban population of 81,142 and a transient dail ...

, Tanker was considered one of the most original musicians that his country produced. His influence on the music of Trinidad and Tobago was compared by David Rudder to that of

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...

on American music.Bruce Paddington
"Andre Tanker: The Bob Dylan of Trinidad, whose music embraced many styles but kept a political edge"
''The Guardian'', 12 March 2003. Tanker's work defines the Caribbean folk-jazz genre. Tanker's mother was a dancer who was a descendant of Michel-Jean Cazabon, Trinidad's first great painter. Tanker grew up close to the Invaders' pan yard and the Little Carib Theatre. His first instrument was a steelpan that he received from legendary pannist Ellie Mannette at the age of seven. When he was aged 12 or 13 Tanker began to play the

guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

and cuatro. In his teens he formed a number of small ensembles with Ray Holman which played local parties. This evolved into "André Tanker and the Flamingos", which played at the Trinidad Hilton. He added

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

and was influenced by the

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

n percussionist Mongo Santamaría. In the 1960s and 1970s Tanker developed a link with Caribbean music and wrote songs of black consciousness and liberation. He developed an interest in Orisha music and African drumming, working with Andrew Beddoe of the Little Carib Theatre who was an Orisha priest. Exposure to Indian music drew him to Indian classical music. He was influenced by Ravi Shankar and later worked extensively with Indo-Trinidadian sitarist Mungal Patasar. In 1973 Patasar and Tanker scored the soundtrack of the movie ''

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'', the second locally produced movie in Trinidad and Tobago. Tanker also wrote the music for the musical version of Derek Walcott's '' Ti-Jean and His Brothers'', which was produced for the New York Shakespeare Festival in 1972. He followed this with music for Earl Lovelace's '' The Dragon Can't Dance'' and a production of Mustapha Matura's '' Playboy of the West Indies'' at the Lincoln Center. Tanker's classic works include "Sayamanda", "Basement Party", "Morena Osha", "Hosanna Higher", and "Forward Home".Georgia Popplewell
"André Tanker: Music Beyond Measure" (obituary)
, '' Caribbean Beat'', Issue 61, May/June 2003. André Tanker's influence is still being felt. Cousins in America including André Lassalle are representing the spirit of Andre Tanker and Cazabon.

References

External links

"Music Beyond Measure"
- obituary by Georgia Popplewell in '' Caribbean Beat''.
"Forward Home - André Revisited"
- obituary by Judy Raymond in ''Caribbean Beat''
"Like a Liberation"
- interview with André Tanker by Simon Lee in ''Caribbean Beat''

by Bruce Paddington in Guardian Unlimited {{DEFAULTSORT:Tanker, Andre 1941 births 2003 deaths Djembe players 20th-century Trinidad and Tobago musicians Trinidad and Tobago people of Chinese descent Recipients of the Chaconia Medal Trinidad and Tobago composers