Right from the opening minutes, Getting It Back immerses you in the intoxicating soundworld of Cymande. Swirling jazz motifs collide with funk basslines and West African polyrhythms, enveloping the listener in a full-bodied groove. It’s easy to understand how this London collective brought the house down in early ’70s America with their euphoric yet nuanced blend of styles.
Woven into the score are interviews and recollections from all manner of talented folk whose lives were changed by Cymande. Producer Mark Ronson beams with boyish enthusiasm, describing his “mind being blown” the first time he dropped the needle on an LP. De La Soul’s Vincent Mason fondly recalls childhood weekends when his mom bustled about the kitchen to a Cymande soundtrack.
Yet for all their musical mastery, Cymande faced prejudice back in England. As young Black musicians arrived from the Caribbean, opportunities were scarce in racist ’70s Britain. The film frankly addresses their experiences while maintaining an undercurrent of resilience. After cracking the US through support slots and storied shows like Harlem’s famed Apollo, hopes were high for similar success at home. But return proved bittersweet.
Slowly, piece by piece, the documentary illuminates how Cymande refused to be dampened. Across dancefloors and turntables, their genre-bending innovations quietly inspired hip-hop innovators for decades to come. Even today, a passionate fanbase proudly champions these unsung heroes. While threads remain unfinished, Getting It Back brings Cymande’s sonic majesty vibrantly to life. For open-eared viewers, its gifts will resonate long after the final funky cadences fade out.
Origins in Adversity
The story of Cymande began taking shape in the musical melting pot of 1970s London. Following the windrush, many West Indians made their home in the city, hoping for opportunity but facing indifference and worse.
It was in this environment that the band members first crossed paths. All had Caribbean roots—some with families hailing from Guyana, Jamaica, or St. Vincent. Living in the UK, they found solace in the rhythms of the islands, bringing influence from calypso, ska, blues, and beyond.
The core group coalesced in 1971. Together, they blended soulful vocals with jazzy keys, bouncing basslines, and percussion that swung between funk fusillades and slower Latin-inspired grooves. Despite no formal training, the six musicians shared a tight, instinctive chemistry.
Yet as black artists in Britain, gigs and airplay were hard-won battles. Racism in society seeped into the industry too. Leaders like pianist Derrick “Dey” Griffiths recalled the frustration, finding solace in rehearsals while keeping day jobs.
It was a turbulent sociopolitical climate. Far-right sentiment rose as many white Brits balked at post-war immigration. Prejudices festered in some corners while progress remained piecemeal. Against this backdrop, Cymande raised their voices through a defiantly vibrant aesthetic and message of unity.
Despite hurdles, the band’s self-titled 1972 debut for majors Dawn shed light on their wide-spanning recipe. Evolving lineups saw later albums cement a fluid fusion firmly bridging continents and subgenres. While struggles persisted at home, international shores awaited, ready to appreciate Cymande’s brew of soul, jazz, and funk too vibrant to be confined.
Stateside Success
While shores back home remained turbulent, overseas held promise of warmer waters. In 1972, Cymande embarked on their first tour of America.
Playing supporting slots for greats like Al Green, their sound swiftly won fans. Audiences embraced the unity of their diverse styles. Though far from home, Cymande felt a pull towards rhythms familiar yet fresh.
The pinnacle came in storied Harlem. New York’s fabled Apollo Theatre had long nurtured Black talent—now its stage bore witness to Cymande’s stateside coming out. At the hallowed venue, their magic gripped crowds with jazz-funk fervor.
Success continued as they traveled with Kool & The Gang. Yet crossing the Atlantic left questions lingering. Why did America, so quick to appreciate their art, unlock doors denying entry for so long in Britain?
Back home, little had changed. But hope remained that overseas gains may sway minds closed at home. The tour lit confidence that harder roads ahead could be navigated if spirit held strong.
In the present, film clips capture that period’s brightness—Cymande in action, owning Apollo stages. One can’t help but wonder how far they may have flown had fair winds blown from the start. Still, their story shows how innovation finds its people, wherever they may roam.
Closed Doors at Home
As Cymande’s star shone bright on the American stage, frustration simmered regarding the reception awaiting back home. The band had tasted enthusiasm undreamed of Stateside, yet entering UK borders greeted them not with open arms but obstacles.
Television programs, so eager to showcase talents paler, turned their backs upon returning heroes. Little had changed in an industry still sluggish in embracing Black excellence. Where invigorating audiences energized Cymande abroad, closed doors deprived their music of reaching British ears.
