Ethan's fiddling combines expressive subtlety, playfulness, and compelling rhythmic power born out of more than two decades of experience as a dance musician. A versatile and inspiring performer, Ethan is equally at home digging into an Irish, Quebecois, or New England fiddle tune, improvising on a classic blues, swing, or honky-tonk song, or interpreting a lyrical waltz or English Country Dance melody.
Based in Brattleboro, Vermont, Ethan tours extensively throughout the U.S. and abroad, playing for dances, festivals, camps, concerts, weddings, and other events with his bands Elixir and The Figments. He performs closer to home with honky-tonk band The Rear Defrosters. Ethan is also an avid composer of tunes in traditional styles, and his compositions and arrangements have been played and recorded widely.
Dec 18, 2017at 7:00 pm | Amherst English DanceMunson Library, Amherst, MAwith Elixirwith Brad Foster (calling), Anna Patton (clarinet), and Karen Axelrod (piano) |
Jan 10, 2018at 7:30 pm | Rear Defrosters @ EchoEcho Restaurant and Lounge 73 Main St, Brattleboro, VT 05301, United Stateswith Elixir |
Jan 26, 2018to Jan 28, 2018 | Florida Snow BallThe Gulfport Casino Ballroom 5500 Shore Blvd S, Gulfport, FL 33707, United Stateswith Elixir |
Feb 23, 2018to Feb 25, 2018 | Dancing with the GODSGainesville, FLwith Elixirwith The Figments: Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle), Anna Patton (clarinet), and Owen Morrison (guitar/feet) |
Apr 6, 2018to Apr 8, 2018 | Epicenter Dance WeekendStrawberry Recreation Center, Mill Valley, CAwith ElixirWith Naomi Morse on Fiddle and Brian Bender on Trombone |
Apr 6, 2018at 7:00 pm | Rear Defrosters @ Root CellarRoot Cellar 10 Fiske Ave, Greenfield, MA 01301with Elixir |
Apr 13, 2018to Apr 15, 2018 | Call of the Loon Contra Dance WeekendMinneapolis, MNwith Elixir |
Apr 26, 2018at 8:00 pm | Rear Defrosters @ The WhetstoneWhetstone Station Restaurant and Brewery 36 Bridge St, Brattleboro, VT 05301, United Stateswith Elixir |
May 5, 2018at 8:00 pm | Montpelier Contra DanceCapital City Grange, Montpelier, VTwith Elixirwith Sue Rosen (calling), Peter Siegel (mandolin/guitar) and Bruce Rosen (piano/guitar) |
May 25, 2018at 8:00 pm | Rear Defrosters @ The HiveKeene, NH, United Stateswith Elixir |
May 26, 2018at 8:00 pm | Greenfield Contra Dance401 Chapman St, Greenfield, MAwith Elixirwith the Gaslight Tinkers |
May 31, 2018at 7:30 pm | Concord Contra DanceConcord Scout House, 74 Walden St Concord MA 01742with Elixir |
Jun 3, 2018at 6:00 pm | Rear Defrosters @ Twilight on the Tavern LawnPutney, VTwith Elixir |
Jun 7, 2018at 10:00 pm | Rear Defrosters @ Thing in the SpringHarlow's Pub 3 School St, Peterborough, NH 03458, United Stateswith Elixir |
Jun 13, 2018at 7:30 pm | Rear Defrosters @ EchoEcho Restaurant and Lounge 73 Main St, Brattleboro, VT 05301, United Stateswith Elixir |
Jun 28, 2018to Jul 2, 2018 | Pinewoods 4th of JulyPinewoods Camp, Plymouth, MAwith Elixir |
To order Elixir CDs please visit the Elixir store.
Selected traditional and original material arranged to highlight the diverse musical ideas that grow out of the New England contra dance tradition. Ethan’s solo CD moves gracefully between high energy jigs and reels, contemplative airs, and lovely waltzes, flirting with musical ideas drawn from a wide range of styles. Recorded and Mixed by Bob Mills in Guilford, VT.
Anna Patton (clarinet), Bob Mills (guitar & bouzouki), Chuck Corman (bass), Erica Morse (cello & bass) Elvie Miller (piano & accordion), Jesse Hazzard-Watkins (trumpet), lydia ievins (fiddle), Marko Packard (guitar & sax), Naomi Morse (fiddle & viola), Peter Siegel (guitar, mandolin, banjo, & feet), Roger Kahle (guitar), Seth Houston (piano).
Ethan's collection of original tunes, published in 2007, is no longer available in print. You can download a complete PDF of the book or find some individual highlights and more recent compositions below.