b. 21 November 1957, Vincenza, Italy. Although born in Italy Tanksley grew up in Munich, Germany, where she studied music from the age of seven. She went to Boston when she was 16 to study piano and composition at Berklee College Of Music; then two years later she returned to Munich. In 1980 she moved to New York, working with Melba Liston until 1983, when she joined Billy Harper’s quintet with whom she toured extensively. She has also worked with Clifford Jordan, Cecil Payne, Bill Hardman and Erica Lindsay, leads her own quintet and co-leads the Erica Lindsay/ Howard Johnson Quintet. She is also a fine composer.