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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

Mar 17, 2023to Mar 19, 2023Spring Breakdown Dance WeekendJefferson City, MOwith Elixir
Mar 31, 2023to Apr 2, 2023Epicenter Dance WeekendThe Figments: Anna Patton (clarinet), Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle), Owen Morrison (guitar, foot percussion)
Apr 12, 2023at 8:00 pmRear Defrosters @ NOVA Arts48 Emerald St Keene, NH, United Stateswith Elixir
May 5, 2023at 7:00 pmNeon Rainbow at Brattleboro Gallery WalkElliot St, Brattleboro VTwith ElixirQueer honky tonk with the Rear Defrosters
Jun 15, 2023at 7:00 pmThe Guthrie Girls w/ the Rear Defrosters @ NOVA Arts48 Emerald St
Keene, NH, United Stateswith Elixir
Jun 18, 2023to Jun 24, 2023Lady of the Lake Music and Dance Week
Jul 29, 2023at 8:00 pmGreenfield Contra Dance401 Chapman St, Greenfield, MAwith Elixirwith Anna Patton (clarinet) and Kristen Planeaux (piano)
Nov 3, 2023to Nov 5, 2023Foggy Moon Dance WeekendMonterey, CA
United Stateswith Elixir
Jan 12, 2024to Jan 14, 2024Contra CarnivaleSan Luis Obispo, CAwith Elixirwith THE SYNCOPATHS (Aslhey Hoyer, Christa Burch, Ryan McKasson, and Jeff Spero), ELOISE & CO. (Becy Tracy, Rachel Bell, and Bethany Waickman), Cis Hinkle and Susan Petrick
Feb 29, 2024at 8:00 pmRear Defrosters @ NOVA Arts48 Emerald St
Keene, NH, United Stateswith Elixir

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: