I recall a similar debate here on Audiogon a couple of years ago. The issue then, and seemingly now, is that your opinion of DK tends to reflect your frame of reference. If your thing is female singers of popular music - then DK is pretty good. But if you have the somewhat more 'acquired' taste for a female jazz vocalist - then DK is bland, ordinary, and a dumbed-down version of much greater talents.
I don't mean this as a put down for those that like DK. Because I like both female pop singers and female jazz vocalists. But being into jazz, and when DK presents herself in a jazz setting, singing jazz standards, I cannot help but hear her in comparison to what much greater talents have achieved - in that jazz context.
But if your frame of reference is, for example Jewel, as was mentioned in an earlier post (and I listen to Jewel too), then it must be hard to understand why the jazz-oriented guys see DK as ordinary. In a 'popular' setting she is a class act.
