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.
Jan 16, 2015to Jan 18, 2015 | Contra CarnivaleSan Luis Obispo, CAwith Elixirw/ Wild Asparagus, Crowfoot, and caller Lisa Greenleaf |
Jan 19, 2015at 7:00 pm | House ConcertSanta Clara, CAwith ElixirThe Figments: Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle), Anna Patton (clarinet), and Owen Morrison (guitar/feet) The Figments present a concert of traditional and original tunes and songs in an intimate space with great acoustics. For details and reservations, e-mail your name, phone number, and number of seats requested to: SantaClaraHouseConcerts AT yahoo DOT com |
Jan 31, 2015 | Northern Roots Music FestivalBrattleboro VTwith Elixir |
Feb 7, 2015at 11:00 am | Brattleboro Winter Farmers MarketThe River Garden, Brattleboro. VTwith ElixirEthan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle) and Roger Kahle (guitar) |
Feb 13, 2015to Feb 15, 2015 | Dance FlurrySaratoga Springs Hilton, Saratoga Springs, NYwith Elixir |
Mar 4, 2015at 7:30 pm | Amherst Contra Dance99 Main St, Amherst, MAwith Elixir |
Mar 6, 2015at 8:00 pm | Concord Challenging Contra DanceScout House, 74 Walden Rd, Concord, MAwith Elixir |
Mar 7, 2015at 8:00 pm | Montpelier Contra DanceCapitol City Grange, Montpelier, VTwith Elixir |
Mar 27, 2015at 8:00 pm | Greenfield Experienced Contra Dance401 Chapman St Greenfield MA 01301with ElixirSteve Zakon-Anderson (calling) with The Clayfoot Strutters: Jeremiah McLane (accordion, piano), Lee Blackwell (percussion), Mark Roberts (flute, banjo), Peter Davis (winds), Harry Aceto (bass) plus guest fiddler Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle). |
Apr 6, 2015at 7:00 pm | Amherst English Country DanceMunson Library, Amherst, MAwith ElixirRobin Hayden and Laura DeCesare (calling), Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (violin), Mary Lea (violin), and Karen Axelrod (piano) |
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.