Contemporary saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Candy Dulfer returns with We Never Stop, her first studio offering in five years. Dulfer engages funk, jazz, pop, and contemporary R&B in a 14-track set that sounds more like a compelling party album; it is that, but its contents are also more substantial. Using her road band and a few first-call guests, she crafts an uptempo, grooving set that seamlessly weds genres, beats, canny melodies, and grooves. Her lyrics reflect society's ongoing struggle with racial strife and inequality and the toll the recent pandemic took on creative communities. Opener "Yeahyeahyeah" is driven by a finger-popping horn section intro before producer Ulco Bed drops a massive Boosty-esque funk bassline behind vocalists Camilo Rodriguez and co-writer Ivan Peroti. (Most of these tunes were written by him and Dulfer.) The infectiously uplifting single "Jammin' Tonight" was co-written and produced by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Philippe Saisse. It's pop-funk party music with a contemporary jazz overlay; the dancefloor feel recalls Chic's iconic "Good Times." "Deeper," a set highlight, offers a slippery amalgam of smooth jazz and contemporary R&B and modern gospel. Dulfer's lithe, expressively tender lead vocal entwines warmly with Rodriguez's and Perota's harmonies. "Say Something" is a warm, funky protest song. All three singers alternate on the lead, while saxes, guitars, and percussion bubble and cook underneath. Her alto horn punches through the mix with biting accents before trading lines with Bed. The danceable title track features a knotty horn chart (think George Clinton meets Maceo Parker) atop funky clavinet, bass, and fine vocal interplay from Dulfer, her singers, and Rafael Nagelkerke. Bassist Marcus Miller appears on "The Walls." Another highlight, it's a deep modern gospel-soul jam with uplifting testimony from the singers. Ben Kane's mix weds funky, horn-centric soul jazz to seductive, nocturnal midtempo balladry, drum funk, and a startling vocoder solo. The sexy flute and synth lines create luxuriant textures. "Perspective" offers a celebratory horn and handclap vamp (a la Earth, Wind & Fire). It gives way to anthemic funky soul with a four-voice chorus. Dulfer adds dimension with two fine solos. "Afraid for More" offers silky pop-soul balladry. Peroti's falsetto is emotionally resonant as Dulfer drops glorious alto fills between his expressive lines. "The Climb," an adult contemporary soul tune, recalls Womack & Womack in arrangement and performance. It offers an infectious melody, sumptuous vocals from Dulfer and Peroti, and inspirational lyrics. Her alto sax underscores the poignant verses atop Bed's instrumentation. Rodgers and Saisse also co-wrote and appear on closer "Convergency," the album's lone instrumental. A shimmering late-night groover, Dulfer's emotional alto playing hovers just above the guitarist's trademark hyper-strummed chord voicings and Saisse's drums, bass, and keyboards. It's a fitting send-off for We Never Stop. Despite the album's endlessly infectious good-time grooves, Dulfer's message is as edifying as it is urgent, and one we need whether on the dancefloor, working in the community, or marching in the streets. ~ Thom Jurek