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Ethan Hazzard-Watkins fiddler

Fiddler Ethan Hazzard-Watkins performs traditional and original music with infectious energy, passion, and grace.

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.

gig calendar

Aug 15, 2014to Aug 16, 2014peacham acoustic music festivalPeacham, VTwith ElixirEthan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle), Jeremiah McLane (accordion, piano), and Owen Marshall (guitar, banjo, bouzouki)
Sep 11, 2014at 7:30 pmConcord Contra Dance74 Walden Rd, Concord, MAwith ElixirThe Figments: Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle), Anna Patton (clarinet), and Owen Morrison (guitar/feet)
Sep 12, 2014to Sep 14, 2014Swallowtail Dance WeekendCamp Becket, Becket, MAwith Elixirw/ well…Swallowtail!
Sep 19, 2014to Sep 21, 2014Michigan Heritage FestivalLexington MIwith ElixirLisa Greenleaf(calling and The Figments: Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle), Anna Patton (clarinet), Owen Morrison (guitar/feet)
Oct 3, 2014at 8:00 pmBoulder Contra DanceAvalon Ballroom, 6185 Arapahoe Rd, Boulder, COwith Elixir
Oct 4, 2014at 8:00 pmFort Collins Contra DanceCity Park Center (Club Tico), Fort Collins, COwith Elixir
Oct 5, 2014at 1:00 pmDenver Contra DanceHighlands Masonic Center, 3550 Federal Blvd., Denver, COwith ElixirWaltzes and couples dancing at 1 PM, contras from 2 to 5 PM!
Oct 17, 2014to Oct 18, 2014Contra ShockNew York Citywith Elixirw/ Maivish and Will Mentor

Schedule (subject to change):
10/17 - Brooklyn Contra Dance, 7:30 pm beginner’s lesson, 8 to 11 pm contra dance for all
10/18 - CDNY contra for experienced dancers, 4 to 6 pm; 7:30 pm beginner’s lesson, 8 to 11 pm contra dance for all
Oct 19, 2014at 1:00 pmContrastock IVSpanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, MDwith Elixirw/ Perpetual e-Motion, The Coffee Zombies, and callers Will Mentor and Bev Bernbaum.

Don't miss this...it's gonna be another great Contrastock party.
Nov 3, 2014at 7:00 pmAmherst English Country DanceWhately Dance Barn, Whately, MAwith ElixirRobin Hayden (calling), Karen Axelrod (piano), lydia ievins (violin), and Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (violin)

store

Elixir CDs

To order Elixir CDs please visit the Elixir store.

In the Window

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.

Guest Musicians

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).

tunes

Tune Book: A is for Avocado

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.

Download A is for Avocado

A few of Ethan's compositions are available for download below.

contact

Get in touch with Ethan: