Ethan Setiawan & Fine Ground
Louise Bichan
Ethan Setiawan and Fine Ground with instruments.
Ethan Setiawan and Fine Ground
Sugar Maple Concert Series. $30 ($22 adv.).
media release: Acclaimed mandolinist and bluegrass musician Ethan Setiawan and his band Fine Ground will hit the road this fall for tour dates across the Northeast and Midwest, bringing their dynamic blend of bluegrass, Americana and contemporary roots music to stages throughout the region.
The upcoming run comes as Setiawan and Fine Ground celebrate the release of “Whiskey, Boys” and “Ships at Sea,” the first couple of singles from the band’s forthcoming debut album, Little Storms, due October 2 on Adhyaropa Records.
Written by songwriter Carolyn Kendrick, “Whiskey, Boys” draws from the tradition of folk riddle songs that describe their subject without naming it until the end. Setiawan says recording the song was a particularly meaningful experience.
“‘Whiskey, Boys’ is a song written by my good friend Carolyn Kendrick, and it was such a pleasure to record one of her songs. It’s her take on the folk song sub-genre of riddle songs. Riddle songs are about a specific thing, but for the most part don’t mention the subject of the song by name ’til the end of the song just like a riddle.”
The single offers a preview of the sound of Little Storms, which brings together Setiawan and Fine Ground’s highly accomplished lineup: BB Bowness on banjo, Alex Rubin on guitar, Julian Pinelli on fiddle and Brittany Karlson on bass. The musicians bring deep roots in contemporary bluegrass and acoustic music, with backgrounds that include Mile Twelve, The Goodbye Girls and FreshGrass competitions.
Setiawan, who grew up in Indiana before moving to Boston to study at Berklee, has established himself as a distinctive voice on mandolin, known for combining technical virtuosity with creativity and a contemporary musical sensibility.
