Album Review : St. Marseille: Getz Around and Even Goes Beyond

***, DAN ST. MARSEILLE, “Retrospection”, Resurgent Music Fans of the relaxed, romantic ways and airbrushed tone of the late Stan Getz have bemoaned the fact that nobody has stepped forward to fill his shoes. But the Getz mystique, from its lyrical sensibility to its warm tonal quality, immediately comes to mind with the first tones of “Summer Solace” from Dan St. Marseille’s latest, self-produced release.

By no means is St. Marseille’s style purely a clone. His sound, though airy, has more beef than Getz’s, especially in the lower register, occasionally bulking up in a way that recalls the throaty Ben Webster. And St. Marseille isn’t afraid to burn, notably on “After You’ve Gone,” in places where Getz might have only simmered.

Instead, as any saxophonist of his generation should, St. Marseille recalls various, sometimes opposing, voices--Lester Young, Getz and Webster, Coleman Hawkins, even Charlie Parker--but in a way that comes together into a single sound. The album title, “Retrospection,” is especially appropriate in this context as St. Marseille explores a variety of numbers, most from the standard repertoire, and marks each with grace and lyrical substance.

One of the album’s most attractive features is the use of guitarist Ron Eschete for harmonic support. Eschete’s seven-string sound is a rich one, fully capable of providing the groundwork for St. Marseille’s improvisational journeys.

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As a soloist, Eschete is in a class by himself, often playing much like a pianist as he responds to his own phrasing with contrasting chordal support. In unison with St. Marseille’s tenor, a device used to great effect on “Workout,” the guitarist creates a sound that positively glows.

Bassist Benjamin May and drummer Denny Dennis make for a staid rhythm section--solid but predictable, substantial without being too filling. The addition of conguero Poncho Sanchez on “Summer Solace” and Benny Carter’s “When Lights Are Low” makes for more invigorated timekeeping, and the saxophonist takes advantage with a light, bouncing attack that skitters above the percussive patter. More of Sanchez would have made this recording even better.

Still, the central attraction here is St. Marseille and the way he extracts warmth and romance from almost every line he plays.

* Dan St. Marseille Quartet, with Ron Eschete, Benjamin May and Denny Dennis, plays Sunday at the Lantern Bay Lounge, Dana Point Resort, 25135 Park Lantern, Dana Point. 4-8 p.m. Free. (714) 661-5000. Albums are rated on a scale of * (poor) to **** (excellent), with *** denoting a solid recommendation.