JAZZ REVIEW : Dulfer Never Funky Enough, but Strong on Pop, Ballads

Saxophonist Candy Dulfer calls her band Funky Stuff, but funk isn’t its strong suit. Instead, the best moments of Dulfer’s two-hour-plus appearance at the Coach House on Thursday came during more pop-oriented numbers and ballads when her 10-piece ensemble depended less on tough beats and more on musical presentation.

Still, funk is the band’s mainstay, even though its funk material was hindered by a lack of strong, rhythmic direction. Blame bassist Dimitri Veltkamp, drummer Edwin Delano Rath and percussionist Martino Latupeirissa’s for smeared timekeeping. If the band has a good foot, they never quite put it forward.

Tunes such as the Average White Band’s “Picking Up the Pieces” and Dulfer’s “Jamming” were spirited enough, but lacked the kick a more direct attack might have given. At times, the group was tight and on the money. Other times, Dulfer and her two supporting horns were hard-pressed to find common ground with the rhythm section.

Dulfer’s own playing was competent, if not overly exciting. Her uptempo alto solos, played with a hint of David Sanborn’s tonal quality but little of his spark, followed a predictable path to a climax of sustained high-register notes. By contrast, her ballad work, played in softer, more considered tones, displayed an intelligent sense of development and drama.

For someone who’s been accused of trading on her good looks, Dulfer often made an unattractive impression from the stage, squinting painfully while playing and dancing clumsily. This lack of presence was especially apparent when the group was joined by singers Tryntje Oosterhuis and Chris Ballin (the only non-Dutch member of the band), as Dulfer faded into the background while the vocalists took center stage.

* Candy Dulfer and Funky Stuff appear tonight at Ventura Concert Theatre, 26 S. Chestnut Ave., Ventura, 8 p.m., $17.50. (805) 648-1936.