Cymande were an eclectic band who released several albums throughout the early seventies. They arrived in London, England from Guyana and Jamaica and developed a subtle, deep funk style heavily influenced by Calypso rhythms, Jazz, African music, and American Soul. Cymande can now be seen as one of the most sophisticated of the heavy funk acts that evolved in the early 1970's. By the mid-seventies the band members were going their separate ways. It wasn't until 20 years later that they reaped any financial rewards, as their music became a popular source for samplers. Cymande's original albums are still widely sought-after by DJ's and funk aficionados. Perhaps the band's best known recording is the soulful dancefloor groove "Bra", later sampled by the American hip-hop group De La Soul.
= Ray King - Vocals/Percussion
Steve Scipio - Bass
Derek Gibbs - Soprano/Alto
Pablo Gonsales - Congas
Joey Dee - Vocals/Percussion
Peter Serreo - Tenor
Sam Kelly - Drums
Mike Rose - Alto/Flute/Bongos
Patrick Pattersno - Guitar
= 1972 - Cymande
1973 - Second Time Around
1973 - Promise...
