Denise King & Olivier Hutman: Give Me the High Sign

Philly-based vocalist Denise King was doing just fine with her late-blooming career as a lush, soulful interpreter of standards. Then she met French pianist-arranger-composer Olivier Hutman. They initially teamed a dozen years ago in Paris, but it was their delayed reunion in late 2009 that proved the catalyst for King’s advancement to a richer, more rewarding level of artistry. After a couple of European tours, King and Hutman united with bassist Daryl Hall, drummer Steve Williams and saxophonist Olivier Temime to record No Tricks. Under Hutman’s influence, King was transformed, unleashing a looser, more multifaceted sound that suggests Tina Turner by way of Cassandra Wilson, with a hint of smooth Sade sophistication.