Described as “the greatest band you’ve never heard of”, Cymande was formed by Windrush-era Caribbean musicians in early 70s south London. Their infectious fusion of jazz, funk and soul was warmly received in the US but largely fell on deaf ears in the UK. In 1975 the band split. The music lived on, however, rediscovered as samples in hip-hop and as floor-filling staples of the rare groove club scene.
Tim Mackenzie-Smith’s slightly breathless and overstretched documentary aims for a Buena Vista Social Club-style story of late-life rediscovery but gets a little bogged down in a few too many hagiographic quotes from high-profile fans. Still, the music is sublime.
