The performance room at Wave Street Studios is really picking up steam with independent music bookings from local bands looking to play outside of the bar scene. It’s probably the closest we have to the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz.

It took owner Rhett Allen Smith some time to establish his vision after he teamed with Louis Castellani to purchase the property and build the recording studio in 2002.

Judy, Rhett’s wife, is co-owner and on the website he gives credit to both of their children and parents for their support along the way. Smith is a lifelong Monterey Peninsula resident with a plethora of talents. You can read all about the venue and his background at https://sites.google.com/view/wavestreetstudios/about-us.

Along the way Smith has opened the space to those with a personal vision and skill, producing video shows, classes, workshops and more and then presenting them on the Wave Street Live channel. Once some permit issues were worked out with the city, the space has blossomed into a live music venue with a full-service cafe. Last week there was another SLV Presents show, for Valentine’s Day, and Friday at 7 p.m., the Gary Meek Band will grace one of our local listening rooms. The stellar band brings a funky, smooth kind of fusion jazz, as well as a straight ahead style. They’ll benefit from both visual and audio recording of the gathering.

If you couldn’t get tickets for the last time the band played locally, here’s another chance to catch the eight-person group live. This time they’ll have a new CD “The Gary Meek Band Live at Kuumbwa Jazz Center.” The discs will be available for purchase at the show; so far the music hasn’t been released on digital platforms. But you can get a good dose of the music on YouTube if you’re curious as to the band’s sound. Don’t delay in getting tickets, as the $40 tickets are going fast, and you don’t want to miss hearing these fine musicians perform Meek’s originals and a few choice covers. You can purchase tickets in advance on www.eventbrite.com.

Meek, a Los Angeles native who currently lives locally, plays both piano and saxophone. He has an impressive background that I’ve reported on fairly recently for the above mentioned Kirby Music show, but you can also read about him on his website at www.garymeek.net. In short though, he’s a lifelong multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, and recording artist, with seven solo CDs and appearances on over 200 records. Meek primarily performs with his group on piano, but he’s been known to pick up the saxophone for a solo now and then. Each and every one of the band members are known for their intuitive playing and advanced skills on their respective instruments. The group includes alto saxophonist Marina Panzetta, guitarist Adam Astrup, percussionist John Nava, bassist Dan Robbins, drummer Skylar Campbell, and vocalist Janice Perl and her daughter Miranda Perl.

Wave Street Studios is located at 774 Wave St., one block above Cannery Row. You can enter off the bike path above the Row, or through the driveway and down the stairs off Wave Street. Also, another of our fine local jazz bands, Along Came Betty, is performing on Sunday, 7 p.m. The classic hard-bop jazz quintet also has a stellar cast of musicians, featuring founding member Patrick Tregenza on drums, Brian Stock on trumpet, Pet Lips on bass, Paul Tarantino on saxophones and Bill Spencer on piano. Doors open for both shows at 6 p.m. and cocktails, local beers and wine are available. Tickets are $28.52 advance on Eventbrite, $33.85 at the door. Be sure to stop in on the event page to see about upcoming music and comedy: https://sites.google.com/view/wavestreetstudios/home. You can also link to the Eventbrite ticket page from there.

While on the local band beat, there are several shows during this first week of the column I’d like to tell you about. Thursday night, a favorite funk/hip-hop-soul jazz kind of band, The Basement, is performing its monthly show at Pearl Hour, 9 p.m., cover charge is $15.

The scene is hopping, the drinks are happening, and the energy is youthful and hip. The venue has a regular rotation of great bands, jazz and other, so dig in a little more and find your favorite night of the week for music at the Pearl Hour, 214 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. It’s open Wednesday through Monday at 6 p.m., 21 and over only with valid physical ID. Check out the schedule at https://www.pearlhour.com/.

Saturday from 4-7 p.m. at Deja Blue, 500 Broadway Ave., Seaside, is Wrockinfoose, right up there in quality as the previous mentioned bands. Band leader, keyboardist, composer, and arranger Luca Fredericksen has pulled together a great band that takes the funk and jazz from the New Orleans scene that Fredericksen called home for a while and puts it together with soul and you know you’re going to want to get up on the dance floor.

I’ve been following the band since its inception in 2019 and it’s taken a while, first to get through the pandemic and then to find the proper venue for its full band sound. They are currently playing Deja Blue once a month in the restaurant section with no cover. Fredericksen says the concert room still has some work to be finished, but once that’s up and running we’ll have another very cool room for live music.

