Cymande | |
|---|---|
 Cymande performing inLuxembourg City in 2025 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | London, England |
| Genres | Psychedelic funk[1] |
| Years active | 1971–1974; 2006; 2012–present |
| Labels | Janus Records,Cherry Red Records |
| Members | seeMembers below |
| Website | cymandeofficial.com |
Cymande (pronounced/sɪˈmɑːndeɪ/sih-MAHN-day) are a Britishfunk group that was originally active in the early 1970s. The band name derives from acalypso word for "dove", which symbolises peace and love;[2] "Dove" is also the title of one of their best-known songs. With a membership deriving from several Caribbean nations, Cymande were noted for an eclectic mix offunk,soul,reggae,rock,African music,calypso, andjazz that they called "nyah-rock".[3][4][5] The band formed in 1971 and released three albums before disbanding in 1974. After gaining newfound popularity when their music was sampled by many notable rap artists, Cymande reformed in the 2010s.[6] Their most recent albumRenascence was released in January 2025.[7]
Cymande was formed by bassist Steve Scipio and guitarist Patrick Patterson inLondon, England, in 1971. Scipio and Patterson had previously played together in a jazz fusion group called Metre, in which they picked up additional influences from British-Nigerian percussionist Ginger Johnson.[5][8] Cymande variously had either eight or nine members in their original incarnation and also included singer/percussionist Ray King, saxophonist Derek Gibbs, conga player Pablo Gonsales, singer/percussionist Joey Dee, saxophonist Peter Serreo, drummer Sam Kelly, and flautist/percussionist Mike Rose.[6] All were members of the Afro-Caribbeandiaspora community in London, originating in nations includingGuyana,Jamaica, andSaint Vincent.[6]
Cymande were discovered by British R&B producerJohn Schroeder while they played in a basement club inSoho in 1971. Schroeder recorded some demos and convincedJanus Records to sign the group.[5] Their first single "The Message" reached theBillboard Hot 100 andHot R&B charts in the United States.[6] Theirself-titled debut album was released in 1972 and also reached theBillboard pop and R&B albums charts in the United States.[9] During this period the group toured the United States successfully; their wide-ranging sound was illustrated by invitations to tour with soul singerAl Green, funk-rock bandMandrill, and jazz musicianRamsey Lewis.[3]
In 1973 they made history as the first British band to headline theApollo Theater in New York,[10] and they also performed onSoul Train.[11] However, they achieved little notice in their home country. The albumSecond Time Round, featuring newly politicized lyrics, was released in 1973,[12] and their third album,Promised Heights, was released in 1974.[13] The lack of notice from the British music industry caused the group to break up in 1974.[3] A fourth album, titledArrival, was recorded during this period but was not released until 1981.[14] After the band split, Scipio and Patterson moved to the Caribbean region to work as lawyers, and Scipio was Attorney General ofAnguilla for seven years.[7]
After a period of obscurity, Cymande's music was rediscovered in the 1980s and 1990s. Some of their songs were deconstructed and used asbreakbeats by earlyhip-hop DJsKool Herc andGrandmaster Flash.[5] The Britishrare groove scene of the 1980s was openly influenced by Cymande.[10] By the late 1980s they were being sampled regularly by rap artists, starting withDe La Soul on the song "Change in Speak" from their3 Feet High and Rising album, plusEPMD,The KLF,MC Solaar,Heavy D, and many others.[15] An unauthorized sample of "Dove" byThe Fugees resulted in a lucrative copyright infringement settlement for Scipio and Patterson.[15] Additional recognition arrived in 1994 whenSpike Lee used the Cymande song "Bra" in his filmCrooklyn; Lee used the same song in his 2002 film25th Hour.[16]
Thanks to ongoing recognition of their early 1970s original works by more modern fans, Cymande reformed with most of its original members for a one-off show in 2006.[16] A fuller reunion commenced in 2012.[6] Their original producer John Schroeder was brought back as well, and plans were announced for a new album.[8] The group completed several one-off shows in the next few years,[17] with all nine original members eventually contributing at various times, alongside some new sidemen. Cymande releasedA Simple Act of Faith in 2015 – the band's first new album in 41 years.[18] In 2016 the group completed a short tour of the United States, where it had not played since 1973.[3]
Early member Trevor White died on 5 November 2020 and original member Pablo Gonsales died in Jamaica on 2 December 2020.[19] Scipio and Patterson continue to reside in Anguilla.[7] In 2022, a documentary film about their story was released, titledGetting It Back: The Story of Cymande, which was later released in February 2024 on a wider cinema release and shortly afterwards onBlu-ray.[20] The albumRenascence was released in January 2025, Reviewers complemented the album for returning to the band's classic sounds from their original 1970s incarnation.[21][22] The group announced 2025 US and European shows to support the release, carrying on with their post-pandemic increase in short tours and festival appearances.[23][24]
British psychedelic funk legends Cymande, who formed in 1971 and have been active again since 2010, have signed with Partisan Records
