Cymande
Cymande's music sits somewhere between funk, reggae, jazz and calypso, a loose, hypnotic groove they called 'nyah-rock'. Made in London by musicians with roots in the Caribbean, their songs are long, spiritual jams built on rolling percussion, deep basslines and Rastafarian-inspired lyrics of peace and love.
Their early-70s albums Cymande, Second Time Round and Promised Heights found more fans in the US than at home, and the band faded by the middle of the decade. Hip hop brought them back: 'Bra' and 'Dove' became sampling staples, turning up on records by De La Soul, the Fugees and many more. They later reunited, and the documentary Getting It Back told their story.
If you like Cymande you should check out: The Meters, Sly & the Family Stone, Curtis Mayfield, The Isley Brothers, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. & The M.G.'s, James Brown, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Fela Kuti, Mulatu Astatke
