GETTING IT BACK: THE STORY OF CYMANDE

In the racially turbulent UK of the early 70s, a group of black musicians came together in South London with a common love of rhythms and a message of peace. Cymande - with the dove as their symbol - combined jazz, funk, soul and Caribbean grooves to form a unique sound. Despite success in the USA they faced indifference in their native Britain, becoming disillusioned and disbanding. But the music lived on, as new generations of artists imbibed and reworked their pioneering sounds in fresh ways. From Soul II Soul to De La Soul, MC Solaar to The Fugees, the Dove had spread Cymande's message far and wide, prompting their return after forty years. This is their story.

Most people will think they don’t know Cymande. But anyone who has listened to the Fugees, De La Soul or the Wu-Tang Clan, or who has simply been on a dance floor, will recognise their irresistible, infectious funk music. The extraordinary Cymande story is one of joyous creativity stifled by political and institutional obstruction, it feels urgent and more relevant than ever.

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