Candy Dulfer, One Wish - Odeon Concert Hall June 5, 1998
Reproduced from Scene Magazine
A booming, studio-side voice on Candy Dulfer's first album, SAXUALITY, painted a truism for this Dutch gal's career - one that she no longer has to prove. "I know she looks good," the questioning, Louis Armstrong-like voice pinned on the album's title cut. "But can she play?" After Dulfer's saucy, sassy, saxy and sold-out 100-minute show at the Odeon last Friday night, the answer has to be a resounding and all-encompassing yes.
Dulfer and her entourage focused the majority of their time on her latest effort, FOR THE LOVE OF YOU, as well as her 1993 album, SAX-A-GO-GO. The set was rounded out with an extended instrumental bit called "Tommy Gun" and a swing-and-shuffle rendition of "Lily Was Here" - the lone(ly) SAXUALITY track - penned for Dulfer by ex-Eurythmics guru Dave Stewart. They brought the noise, they brought the funk - and they had a jazzy, snazzy time busting out the grooves.
Candy and company kicked off with "Saxy Intro/Saxy Mood" - a bouncy summer soul anthem if there ever was one. Dulfer surprised the factions in attendance by delivering the first of her many coy vocals. The crowd howled their approval at her ever-erotic metaphors, just as they praised her equally hot sax licks. It wasn't enough for a couple of overzealous fans, who begged her to remove her white sportcoat. She dismissed them with a smile and slithered into "Smooth" - the second single taken from FOR THE LOVE OF YOU.
Dulfer's rapport with the audience was nothing short of cordial - she repeatedly thanked the audience for coming out to see her, just as she praised her city of residence for the evening. "This is my first time here. People kept telling me that Cleveland was the place to be - and now I can see why," she offered. Over the cheers, whoops and hollers, she began FOR THE LOVE OF YOU's soothing title track and brought the house down to a dull roar. It was like butter.
There's no secret to Dulfer's success on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz charts - she has a rock and roll philosophy to her performance that she obviously honed during her tenure with the likes of The Artist Formerly Known As Prince, Pink Floyd, Aretha Franklin and Van Morrison. What's more, she may have formed Funky Stuff at the ripe old age of 14, but she's grown and matured into her music without losing sight of the youthful importance of performing it.
Dulfer's band - which included Thomas Bank (keyboards), Roger Hapel (keys/vocals), Jeron Rietbergen (keys/organs), the fiery Ulco Bed (guitars), Michael Van Schie (bass), Michael Baker (drums) and Matterhorns Frans Blanker (tenor sax) and Jan Van Duikeren (trumpet) - was spectacular. At every point that the saxy jazz catalyst needed tasteful restraint, or a funky ruckus, Funky Stuff turned on a dime and followed her lead.
There was no greater contrast than during the conclusion, which brought out Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" with sheer elegance - only to funk it out with "Allright," "Give Me Some More," SAX-A-GO-GO's improv-rich "Jamming" and a barn-burning rendition of Average White Band's "Pick Up The Pieces." Must we beg for a return engagement?
Local jazz favorites One Wish delivered a delectable set of contemporary jazz as sharply
crafted as it was brightly polished. Over the course of their 35-minute set, these strengths evidenced
themselves in warm and exciting original tunes and more popular arrangements by other jazz favorites.
Here's wishing them an equally sweet stay on the top of the Cleveland jazz heap. They've got all the
style, talent, and moxie to keep them in markets across the country for a long time to come.
Written by Pete Chakerian
Call (216) 695-4600 for information or schedule of ONE WISH public performances.