The lineup of musicians are Fredericksen on keys and vocals, Sam Nilsson (guitar/vocals), Zach Westfall (bass), either Mike Shannon or Skylar Campbell (drums), John Nava (percussion), Brian Stock (trumpet) and Ben Herod (saxophones). Check back at Pearl Hour’s website to see when they next play there, I believe they’ll have a night in March.

And this Sunday, 1-4 p.m. is the SuiteJazz@Embassy in Seaside, the monthly jazz jam session that takes place at the Embassy Suites hotel, corner of Del Monte Avenue and Canyon del Rey. It’s hosted by two upstanding community lights, Lee Durley and Jim Vanderzwaan. Featured in the performance section at the early end is jazz and cabaret singer Julie Capilli. She is one beautiful singer and really a treat to experience. She’ll be backed by the house band for this week, keyboardist Bill Spender, bassist Steve Uccello, saxophonist Jim Stainton and drummer Vanderzwaan. Pro musicians are invited to come sit in and jam. There’s always a great group of local luminaries on the stage throughout the afternoon and often some of our up-and-coming young players. The Embassy Suites has a restaurant/bar that will deliver to your table. There is no cover for the music, but it’s a nice idea to purchase a little sumpthin’, ya know?

Both the Sunset Cultural Center and the Golden State Theatre, our two big stages where touring acts come to perform, have great lineups in the next two weeks. The Sunset in Carmel has a virtual sell-out with Tuesday’s An Evening with Lyle Lovett and his Acoustic Group, although I saw several solo seats still available when I last looked.

Never hurts to take a look on the website at www.sunsetcenter.org.

The XYZ Comedy Series continues Thursday, 8 p.m., with Lovers Know Best: The Live Game Show for Couples! in Studio 105. Please check out the details here: https://www.sunsetcenter.org/event/lovers-know-best-xyz-comedy-series/ and you can also purchase advance tickets, $35-$59.

The following week on Friday, Feb. 28, 7:30 p.m., three-time Grammy Award winner Kalani Pe’a brings the Aloha spirit of the Hawaiian islands to the stage. His debut album “E Walea” won him his first Grammy Award for Best Regional Roots Music Album in 2017, also winning the Na Hoku Hanohano Award (Hawai’i’s Grammy) for Best Hawaiian Contemporary Album; the only album to win both a Grammy and a Na Hoku and hit the top of the iTunes and Billboard World Music Charts. He took home his second Grammy Award in 2019 for his follow-up album “No ‘Ane’I” and his third for his most recent release, “Kau Ka Pe’a,” in 2022.

Kalani Pe’a is honored to be a WAA (Western Arts Alliance) Native Launchpad Artist, a program that aims to further the careers of U.S.-based Indigenous artists. In his passion for perpetuating Hawaiian language and culture, his music features original and classic Hawaiian songs alongside affectionate bilingual (Hawaiian/English) arrangements of his own R&B favorites — a nod to the Western music he grew up with. Tickets for this show range from $40-$70 for the general public. Sunset’s Bravo Members have a special arrangement, and you know who you are. For all the info and to buy tickets in advance, visit www.sunsetcenter.org.

The Sunset Cultural Center has another free film coming up March 5 titled “The Woman King,” in celebration of Women’s History Month. I went to see February’s selection, “Bob Marley: One Love” in celebration of Black History Month. What a great movie, especially for free!

And for the Golden State Theatre I suggest you go to its website at www.goldenstatetheatre.com and check out all the great shows coming up. You can understand why two shows Friday, March 7 will probably not be enough to satisfy the demand to see comedy legend Jerry Seinfeld. But if you don’t mind spending a bit of money to grab some of the few remaining seats at either the early 7 p.m. or late 9 p.m. shows, you better do it right now! Go to the above website and see where you can find a seat and go for it. Tickets are in the $300-$500 range. Chuck Martin opens the show.

SandBox Sand City, 440 Ortiz, has been a little off my radar lately, but I do want to hip you to an amazing guitar player coming Thursday, Feb. 27, 7-9 p.m., Peppino D’Agostino. His concert, titled “Made in Italy,” which is the title of his 2008 album, features his remarkable technique, penchant for open tunings, and percussive effects that are the basis of his unique compositional style which has been inspiring musicians and audiences alike for decades. I for one do not want to miss this show. Tickets range from $25 — $40, available at www.sandboxsandcity.com. He also plans to share his mother’s coveted lasagna recipe!