Meet the Artists of Hot Club SRQ

Keven Aland (Violin/Vocals)

Keven Aland, a prodigy of Miltiades Siadimas, was born in Springfield MA and began studying violin at age 7. Keven gave his solo debut with the Venice Symphony at age 14 performing Monti's Ćzardas. During High School, Keven received highest honors in All-State Orchestra and recognition from Governor Martinez as recipient of the Southern Bell Fellowship two years in a row.

A graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder, Keven had a Fellowship with the London Symphony Orchestra and has played with the South Florida Orchestra, the Venice Symphony, the Sarasota Chamber Orchestra, the Transylvania Symphony Orchestra, and the Boulder Philharmonic.

After earning a performance degree from C.U. Boulder, Keven discovered his real passion was jazz. Since then, Keven has studied with Sandro Roy, Victor Prieto, John Serry, Christiaan Van Hemert and has shared the stage with Malcolm Chrupcala, Kenny Drew Jr., Michael Royal, Matt Bokulic, Larry Camp, Michael Joseph Harris and many other great artists.

Keven Aland is a co-founder of the Pleiades Ensemble and Lotus Fire and founder of Sampa Jazz and Hot Club of SRQ.

Jon McLaughlin (Guitar)

Jon McGlaughlin is an accomplished guitarist who has been studying, performing and teaching in SW Florida for almost 20 years. Jon studied with Rex Willis while attending Florida College and has become the area's premiere rhythm guitarist as well as an extremely versatile and talented soloist.

A native of Sarasota, Florida, Jon has performed with many rumba flamenco/gypsy swing/tango bands including Los Listos, Los Rumberos, Cabal, and Douce Ambiance and most notably a member of The Lotus Fire and The Willie Royal Quartet.

Nikola Baltic (Guitar)

Nikola Baltic began studying classical guitar at age 9 and began playing professionally at age 12. He was accepted to Eastern Michigan University at age 17 for classical guitar performance and later accepted to the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit.

Following a Bachelors degree in mechanical engineering (Lawerance Tech. University) he was later accepted to the Manhattan School of Music in New York for further studies in the classical genre. Nikola has studied with guitarist Manuel Barreco, and David Russell to name a couple.

Nikola has been reviewed in Guitar Player Magazine and is founder of the Hot Sun Quartet. A World Jazz ensemble based in Florida.Nikola Baltic (Guitar)

François de Lima (Brass)

François de Lima is a Grammy-nominated Brazilian valve trombonist.

His playing is breath-taking, joyful and heart-pumping with strong roots in samba, Jazz, and Bossa Nova.
He is one of the founders of the Brazilian big band, Banda Mantiqueira and he has earned worldwide acclaim for the swing in his interpretations and the creativity of his improvisations.

He has performed at Carnegie Hall with Gal Costa and toured over 15 years with Djavan.

James Snyder (Clarinet)

His experience runs from sideman to soloist; from jazz festivals to recording studios; from Bourbon Street nightclubs to symphony halls; from theme parks to cruise ships. As a result of his extensive travel with trumpeter Al Hirt, and with New Orleans' Dukes of Dixieland, Jim has performed with many of the country's symphony orchestras.

He has spent many years on the road with various jazz bands playing "one-nighters", including a lengthy performance/educational tour of Alaska, funded in part by the NEA. Jim has had performing residencies at both the 1982, and 1990 Worlds' Fairs -- in Knoxville, TN, and Osaka, Japan, respectively -- and has been regularly featured at jazz festivals all over the U.S. and France.

He's an active soloist and clinician, and has been a Yamaha performing artist since 1982.

Glenn Stevenson (Up-right bass)

Glenn Stevenson is an upright bass player living in Largo whose style is heavily informed by traditional jazz, swing and bebop. He was immersed in the world of jazz from an early age and was brought up through the ranks with some of Tampa's Bay areas finest jazz musicians such as Kenny Drew Jr., Ray Biscoglia, Mark Fox, Linda Nash, Nate Najar, James Suggs and many others.

In addition to playing bass, Glenn is a masterful art framer and has worked over 10 years framing Salvador Dali's work in St. Petersburg and is currently Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art's new Preparator.

Don Mopsick (Up-right bass)

A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music and a veteran of big stage and radio.

He spent hundreds of hours for the Riverwalk Jazz public radio series with guests Benny Carter, Clark Terry, Bob Wilber, Dick Hyman, Kenny Davern, Milt Hinton, Nicholas Payton, "Sweets" Edison, Harry Allen, Dan Barrett, Joe Williams, Rebecca Kilgore, Bob Barnard, Bria Skonberg, Jon-Erik Kellso, Vince Giordano, Bucky and John Pizzarelli, Stephanie Nakasian, and many others.