JAZZ REVIEW : Michelle Coltrane Turns Back to Standards Time : The saxophonist’s daughter acknowledged her father’s legacy, but her strong, warm voice was the standout in a set of familiar arrangements.

Some musicians, the progeny of stars and legends, must bear the weight of their own names. Such artists as drummer T.S. Monk, son of composer-pianist Thelonious Monk, Rene McLean, son of saxophonist Jackie McLean, and pianist Harold Land Jr., son of saxophonist Harold Land, will forever be associated with their parents’ fame, even though they’ve established strong identities of their own.

The same might be said of singer Michelle Coltrane, who appeared Sunday at Spaghettini. As the daughter of one of the most revered names in jazz, the late saxophonist John Coltrane, she will forever be tied to her father’s achievements.

This was visible Sunday as some members of the audience were heard to tell the singer during a break that they loved her father’s music. One fan even brought an album of her father’s for her to sign.

But those who showed up to hear the vocalist on the strength of her father’s name were rewarded with a confident, strong-on-basics presentation of familiar standards. Unlike her brothers Oran and Ravi Coltrane, both saxophonists, Michelle doesn’t invite direct comparisons with dad. Nor does she exploit the family name. What she does is sing simply and beautifully.

Coltrane also showed an ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Expecting onetime Sarah Vaughn accompanist George Gaffney at the piano, she arrived at the club to discover that Gaffney was a late cancellation, and keyboardist Brian O’Rourke would be subbing. And instead of the duo date originally planned, drummer Trevor Lawrence and bassist Troy Millard were enlisted as a rhythm section. Still these late changes seemed to matter little to the singer.

She opened the first set with a mid-tempo version of “On Green Dolphin Street,” her slide down the tune’s opening line revealing a voice imbued with warmth and breath. Coltrane staggered her pacing with behind-the-beat entries and occasional moments when she would cling to a tone after the band had moved on. But these were minor variations, and for the most part, Coltrane sang directly to the lyric, with little embellishment.

She applied similar techniques to “Lullaby of Birdland,” “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To,” and “Lover Man,” working within a narrow range and applying little dynamic change in her delivery.

At times she would inject a slight vibrato on sustained tones. Other times she held notes with no vibrato at all. Her light and airy approach was given a sultry coloring on “Lover Man” but returned to the clean, direct style on “Our Love Is Here to Stay.”

Coltrane didn’t hide from her father’s shadow, acknowledging dad’s legacy with an upbeat rendition of his tune “Moment’s Notice.” The piece’s rhythmic changes gave the singer her biggest challenge, but she managed to maneuver them easily without abandoning her considered tone and charm.

She extended this pace with a Latin-influenced arrangement of “When I Fall in Love,” while drummer Lawrence’s rim clacks paced the danceable tempo.

O’Rourke, who earlier in the summer appeared with the Gerald Wilson Orchestra, is one of the most congenial pianists on the local scene, and he fit easily into this hastily assembled section.

He soloed strongly during “Lover Man,” peppering his rich, chordal work with occasional blues touches. In contrast, his work on “Our Love Is Here to Stay,” was very spare and lightly struck. Bassist Millard provided even, predictable support on electric bass as well as improvisations that stuck close to the melody.

Coltrane, intent on carving her own identity, also sings in the contemporary-minded, hip-hop meets jazz band Random Axis, and one could only wonder if she tosses the low-key approach heard at Spaghettini out the window when she croons for that band. For now, it’s enough to know that Michelle Coltrane is a very good singer of standards.