Performing since age seven, bandleader of Funky Stuff since age fourteen, internationally recording artist since age nineteen, touring the world since age twenty…
Raised in a family heavily involved in the Dutch jazz scene, Dulfer is the daughter of Hans Dulfer, a respected jazz tenor saxophonist. Thanks to him, she listened to and studied the recordings of Sonny Rollins, Coleman Hawkins, and Dexter Gordon. He also introduced her to the stage early in life. When she was 12, she began playing in a band with Rosa King, an American expatriate who lived in Holland. Her career began by playing with brass bands but soon she was fronting her own band, Funky Stuff, who were invited to backup Madonna for part of her European tour. She began leading the band at age 15. Her appearances with Prince led to session work with Eurythmics guitarist/producer Dave Stewart, who gave Dulfer a credit on "Lily Was Here," which reached number six in the U.K. and number one on the Dutch radio charts in 1990. Recording sessions for her debut album were followed by more guest star dates with Van Morrison, Aretha Franklin, and Pink Floyd.
Her debut, Saxuality, released later in 1990 for RCA Records, was very successful in Europe and the U.S. While it was by no means a straight-ahead jazz album, her funky alto sax styling’s caught on with fans of contemporary jazz at smooth jazz radio stations around the U.S. Saxuality was nominated for a Grammy and certified gold for sales in excess of a half-million units worldwide. Since then she has recorded and/or performed with a slew of international stars such as Prince, Marcus Miller, Chaka Khan, Sheila E., David Sanborn, Tower of Power, Angie Stone, Blondie, Beyoncé, Jonathan Butler and many, many more.
www.candydulfer.nl