Cymande @ Blues'n'Jazz Rallye
Cymande (sah-man-day). The most important black British group of their generation, a band so many people have heard, but yet not “heard of.”
In the early 1970’s in South London, a group of black musicians, who all emigrated to the UK from the Caribbean as children, formed the group. Led by Patrick Patterson (guitars, vocals) and Steve Scipio (bass, vocals) Cymande was so unique and ahead of its time that, notwithstanding the success in the States in the early ‘70s, it hasn’t been until recent years that the general public has truly begun to catch on.
The soul of the band has never been restricted to any individual player – Cymande’s guiding spirit is that inimitable mix of Caribbean sensibility and English experience. “There needs to be a connectedness, ” says Steve. “A need to buy into what we try to do musically, the messages.”
Now, in 2025 they return to finish what they started. The band’s new album (via BMG) Renascence is ten shots of purest Cymande and has been enthusiastically received by critics and fans on both sides of the Atlantic. A true return to form and jewel in the crown of their iconic discography, Renascence picks up where their 1974 album Promised Heights left off – a spiritual and sonic follow-up, bringing a fresh modern edge to their iconic sound.
Artists
- Patrick Patterson - guitar, vocals
- Steve Scipio - bass, vocals
- Adrian Reid - keyboard
- Raymond Simpsons - vocals
- Richard Bailey - drums
- Donald Gamble - percussion
- Denys Baptiste - saxophone
- Kevin Davy - trumpet
- Toni Kofi - saxophone
Find out more…
