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.
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) |
Apr 10, 2015to Apr 12, 2015 | Bug Stomp Dance WeekendFelix Davis Community Center 4800 Park Circle East North Charleston, SC 29405 with Elixirw/ Contraforce and caller Maggie Jo Saylor |
Apr 20, 2015at 7:00 pm | Amherst English Country DanceMunson Library, Amherst, MAwith ElixirGraham Christian (calling), Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (violin), Cedar Stanistreet (violin), and Joyce Crouch (piano) |
May 7, 2015at 8:00 pm | Rochester Contra DanceConvenant United Methodist Church, 1124 Culver Rd, Rochester, NYwith Elixir |
May 8, 2015at 7:30 pm | Buffalo Contra DanceElmwood Ave & W Ferry St Buffalo NY 14222 United Stateswith Elixir |
May 9, 2015 | Cornell Contra DanceCornell University, Willard Straight Hall, Ithaca, NYwith ElixirSchedule: 12:30pm-2:30pm: Singing Square Caller's Workshop 4pm-6 pm: Contra Dance for Experienced Dancers 8 pm-11 pm: Contra dance for All |
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.