Herschel McWilliams
FOUNDER / EDITOR / EDUCATIONAL DIRECTOR
contact: info@livejazzkc.com
🎷 Meet Herschel McWilliams: A Key Figure in Kansas City Jazz
Herschel McWilliams is a dedicated, lifelong resident and influential figure in the Kansas City music scene. Born and raised in Kansas City, KS, his deep connection to music was cultivated early, growing up as the son of musicians—a drummer father and a pianist mother. This foundation led him to begin his own musical journey, starting with piano lessons at eight, followed by the saxophone at ten.
As an active KC Jazz Musician, Herschel brings decades of experience and passion to the local performance circuit, often playing live jazz KC venues.
🌟 Beyond the Stage: A Champion for Kansas City Jazz
Herschel's commitment extends far beyond performing. He is deeply involved in promoting and sustaining the rich musical heritage of the city:
Digital & Social Media Strategy for Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors: He plays a crucial role in amplifying the reach of the organization, ensuring the legacy of Kansas City Jazz thrives digitally.
Operator of LiveJazzKC: A platform dedicated to multimedia content and community engagement.
Community Involvement: Herschel is passionate about giving back, coaching youth sports, and dedicating his free time to outreach programs centered around music for young people.
Though he also works in automotive retail, his heart remains firmly rooted in music. Herschel is happily married to his wife, Rebecca (since 2005), and they are raising their four children (Harrison, Benjamin, Vivian, & Christian) in Shawnee, Kansas.
Discover more about his music and performance dates at herschelmcwilliams.com.
Tate Berry
ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR FOR HS ALL-STARS
Tate is a highly sought-after woodwind specialist, composer/arranger, and music technologist in Kansas City; and has been working with LiveJazzKC since October of 2022. Tate earned a bachelor’s in jazz studies from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2023 after being largely self-taught as a child, and simultaneously completed a degree in Business Administration, where he explored his interests in entrepreneurship and management sparked by his school's DECA and marketing programs. He is currently the music director of System Update, a company that plays live music to video game events. Additionally, he plays multiple woodwinds in multiple bands including David Watson’s Rebirthing the Cool: Bebop n’ Beyond KC, Tracy Smith’s Brass Rewind, and his own projects that he continually develops. Tate is also a part-time student at Johnson County Community College studying live sound, recording, and music technology concepts that he wishes to incorporate to push the musical continuum forward, namely merging jazz with heavy metal. His original music and arrangements can be heard in multiple places in Kansas City and in the above groups, as well as the LiveJazzKC High School All-Stars where he is the assistant director. Tate is also a brand ambassador for Shape Your Own Sound.
Darrel McKaig
CALENDAR ADMINISTRATOR / WEBMASTER
Darrel McKaig grew up in the Kansas City vicinity. He studied music with an emphasis on trumpet performance and jazz education. Performance highlights include a college band tour with Clark Terry; the pit orchestra for The Young Americans summer stock in Petoskey, Michigan; a tour across Route 66 with the Verne Byers’ Glenn Miller Revival big band; and Lightshine, a Contemporary Christian rock band that performed in the Kansas City region. After several years working as an audio engineer for a non-government organization in Senegal, West Africa, he returned to Kansas City.
As a long-time jazz enthusiast, Darrel continues his love for music as an advocate for jazz musicians, jazz education and the art form itself. Helping to bring the Live Jazz KC calendar back to life after it’s long hibernation is his way of giving back to the jazz community in KC!