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.
Sep 28, 2012to Sep 30, 2012 | Youth Dance WeekendWeston, VTwith ElixirRegistration begins June 4! |
Oct 5, 2012at 8:00 pm | Concord Challenging Contra Dance SeriesScout House, 74 Walden St, Concord, MAwith ElixirSteve Zakon-Anderson (calling), Jeremiah McLane (accordion, piano) and Owen Marshall (guitar, tenor banjo) |
Oct 12, 2012to Oct 14, 2012 | Elixir Cape Cod Dance WeekendCamp Farley, Mashpee, MAwith Elixirw/ Elixir, Crowfoot and caller Will Mentor, and English Country Dance with staff musicians and caller Melissa Running...plus host (and caller) Mary Wesley, and Tony Hernandez running sound! |
Oct 19, 2012to Oct 21, 2012 | Lavender Country and Folk Dancers Fall Dance CampCamp Chimney Corners, Becket, MAwith Elixir |
Oct 26, 2012at 8:30 pm | Glen Echo Contra DanceGlen Echo, MDwith ElixirIt's the Friday Night Dance Halloween Contra Dance PARTY! |
Oct 28, 2012at 7:30 pm | Glen Echo Contra DanceGlen Echo, MDwith Elixir |
Nov 3, 2012at 8:00 pm | Montpelier Contra DanceOld Labor Hall, Barre, VTwith ElixirMary Wesley (calling), Anna Patton (clarinet), and Julie Vallimont (piano) |
Nov 9, 2012to Nov 11, 2012 | Big DanceDayton, VAwith ElixirThe Figments (Anna Patton, clarinet and Owen Morrison, guitar/feet) |
Nov 11, 2012 | Greenwood Contra DanceShawn Brenniman (calling) and The Figments (Anna Patton, clarinet and Owen Morrison, guitar/feet) |
Nov 16, 2012to Nov 18, 2012 | Fleur de Lis Fling Dance WeekendLouisville, KYwith Elixir |
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.