Heather McKay is a Berklee College of Music graduate who is equally comfortable performing, composing and teaching, though her true passion is composition.

Heather has played just about every style of music—from jazz, pop, rock, and funk to Persian, Caribbean, Afro-Cuban, gospel, and blues. Her love of Latin jazz came from her best friend and bass player, Adri Galler Lastra. She and Adri would sit for hours playing Latin tunes from the real book or jamming on salsa and other Afro-Cuban grooves. Adri introduced Heather to Maestro Afredo Mohica. Heather joined Mohica’s Latin jazz band, where she contributed a couple of her own compositions.

Heather also fell in love with Brazilian rhythms by listening to and playing with another bass player and good friend, Leonardo Lucini. Leonardo would go on to become an integral part of her first CD, “Life Got In The Way.”

Heather has played guitar for original music and cover bands throughout the Washington/Baltimore area. She has performed with Alfredo Mojica (Latin jazz), 2 Funkin Heavy (rock, rhythm and blues), Trio de Janeiro (jazz), Windspirit (jazz fusion), Origem (Brazilian jazz), Caribash (African and Caribbean music), Winfield Parker (gospel), and Said Orchestra (Persian music) backing well-known Persian performers Ebi and Sharok. She also enjoys performing as a solo guitarist. These bands have performed at many well-known venues including the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian, the East Coast Jazz Festival, the Pier 6 Concert Pavilion, and Blues Alley. She has also performed in the Caribbean, Canada, Las Vegas, New York City, Miami, and Puerto Rico. 

After 25 years of playing gigs in various bands, Heather decided to take all she had absorbed through playing all styles of music and focus on composing. She wanted to create a CD with a Latin jazz flair that grooved as hard in different meters as it did in 4/4. This project was years in the making, with the tunes evolving along the way. Heather has had the privilege of working with many of the DC area’s top musicians.  She feels very fortunate to have a few of them be part of the Heather McKay Project, both on the CD and in performances.  Thanks to the patience and dedication of all involved, it will be ready for release in June 2025.