If you've purchased a record or stepped foot in a record store in the last 50 years, you will most certainly have come across Cymande, Ramatam or Osibisa records sitting next to those Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Yusef Lateef records either in the bins or on your inner sleeves.
I am happy to say that many years after my first Yusef Lateef or Rahsaan Roland Kirk joke, I've become fans of both. I can't say the same for Ramatam or Osibisa. Cymande had yet to be heard as of yesterday morning. But a 5-Star review in the new issue of Uncut intrigued me, so I went in.
I loved this record and will not argue the 5-stars.
Here is your basic bio:
"Formed 1971 in London, England featuring musicians from Guyana, Jamaica and Saint Vincent. The name Cymande is based on a calypso word for dove, symbolising peace and love. They play a style of music that they call Nyah-Rock: a mixture of funk, soul, reggae and African rhythms. The band achieved their greatest initial success in America and were actively recording and performing until 1975."
The band had me from the opening track "Zion 1," with its similar Nyabinghi rhythms and chants, riding percussion and overall joyous feel.
I had to look up "Listen" twice, because I couldn't believe I wasn't listening to a lost Allen Toussaint track.
So much of this record is infectious and it never rides off the rails, but still impresses with the chops of the band and the deep grooves.
It only took 50 years, but Cymande has a new fan.
8 comments:
Bill Murray makes an Osibisa joke on Nat Lamp’s RADIO DINNER.
I like it. Haven't seen Cymande in a bin in a long time, but maybe it's getting stocked in the world music bin where i hardly ever go. fwiw, Osibisa's first two albums (the ones with the Roger Dean art work) are great - heavy jazz rock in the vein of the horn bands that were coming out of the UK at the time, but with a pan-African influence. The first album had a cover of "Aiko Biaye" from Ginger Baker's Air Force.
My wife has been a huge fan of Cymande for years. I still enjoy Osibia's first 2 albums, and saw them live a few times in the 70s. Osibisa released a new album last year and I listened once and haven't given it another thought.
Am I right in thinking "Bra" was sampled by De La Soul?
Bought their first album in 1972, bought their LP as soon as it was released in '73.
Dove, Bra, Ras Tafarian Folk Song, Anthracite, Listen, Trevorgus, all are timeless songs. Infectious beat, great musicians.
FP
Bra is a key sample in hip hop songs, especially one by De La Soul - and really stands tall on its own regardless of those later props!
https://www.whosampled.com/Cymande/Bra/sampled/
Didn't know any background on them, but have had the album for a number of years and Bra has been on many mixtapes I've made for friends.
Good call!
Randy
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