The racism underpinning such slights became stale, even as members nostalgically recalled roots planted on British soil. It was a bitter draught to swallow that the land-providing haven now seemed aloof from the sons it produced.
As gigs and airtime were strangled, so hopes withered for building on momentum gained overseas. The drive carrying Cymande thus far could not bootstrap forever against tides of prejudice and neglect. Faced with dwindling options, each man shoulderered responsibilities to his livelihood that demanded new pathways be sought.
So the band acquiesced defeat, scattering after one final stand. Yet their resonance endured, rippling through underground lines that spaned continents. In time, open seasons would come—but that story waits in reels yet unraveled, of a triumph refusing to fade through the ears of ages anew.
Echoes Across the Decades
Though Cymande stepped away from studio lights in the 70s, their synergy refused to fade. Sampling became a vehicle carrying rhythms forward as hip hop blossomed.
In the Bronx, selectors like DJ Hollywood found solace in Cymande’s melodious melodies. Braided between beats, songs like “Dove” lived again through The Fugees’ “The Score.” We hear firsthand from innovators like De La Soul how sampling Cymande sparked creations touching millions.
Gradually, the fanbase stretched worldwide as rhythms resonated with youth globally. Across dancefloors from New York to Paris, Cymande’s genre-binding grooves seeped into the hearts of clubbers who’d never witnessed the band live.
Through tumultuous decades, their influence endured quietly yet profoundly. Even as members started families, their legacy continued cultivating future talent. Loyle Carner and others speak of impact as Cymande soundtracks inspire journeys to artisthood.
Two generations on, their reunions find fervor undimmed. Music possesses the power to unite across divides that even decades can’t diminish. Though obstacles interrupted their trajectory, Cymande’s melodic messages outlived fleeting fashions to embrace fresh ears anew. Their music proves some harmonies transcend the trials of time.
Echoes of Excellence
Overall, Getting It Back delivers on raising Cymande’s profile to new listeners. It introduces their story engagingly through insights and infectiously funky clips. While not revolutionary, some snippets feel illuminating even for dedicated fans.
Interview moments showcase passion for the subject, with guests across generations speaking to how songs transported them. Especially poignant are recollections from remaining bandmates now in later years. One senses their impact even decades on.
Naturally, a shortage of live footage feels like an absence, due to a lack thereof. Still, contemporary performances bookend documentary, bookending years between in spirit.
For general audiences, history lessons ring true across eras. Hardcore historians may find echoes familiar, yet remnants surface to appreciate. One leaves wishing to spread word of music shifting tides, if only the UK then opened its embrace.
In striving to expose genius ahead of time, director fulfills purpose well. While some felt wanting more meat, film flavors appetite for the band’s whole discography. Amplifying legacy in new eras, Getting It Back pays homage deserving of sons Britain once silenced, yet whose melodies outlived passing trends. Reverberations surely continue.
Echoes of Excellence Resonate
In the end, Getting It Back tells a story worth hearing for anyone with ears open to melodic excellence across epochs. It shines a well-earned light on sons Britain once shut from her shores but whose synergy refused to fade with passing time.
Director Smith delivers on goals of raising band visibility and illustrating the far reaches of Cymande’s craft. While some depths remain untapped, the film uplifts spirits through footage and leaves fans equally enamored. One finishes buzzing still with rhythms infused throughout, primed to dig deeper into discography, prompting grins and grooves in equal measure.
For those new to name but drawn to the film’s vibes, album binges await down winding pathways of funky, jazzy joy. As for devotees, this serves as a letter home, catching us up to date in the lives of mentors, ever evolving, ever cherished. In the finale, reunions ring bittersweet, but echoes of excellence resonate on in ways this documentary can only begin translating. The groove and story live on.
The Review
Getting It Back: The Story of Cymande
Getting It Back succeeds largely in its goals of celebrating Cymande's music and enduring influence against adversity. It brings their infectious story to new ears through passionate fans and rekindles appreciation among longtime listeners. Despite lapses, the documentary breathes fresh energy into a band that long deserved wider recognition.
PROS
- Effectively introduces Cymande's music and legacy to new listeners
- Illuminates their immense influence on hip-hop through sampling artists
- Passionately celebrates the band through dedicated superfan interviews.
- Uplifts Cymande's story against a backdrop of racism faced in the 1960s/70s UK
- Kindles renewed appreciation for their musical brilliance and jazz-funk fusion
CONS
- Neglects expanding more on Cymande's recording career history
- Leans too heavily on repetitive talking head praise over performance footage.
- Provides an incomplete picture by glossing over hardships faced returning to the UK
