Norman Spence From Tank and the Bangas and Their New Album, "Red Balloon"

When people think about the music of New Orleans, it’s usually the traditional jazz scene that comes to mind. But, NOLA is also one of the most consistent melting pots in our great country, so it’s bound to birth some amazingly unique and exciting music. 

Born in the Big Easy, Tank and the Bangas honed their musical skills during their time as backing band in many of the city’s open mics before morphing into the Grammy nominated, NPR Tiny Desk Concert winning, soul, funk, hip hop group that they have become. 

Norman Spence from the band joins us on this episode to discuss the crafting of the band’s latest release, Red Balloon. He explains his role in the group, how he uses his own vinyl collection as an instrument of sorts, and the myriad influences and ingredients that all the members of the band bring to the table to create their own unique musical jambalaya. 

So, let’s promenade down to the Land of Dreams to learn more about what Tank and the Bangas have cooked up on their recent release. The sound may not be what comes to mind when thinking about New Orleans, but maybe it should be, maybe it’s the sound of a new New Orleans.