Cymande (pronounced Sah-mahn-day) were an eclectic band who released several albums throughout the early 1970s. The group was formed in 1971 in London, England by musicians from Guyana and Jamaica. The name Cymande is derived from a Calypso word for Dove, which symbolizes peace and love. Although underappreciated and woefully overlooked during their original tenure together, the fine early-'70s outfit Cymande was one of the first to merge African rhythms with rock, funk, reggae, and soul. Comprised of members who hailed from such exotic locales as Guyana, Jamaica, and St. Vincent, the nine-man lineup (who were all entirely self-taught) contained Steve Scipio (bass), Ray King (vocals, percussion), Derek Gibbs (alto/soprano), Pablo Gonsales (congas), Joey Dee (vocals, percussion), Peter Serreo (tenor), Sam Kelly (drums), Mike Rose (alto, flute, bongos), and Patrick Patterson (guitar). The band issued a total of three releases: 1972's self-titled debut (which spawned one of their best-known songs, "The Message," peaking at number 22 on the domestic R&B charts in 1974), 1973's Second Time Round, and 1974's Promised Heights -- before splitting up.
However, by the '90s, Cymande became the recipient of a strong cult following as another track from their debut, "Bra," was included on the soundtrack to Spike Lee's motion picture Crooklyn, and several of their songs were sampled by rap artists (including Raze, Master Ace, MC Solaar, De La Soul, DJ Kool, and the Fugees). Due to sudden interest in Cymande, a pair of compilations were issued --Cymande can now be seen as one of the most sophisticated of the funk acts that evolved in the early 1970s. Members of the band reunited for a performance in Brighton (UK) on May 19, 2006 during the UK Funk All-Stars night at the Corn Exchange. It formed part of the Brighton Festival 2006.
01 - The Message
02 - Brothers On The Slide
03 - Dove
04 - Bra
05 - Fug
06 - For Baby Woh
07 - Rickshaw
08 - Equitorial Forest
09 - Listen
10 - Getting It Back
11 - Anthracite
12 - Willy's Headache
13 - Genevieve
14 - Pon De Dungle
15 - Rastafarian Folk Song
16 - One More
17 - Zion I
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