Candy Dulfer

Born the daughter of famous Dutch saxophonist Hans Dulfer, Candy grew up immersed in jazz and funk, and began playing the drums at age five. By the age of six Dulfer had been introduced to the soprano saxophone before switching to alto saxophone at the age of seven. The musician’s earliest live performances came with the local concert band Jeugd Doet Leven in Zuiderwoude, before Dulfer performed her first solo on stage with her father’s band De Perikels at the age of 10. Following her recording debut on De Perikels’s 1981 album “I Didn’t Ask” and contributions to Rosa King’s Ladies Horn section, Dulfer formed her own band Funky Stuff in 1984.

By 1990 Dulfer had opened for Madonna on her European tour, performed a live improvised solo at the request of Prince, and played as a guest musician for Pink Floyds’ performance at Knebworth. 1990 also proved the year of release for Dufler’s debut album, “Saxuality”, which generated sales of over half-a-million. Led by the single “Lily Was Here”, which rose to No. 11 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, the record earned a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Album and propelled the musician’s profile to that of international recognition.

Following the release Dulfer worked alongside Van Morrison and Alan Parsons, before subsequently releasing a pair of albums “Sax-a-Go-Go” and “Big Girl” in the first half of the 1990s. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Sonny Rollins and David Sanborn, the saxophonist’s influences stem from smooth jazz however combine to create a unique combination of classic R&B, blues and pop. The records “For the Love of You” (1997), “The Best of Candy Dulfer” (1998), “Girls Night Out” (1999), and ‘What Does It Take” (1999) all arrived ahead of the new millennium, before the musician collaborated with her father on the record “Dulfer Dulfer” in 2001. Led by the Smooth Jazz Chart No. 1 single “L.A. Citylights”, Dulfer’s ninth studio album “Candy Store” was released in September 2007. The album was followed in 2009 by the full-length “Funked Up & Chilled Out”, and “Crazy” in 2011.