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Francesca Tanksley was born the daughter of an American and an Austrian on November 21, 1957 in Vicenza, Italy. Growing up in Munich, Germany, her father worked for Radio Free Europe and from the age of seven took piano lessons. At the age of 16, she moved to Boston, Massachusetts where she studied piano and composition at the Berklee College of Music.

After two years Francesca returned to Munich where she worked with Al Porcino, Charly Antolini and Rudi Fuesers. Moving to New York City in 1980 she worked with trombonists Melba Liston for two years. During this time she began her long-term collaboration with saxophonist Billy Harper, and her first recording session were made with Robin Eubanks and Steve Turre on Dedication.

Tanksley has worked with Clifford Jordan, Cecil Payne, David Newman, Nick Brignola, Slide Hampton, Sheila Jordan, Jay Clayton, Bill Hardman and Erica Lindsay. She is the music director the Erica Lindsay – Howard Johnson Quintet.

She works with a quintet and in a trio with bassist Clarence Seay and drummer Newman Taylor Baker, colleagues from Harper’s band, with whom she recorded her debut album Journey, released on DreamCaller label. Pianist Francesca Tanksley teaches at Berklee College of Music and continues to perform, compose and record.

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