"She's just one of those classic beauties," said the 14-year-old Kelly, who lives in Brookline and loves her namesake's film "High Society."

The younger Kelly was just 9 when she decided she wanted to play the saxophone. After a brief interlude with the clarinet (as a required precursor), Kelly's been playing the alto saxophone for four years.

Descriptions like "prodigy" roll off people's tongue. And she's developed such a following that she sold out Sculler's Jazz Club in Boston for her recent CD release party.

Kelly, along with the Doug Johnson Trio, will play Methuen's Sahara Night Club Tuesday, bringing the talent people are talking about to the Merrimack Valley.

Kelly's parents exposed her to jazz at an early age. Fans of musical theater and jazz, her parents started taking her to the best of both before she entered preschool.

"It's always been playing around the house," said Kelly of jazz. "I have just been attracted to the sound so much."

Kelly began playing music early, starting with classical piano. Though she loved music, she didn't enjoy playing her Bach and Beethoven as much as composing her own music, which had a decidedly improvisational jazz bent. It wasn't long before she was pleading for a sax, and got her wish.

"The sound of it - it's a huge thing for me," Kelly said. "The saxophone is the closest thing to the human voice. I can produce a big range of emotions with it."

Lessons followed, and her proximately to Boston helped her find great teachers, who encouraged her love of composing and writing.

"My teacher made me dive right into improvisation. He said, 'Nothing is wrong,' " Kelly said.

Then came the years of practice that made her good, really good.

"I can express myself differently every time I play a song," she said. "It was a huge thing for me, ever since I was little, I was making up songs."

These days, she plays in and out of school, but quite frequently with jazz professionals more than twice her age. She was one of 17 teens from across the country to attend the Brubeck Institute, a musical camp in California for gifted teens. Kelly was the youngest at the institute, and the only girl.

"Once you play with adults and kids who are better than you, it makes you grow rapidly," Kelly said.

Not that everyone has to be better for Kelly to play with them. She enjoys playing. Period.

"I enjoy playing with my peers, too. It's a different vibe," Kelly said.

Kelly does listen to music other than jazz - her iPod holds everything from rap to country. Of course, there's some jazz greats in there too, along with some classics by Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday.

Her future plans include a trip to a jazz festival in Norway - and maybe that prince.

If You Go:

What: Jazz saxophonist Grace Kelly with the Doug Johnson Trio

When: Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

Where: Sahara Club, 34 Bates St., Methuen

Admission: $7 at the door.