Candy Dulfer & Funky Stuff: biography, CDs, her concert in Zurich
On September 19, 1969, Candy Dulfer was born in a small village near Amsterdam (Netherlands). She grew up in a family involved in the Dutch jazz scene. Her father, Hans Dulfer, a respected tenor saxophonist, exposed her to the talents of Sonny Rollins, Coleman Hawkins and Dexter Gordon. Her mother Inge is her manager. Candy Dulfer started playing the saxophone at seven, had her first gig with her father at eleven. She played first with brass bands, founded her first band aged forteen, began performing on the jazz club circuit and started fronting her current band Funky Stuff. They got invited to support Madonna on part of her 1987 European tour. A similar support slot with Prince was abruptly cancelled, but the star made amends by inviting Candy Dulfer onstage during one of his shows. The resulting recording sessions with Prince, and in particular the video mix of Party Man with a cry of when I want sax, I call for Candy, made her famous. This led to session work with Eurythmics guitarist, David Stewart, who gave Candy a joint credit on Lily Was Here, a UK number 6 hit in 1990. Further credits have found her working with Dave Gilmour, Aretha Franklin, Van Morrison and Pink Floyd. Her boyfriend is band member Thomas Bank (keyboards). They live in Amsterdam.
Candy Dulfer & Funky Stuff (Candy Dulfer as/voc, Thomas Bank keyb, Roger Happel keyb/voc, Ulco Bed g, Jan van Duikeren tp, Peter Lieberom ts, Manuel Hugas b, Oscar Kraal dm)
On November 23, 1999 the concert in Zurich (Volkshaus) by Candy Dulfer & Funky Stuff was a mix of old and new. Among the first tunes were the Sonny Rollins' compositions Iron Lady and No Problem (the latter song is on her new CD What does it take). After a tribute to David Sandborn and funk music of the seventies, Candy Dulfer & Funky Stuff played, in contrast to the rest of the program, a ballad: So Cool (from What does it take). The keyboard beginning was a little cheap, but as soon as the whole band joined in, the sound was full. It is one of her best songs on the new album, together with the title song featuring Jonathan Butler as well as Cookie from the motion picture soundtrack Cookie's Fortune. In the concert, the title song from Girl's Night Out as well as I'm The One from What does it take followed. Another composition with a solo by the second saxophone demonstrated the quality gap between some of Candy Dulfer's seven-men-band and herself. Her program included afterwards a tribute to James Brown, It's alright and Nikki's Dream from What does it take. After that, she announced Funkyness as a song reflecting her philosophy of life. But Funyness was not convincing, neither on the instrumental nor on the vocal side. But with Shake it Shake it and Sax-A-Go-Go, Candy Dulfer & Funky Stuff proofed once again to be a hot live act. The only thing missing: a top lead singer. We've got to go announced the end of two hours of funky dance music with jazz elements. The crowd was more than pleased.
Candy Dulfer: Live in Amsterdam, 2001. Get the CD from Amazon.de, citydisc Schweiz.
What Does It Take, 1999. Get the CD from Amazon.com.
Girls Night Out, 1999. CD bestellen bei Amazon.de, citydisc Schweiz.
For The Love Of You, 1998. Get the CD from Amazon.com, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk, citydisc Schweiz.
Sax-A-Gogo, 1993. Get the album from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, citydisc Schweiz.
Saxuality, 1992. Get the CD from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, citydisc Schweiz.