Getting It Back: The Story of Cymande
A tribute to the greatest band you've possibly never heard of, yet adored by musicians galore including Mark Ronson, Norman Jay, Jazzie B, Khruangbin, Loyle Carner, Jim James and more!
Director: Tim McKenzie-Smith
Cast includes: Mark Ronson, Norman Jay, Jazzie B, Khruangbin, Loyle Carner, DJ Maseo of De La Soul, Jim James, Louie Vega
89 mins / 2022 / uk
Cymande are the greatest band you’ve likely never heard of and this is their incredible untold story.
Formed in south London by musicians who came to the UK from the Carribean as part of the Windrush generation and led by Patrick Patterson (guitar) and Steve Scipio (bass), they combined jazz, funk, soul and Caribbean grooves to create a new sound.
Their music was political, spiritual – they were all about peace and love, a dove was their symbol – and ahead of its time. Despite finding success in the US with their first three brilliant albums and their hit songs Bra, Dove and The Message, they faced indifference through prejudice at home, became disillusioned and disbanded in 1975. But their music lived on as new generations of artists, in the UK and the US, in Hip Hop, House, Drum and Bass, R&B and Rare Groove, discovered, sampled and reworked their pioneering sounds, taking their beats to new audiences.
The debut feature film from British director Tim Mackenzie-Smith, it's a riveting account of what happened to Cymande, a Black British group from the 1970s, little known back then, but whose songs did eventually change music history – and the dancefloor. Illustrated with archival footage, the story of these unsung heroes is told on screen through new interviews with the original band members filmed over two years.
There are tributes from musicians and producers who have been influenced and enthralled by Cymande's music, including Mark Ronson, Norman Jay, Jazzie B, Khruangbin, Loyle Carner, DJ Maseo of De La Soul, Jim James, Louie Vega and more. If you are interested in hidden histories, then this is a must-see!
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