Once Again I'm Free

{out of print}

The follow-up to Cymande's now recognized Rastafarian funk cult classic debut ("Bra", "The Message"), Second Time Around barely crept into the Billboard Top 200 LP chart in June of 1973 despite higher production values and a US Tour, opening for Al Green and Mandrill.




    In 1974, the 11 piece band , made up of British musicians from much sunnier climes , toured Europe with The Chi Lites and Eddie Kendricks before disbanding. Some of the songs on Second Time Around appear on the CD version of Cymande's debut...but not "Crawshay".

Cult status was confirmed by Cymande's (pronounced Sah-mahn-day) songs appearing in Spike Lee's Crooklin and sampling by the Fugees on The Score.

Forgotten Funk from 1972

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Southern fried stone cold afro-funksters from Louisiana pay respect to The Godfather of Soul on this cut. The whole album is full of sizzling, greasy funk.

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From Atlanta G-A comes the hot funk of Black Heat, another band featuring so many musicians ( Hammond Organ, Congas, Harmonica, horn section) you have to wonder if anybody got paid enough to buy themselves a fried chicken lunch. True phonksters say this is a must have.

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Between eight and eleven West Indian expats gathered together in the UK to record this funky/psychedelic/jazz/rootsy LP featuring "Bra", a song sampled by both Grandmaster Flash and De La Soul. The LP also includes "The Message" which went Top 40 in the US R+B charts and led to a tour with Al Green.

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These Long Island funksters moved to Paris where they tore up the scene and drew inspiration from their biggest fans, North African immigrants. The album didn't hit stateside until 1976 when disco ruled the airwaves and record stacks. Decouvrez The Lafayette Afro Rock Band! ( Their 1974 cut "Hihache" has been sampled by everybody from Biz Markie to Wu Tang Clan)

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This East L.A. latin rock band hits a funky Meters tipped groove on "Almendra". A shame they were one of a handful of Santana inspired bands who had one of those "one and done" musical careers.