Cymande, a band comprised of Black British musicians who all came to the U.K. from the Caribbean as children, released three brilliant albums in quick succession in the early 1970s and were embraced in the USA. In fact, Cymande was the first British band to ever play the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem. But in the U.K., they faced a music business beset by prejudice against homegrown Black talent and were largely ignored.
Cymande originally split in 1975, but their music lived on, as successive generations of artists and fans found and embraced their songs. Hip Hop, House, Drum and Bass, R&B, Rare Groove, and crate-digging communities all saw something in the songs of Cymande that inspired them.
Through insightful interviews with band members and influential figures including Mark Ronson, Laura Lee and Mark Speer (Khruangbin), DJ Maseo (De La Soul), Jazzie B (Soul II Soul), Cut Chemist, Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Louie Vega, and Kool DJ Red Alert, this stranger than fiction documentary explores the band's profound impact and enduring legacy.
Cymande continues to strengthen their legacy and impact, with new music due out later this year, as well as a world tour in support of the film.
In Theaters July 26
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