Cymande (pronounced Sah-mahn-day) are a legendary funk group formed in 1971 in London by musicians from Guyana, Jamaica and Saint Vincent. Their name was derived from a calypso word for Dove, symbolizing peace and love. Taking influences from their Guyanese and Jamaican roots Cymande fuses reggae influenced basslines, Afro-tinted Nyabinghi percussion, psychedelia and American influenced funk instrumentation creating a unique sound which they coined Nyah-Rock. The band were signed by producer John Schroeder to his Alaska label and went on to release three acclaimed albums in the early-to-mid-70s starting with their eponymous 1972 debut which boasts perhaps their best-known funk anthem "The Message" and the much-sampled "Bra," adopted by pioneering DJs like DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash before being plundered by De La Soul.
