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, 2010at 8:00 pm | 3rd Saturday Contra DanceGuiding Star Grange, 401 Chapman St, Greenfield, MAwith ElixirLisa Greenleaf (calling), Owen Marshall (guitar), and Jeremiah McLane (accordion/piano) |
Dec 20, 2010at 7:00 pm | Amherst ECDMunson Library, Amherst, MAwith ElixirPeter Barnes (winds/guitar) and Karen Axelrod (piano) |
Dec 26, 2010at 7:30 pm | CANCELED: Brattleboro contra danceDance canceled due to the weather |
Dec 30, 2010at 1:00 pm | Concord Contra DanceConcord, MAwith ElixirEmily Troll (fiddle/accordion) and Josh Van Vliet (guitar) |
Dec 31, 2010at 7:00 pm | Greenfield New Years Eve Contra DanceGuiding Star Grange, 401 Chapman St, Greenfield, MAwith ElixirVan Kaynor (fiddle), Owen Marshall (guitar), Corey DiMario (bass, tenor guitar), Peter Barnes (piano/guitar), Daniel Plane (cello), David Kaynor (calling, fiddle, guitar), Rebecca Lay (calling), George Marshall (calling, concertina, bodhran) and more! |
Jan 1, 2011at 8:00 pm | Montpelier Contra DanceCapitol City Grange, Montpelier, VTwith ElixirAnna Patton (clarinet) and Julie Vallimont (piano) |
Jan 7, 2011at 8:00 pm | Concord Experienced DanceConcord, MAwith ElixirThe Figments |
Jan 8, 2011at 11:00 am | Brattleboro Farmers MarketMain Street, Brattleboro, VTwith ElixirAnna Patton (clarinet) |
Jan 14, 2011to Jan 16, 2011 | Ralph Page Legacy Dance WeekendFiretruck: Anna Patton (clarinet) and Bruce Rosen (piano/guitar) |
Jan 16, 2011at 7:00 pm | BIDA DanceCambridge, MAwith ElixirFiretruck: Anna Patton (clarinet) and Bruce Rosen (piano/guitar) |
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.