Cymande

Cymande can be described very simply as a band who love to put on a very enjoyable show and make everyone in the audience smile. Although they had initially split up over 40 years ago, they have decided to reunite for a big European tour, much to the delight of 1970's funk lovers. Taking their influence from jazz, African and soul music, you can expect to hear saxophones, bongo drums, percussion, bass, guitars and very jolly vocals. Doesn't that sound like a party waiting to happen? Cymande began their 2014 tour in September and one of the starting places for it was Trianon in Paris. The French people simply loved the London-based group and literally everyone was moving their hands and bodies in time with the music or simply just swaying. But it's not just the atmosphere that Cymande create that make them absolutely brilliant. The song 'The Message' displayed some quite exquisite saxophone solos and a constant piano riff that was rather jazzy. The song 'Brothers On The Slide' was predictably a crowd favourite as everyone collectively joined in with Steve, Patrick and Pablo's lyrics. The vocals from the trio are powerful and you could feel the positive vibe rub off on the crowd. Possibly the most well known tune of the band, Bra, was greeted with an explosion of excitement. The syncopation involved in that particular song makes it one of my favourites, not just of their discography, but in my top funk songs ever. It is impossible to feel upset or not dance when you are listening to the fantastic sounds of Cymande.