Solo gigs are a dream come true for guitarist Glenn Bell, a veteran of popular local bands.

Glenn Bell has established himself as one of the most versatile instrumentalists in the area, driving the beat as bassist for the popular local reggae band Sensory Tribe and as lead guitar for the high-energy funk band BASSment, among other projects.

For over 20 years, Bell has had the dream of supporting himself full time playing music, and it all became possible when his wife, Tina, formed Bell Jazz Management.

After high school, Bell received a scholarship which allowed him to earn a degree in jazz music studies in 2008. Now Bell’s solo act, Glenn Bell Jazz, can focus on the art form he studied.

Flying solo does not mean without depth. Bell adds technique and a fuller sound with the use of a loop pedal, which he says is a “fun way to flex my imagination and treat my guitar like a mini orchestra.” For the Beatles tune “In My Life,” Bell arranged a finger-picking chord melody, with the guitar playing the vocal lyrics. Bell has four or five Beatles songs that he’s arranged into a medley that he plays for the room because, as he puts it, “people have a strong connection to Beatles tunes.”

Having a mother from Costa Rica, Latin American influences are found throughout his set, such as Buena Vista Social Club covers and bossa nova guitar. Bell’s arrangement of “Besame Mucho” fuses the traditional melody with his knowledge of jazz harmony to provide complexity.

In Bell’s estimation, there is no higher art form than classical guitar. He has arranged Andres Segovia’s “Moonlight Sonata” to perform bass, chords and melody simultaneously using a loop pedal.

Jazz fans will also appreciate Bell’s version of “Autumn Leaves,” a song that holds special significance in his musical journey. The song marked Bell’s introduction to straight-ahead jazz. Every time he plays it, he measures his growth as a musician, reflecting on how far he’s come.

To longtime listeners, it might seem odd to hear Bell mellow out to solo jazz guitar as the central act. But a closer look shows a Glenn Bell Jazz set as deeply personal – each song is an homage to those who’ve shaped him as a musician. So it’s only fitting that Bell’s upcoming debut solo album, Uplift, is dedicated to his father’s memory.

GLENN BELL JAZZ 6pm Thursday, Oct. 24 at La Playa Hotel, Camino Real and 8th., Carmel; noon Saturday, Oct. 26 at Bernardus Lodge, 415 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley; 5pm Sunday, Oct. 27 at Puma Road at Portola Plaza, 281 Alvarado St., Monterey.