Street Date 01/31/12
From the head turning debut release of (1990)Saxuality, Candy Dulfer comes full circle with a release that may well chart the course for contemporary jazz and the tattered remnants of smooth jazz for years to come. Dulfer who is far more than "eye candy" with a prodigious chart topping instrumental and vocal talent, Dulfer is a high octane performer capable of shifting musical gears and dynamics on the fly to cover jazz, funk, R&B, pop, techno and virtually any other genre that should come her way.
Crazy has Dulfer teamed up with Producer Printz Board of Black Eyed Peas fame and the end result is a unique hybrid of contemporary jazz that transcends a myriad of musical boundaries while never pushing the self indulgent or relaying on poorly executed musical crutches that similar acts are known for. Make no mistake, Crazy is somewhere between the smoother side of jazz and the throwback fusion style of a David Sanborn sound simply brought up to date with an infectious rhythm and groove that is undeniable.
The title track "Crazy" sets the mood for musical unpredictability emphasizing the more traditional jazz call and response pattern between Printz's lyrics and Dulfer's punctuating alto riff and fills. The most common critical complaint with a contemporary releases are when vocals are added on what would otherwise be an obvious instrumental release. There are plenty of vocals on Crazy from both Printz and Dulfer with the blatantly obvious that both posses admirable vocal skills and their addition simply pushes the music to the next level. Harmonic progression is rich and vibrant while beautifully displayed on the vocal track "Complic8ted Lives" which is a tune in search of a mood. The mood or emotional connection with this piece seems to be left up to the listener. "Too Close" drops to a quiet instrumental ballad that carries a distinct somewhat European techno groove.
In the last decade, Dulfer seems to have been cooling her heels in the jazz witness protection program. It was as though the smoother side of jazz had muzzled a dynamic artistic voice to instead have her work "middle of the pack." Crazy catapults Dulfer back to the top of the heap where she belongs. They don't call this the music business without just cause. The cross-over potential with this release is through the roof given the myriad of styles, genres and beats from which to select.
Word to the wise. Never confuse the word cross over with sell out, Dulfer rolled the musical dice and came up big here with the added bonus of having the prodigious chops to pull it all together!
Not just a great contemporary jazz release but a five star winner in any genre.
Tracks: Stop All That Noise; Crazy; Hey Now; Flame; Good Music; Complic8ted Lives; Calling Next Door; Electric Blue; In Or Out; I Do; Rocket Rocket; No End; Open Up; Please Don't Stop; Too Close.
