Most local music fans know about Tom Ayres. The Monterey native and Monterey High School graduate has played in gobs of local bands, starting with a high school dance cover band titled Jasmine T. Since then, he has lent his impressive guitar playing to former local rock cover band The Cubes and current entities like Mike Beck’s new band, The Bohemian Saints.

But it is his latest group, Persephone’s Bees, which will introduce his impressive guitar to enthusiasts all over the US.

From his home in Oakland, Ayres describes how Persephone’s Bees grew from a chance encounter almost a decade ago with another musician in the former Monterey club Viva’s, which is now the site of Monterey Live. One night while performing at the Alvarado Street venue, Ayres met Angelina Moysov, a budding musician who had relocated to the United States from Russia two years earlier. Two months later, Moysov decided to play a song, the first one she had ever written, for Ayres.

“The moment she sang and played it there was something I would describe as an epiphany,” Ayres says of hearing the number titled “On the Earth.” “She was amazing. I needed to work with her to get these songs out there.”

For Ayres, this was an unexpected reaction. He was used to writing his own material for local groups like Floating Mission. But when he heard Moysov’s material, especially her lyrics, he didn’t mind backing the unique singer.

As a duo, Ayres and Moysov started out playing at Viva’s under different names, including Free Ears and Kyfe. Seven years ago, the two moved to San Francisco and became Persephone’s Bees.

The relocation proved beneficial as the group took home a 2001 SF Weekly award for Best Pop Band, and their self-produced debut, City of Love, won the Best Debut Album at 2002’s California Music Awards.  

It was also in SF, at Paradise Lounge, that Persephone’s Bees were discovered by music producer Eric Valentine, who is known for producing hit records like Third Eye Blind’s self-titled release and acclaimed fare like Queens of the Stone Age’s Songs for the Deaf.

Though they started on the release, titled The Notes From the Underground, in 2002, Valentine was called away to other high-profile projects like pop punk band Good Charlotte’s latest release, and acoustic trio Nickel Creek’s Why Should the Fire Die?

The Notes From the Underground was completed in 2004, but was in a holding pattern until Persephone’s Bees signed with Columbia Records in 2005. It’s now scheduled to be released next month.

Ayres describes the sound of the CD as “quirky, progressive, retro pop rock.” With songs like the ’60s-rock-influenced “Nice Day” and the surf guitar sound of “Muzika Dyla Fil’ma,” which is sung by Moysov in her native Russian tongue, Ayres’ description is right on the mark.

Meanwhile, Persephone’s Bees has been preparing for the release by making the group known as a potent live act. This year, the band played a show at the Sundance Film Festival and a slot at Austin’s famed South By Southwest festival, where MTV’s You Hear It First dubbed Persephone’s Bees one of four up and coming acts to watch.

Despite good recent press and the band’s signing to a major label, the humble Ayres says that looming success hasn’t affected the band—for his part, Ayres still hopes to be able to get down to Monterey about once a month to jam with Mike Beck and the Bohemian Saints at Ocean Thunder. “I just love the people at that bar,” he says. “I get to see all my friends.”  

Persephone’s Bees plays Fernwood, 25 miles south of Carmel on Highway 1, this Saturday at 9pm. Lesser Lights and Willow Willow open. $8/in advance at fernwoodbigsur.com; $10/at the door. 667-2422.