Expect some seriously deep grooves tonight...
for jazz music's sake | Warsaw, Poland | 05/12/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The kind of artist who in her earlier days was often described as a 'rising star', the charismatic Dutch saxophonist has now outgrown that accolade - her star has well and truly risen and she is now revered as one of the most loved talents to have come out of the current contemporary jazz scene.
Candy has been a firm favourite of the international jazz scene for some time, and deservedly so - she has a real knack of drawing the listener into her world, with all of her own compositions and her interpretation of standards bearing her own distinctive mark, winning fans and critical acclaim wherever she performs.
She has carved a niche for funky Smooth Jazz/ Fusion and "Funked Up" will endorse that reputation and is her best album for ages.
Cuts like "First In Line", the head nodder "Finger Poppin'" and the smoother "CD 101.9" are fine grooves.
"Roppongi Panic" and "On And On" are equally fine groove laden cuts.
Check also the jazzier "Be Cool". The gentle "Don't Go" and highly melodic and ultra mellow "Still I Love You" add a different dimension.
Overall, this album showcases Candy's ability to effortlessly cross styles like Funk, Jazz, and Soul, allow her bandmates band to deliver an explosive live show whatever the context.
The contrasting genres give this album a refreshingly different feel.
The album debuts at # 12 of the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Chart.
Issue date: 2009-05-30.
Candy Store"
First time listener
nworbllib | usa | 06/01/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Smooth jazz IS the new R&B. I never heard of this artist up until a few weeks ago and just by sheer luck on amazon. I like her latest cd.(step up, is bad) Then after I heard the song (ILU) I said wow, what a groove,(Girls night out)awesome, (play a little game)awesome and (candy)off the candy store cd is just off the hook. I love her sound and I wanted more. I bought a few more previous albums. You would not figure this talent to come from a woman on the sax(my ignorance). She is inspiring and an absolute pleasure to listen to and has very talent musicians working a round her. What a great sound. My type of sound comes from Marcus Miller(bass),Ronny Jordan(guitar),Marcus Johnson(piano), the late George Howard, and recently Mike Philliphs(alto sax). Candy Dupher is now on my radar. She has been doing this for while and I am glad to have found her music style, I am now a listener of her grooves. Thank you Candy."