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.

Following the appreciation and support of their music by Hip-Hop luminaries such as Kool Herc, DJ Jazzy Jay and Grandmaster Flash, their music has been used since the 1980s in loops and samples by some of the genre’s leading artists. It has also been featured in films.

Cymande reformed and have been playing live since around 2010.