Eric Slaughter was born into a musical family in his native city of St Louis, Mo. A self taught pianist from the age of 3, he switched to the guitar at the age 14. He attended the Berklee College of Music where, in classes and in performances in and around the Boston, Mass. area, he was exposed to music and musicians from around the globe. After college he returned to the St Louis area where he began recording and performing with local blues and R&B legend Oliver Sain, jazz saxophonist Willie Akins, and jazz vocalist and multi instrumentalist Hugh “Peanuts” Whalum. An opportunity to tour the country with blues vocalist and producer Willie Clayton took him away from St Louis and in between tours he began working as a studio session musician for Ace records in Jackson, Mississippi. Later, his desire to get closer to the roots of jazz and a chance meeting with vocalist/trumpeter Jeremy Davenport prompted him to move to New Orleans, La. where, in concerts with Davenport’s group and with the help and mentorship of trumpeter Wendell Brunious, saxophonist Donald Harrison, drummer Shannon Powell, and many others, he was able to immerse himself in the music and history of this vibrant and diverse musical culture. The eclectic yet deeply rooted musical environment of the “Crescent City” had him performing live in jazz and blues settings as well as hip-hop and R&B studio sessions. Always seeking to grow and improve, he later relocated to the fast paced and competitive environment of New York City where he lived for three years and continued to perform, record, and grow musically. Eric's prolific and eclectic musical career has afforded him the opportunity to record and share the stage with artists from all over the musical map like R&B/bluesmen Bobby Womack, Tyrone Davis, Little Milton, the Ojays, and Ike Turner to Neo-Soul artists like Eric Roberson, Julie Dexter, and N' Dambi from contemporary jazz artists like David Sanborn, Peter Martin, David Torkanowsky, Montez Coleman, Russell Gunn, and Maurice Brown, and from traditionalists like Jeremy Davenport, Jason Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr. to avant-garde musicians like Charles “Bobo” Shaw, Lester Bowie, and Sirone. Throughout his career he has performed and toured extensively in the U.S., the Caribbean, Europe, Canada, and Asia and now performs regularly as a member of drummer Ronnie Burrage's Band Burrage and as a leader of the newest edition of his instrumental quartet. Guitarist Eric Slaughter is a high energy performer who is dedicated to exploring the various rhythms and musical textures of the world and presenting them with the groove, spontaneity and creative off-center logic which has characterized the best instrumental improvised music through the ages. A performance of this artist is guaranteed to be exciting, inspiring, and unpredictable and should not be missed!