Abramorama revealed the official trailer for Getting It Back: The Story of Cymande, the music documentary on the 70s British funk band Cymande. Comprised of Black British musicians who all came to the U.K. from the Caribbean as children, the band released albums in the early 1970s, which were embraced in the U.S., but they faced prejudice in U.K. and were largely ignored, and eventually disbanded.
Release Date
Directed by Tim MacKenzie-Smith, Getting It Back: The Story of Cymande world premiered at SXSW film festival, followed by its UK premiere at the BFI London Film Festival and opens in select US theaters in the Spring.
Synopsis
Cymande are the greatest band you’ve likely never heard of and this is their incredible untold story. Formed in south London by musicians who came to the UK from the Carribean as part of the Windrush generation and led by Patrick Patterson (guitar) and Steve Scipio (bass), they combined jazz, funk, soul and Caribbean grooves to create a new sound. Their music was political, spiritual – they were all about peace and love, a dove was their symbol – and ahead of its time.
Despite finding success in the US with their first three brilliant albums and their hit songs Bra, Dove and The Message, they faced indifference through prejudice at home, became disillusioned and disbanded in 1975. But their music lived on as new generations of artists, in the UK and the US, in Hip Hop, House, Drum and Bass, R&B and Rare Groove, discovered, sampled and reworked their pioneering sounds, taking their beats to new audiences.
Illustrated with archival footage, the story of these unsung heroes is told on screen through new interviews with the original band members filmed over two years.
There are tributes from musicians and producers who have been influenced and enthralled by their music, including Mark Ronson, Norman Jay, Jazzie B, Khruangbin, Loyle Carner, DJ Maseo of De La Soul, Jim James, Louie Vega and more.
Official Trailer
Watch the official trailer for Getting It Back: The Story of Cymande