Things are getting busy for popular – and powerful – young vocalist Katherine Lavin.

Katherine Lavin has come a long way since her first performance at the Monarch Pub at age 11, when she wowed locals with her powerhouse lungs and edgy, upbeat style. Now with a full band and over 80 originals, Lavin has established herself as one of the most versatile vocalists around.

The 17-year-old’s growth has been nurtured by family and community from the start. Her mother, Lisa, manages her career and occasionally plays drums, while her uncle, Scott Mayhew, supports her on guitar. Venues like the Monarch in Pacific Grove have shown unwavering support from the beginning – writing her name on the wall and inviting her back to perform anytime.

She has just completed her “busiest month ever,” including a commitment with the Monterey Jazz Regional All-Star Ensemble, a program giving high school artists the chance to perform at area venues and at the Monterey Jazz Festival in September.

“Every musician should have a jazz foundation because it’s a genre that influences nearly every style of music,” Lavin explains, noting how much she enjoys collaborating with a group.

Lavin also studies bass theory with Zach Westfall and piano with Michael Martinez. The lessons go beyond technique: Martinez often joins her as a guest performer, and it was during one of their piano sessions that she discovered the jazz chord progression that became the foundation for her latest original, “Treasure Me Like Gold,” the first of her pieces written on piano.

A music fan herself, Lavin attended several Jacob Collier performances, one of her biggest influences. More recently, Lavin saw Esperanza Spalding in San Francisco, an artist she says is so unique she cannot be categorized.

One of her most memorable performances happened two years ago in Florence, Italy, when the Happy Quartet was busking and invited her to play. The experience was “like a scene in a movie.” Lavin loved the trust and spontaneity and envisions adding that to her own performances.

Lavin flies solo on her next gig. Unlike her full-band concerts, which follow set lists and rehearsed arrangements, her solo gigs are spontaneous and intimate.

“Sometimes I play songs I wrote the night before, or covers even my mom hasn’t heard me perform,” Lavin says with a smile. “It’s the epitome of me.”

KATHERINE LAVIN performs at 5pm Friday, Sept. 12. Grill at Point Pinos, 79 Asilomar Blvd., Pacific Grove. Free. 375-1313, grillatpointpinos.com.