Jazz this week: Eric Slaughter Trio with Jason Swagler, Ally Hany and Addison Frei, and more

The live jazz offerings are a bit sparse around town this long Independence Day weekend in St. Louis, but there still are a few shows worthy of your attention coming up over the next few days.

On Friday and Saturday, guitarist Eric Slaughter will bring his trio (pictured) plus saxophonist Jason Swagler to Jazz at the Bistro. Although Swagler is billed as special guest, he and Slaughter actually have played together fairly often, including co-hosting a jam session the first Sunday of every month at Bossanova restaurant and bar in Alton, and so already have some shared repertoire to draw on.

Update - July 1, 4:00 p.m.: Jason Swagler has had to undergo an emergency appendectomy, and thus will be unable to perform this weekend at the Bistro. Slaughter's aunt, the well-known blues and soul singer Marsha Evans, will perform with the band instead. In the meantime, here's hoping for a quick and complete recovery for Swagler.

Also on Friday, Robbie's House of Jazz will feature a duo gig by two young musicians, trumpeter and Webster Groves native Alexandra "Ally" Hany and Addison Frei, a young pianist originally from Kansas, who have just completed their freshman year in the well-known jazz studies program at the University of North Texas. Hany also is a former member of the Jazz St. Louis All-Stars student ensemble.

That same evening, pianist Tim Garcia will lead a trio with drummer Dave Sweet and bassist Jim Cady at the Cigar Inn in Belleville; guitarist Vince Varvel's trio will perform at Broadway Bean Coffee; and the Funky Butt Brass Band will play The Gramophone, opening for Austin, TX roots-rock band Uncle Lucius.

The FBBB will be back in action Saturday afternoon with a matinee performance at the Blues City Deli, and on Sunday, Slaughter and Swagler will lead the monthly jazz jam at Bossanova in Alton.

If you're up for some live music after the fireworks downtown on Monday evening, bassist David Certain and his band CertainBeat WorldBop will be playing at BB's Jazz Blues and Soups.

For more jazz-related events in St. Louis this weekend and beyond, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

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(Edited 6/30/11 to add the Vince Varvel gig.)