Us Austinites love to brag about living in the “Live Music Capital of the World”. But that moniker’s not just a matter of venue multiplicity; no, there’s something about our city limits that not only creates a gravitational pull, but also dips newcomers right into a fast-acting melting pot.Case in point? Ethan Azarian, a Vermont-raised singer-songwriter-painter who moved down here in the late ’80s shortly before founding a quickly-beloved local institution, The Orange Mothers. Well, outside of the Mothers, Azarian’s also an accomplished solo folk/pop artist, and on top of raising Blue Cow Studios from the ground up and more recently spearheading the Songwriter’s Happy Hour at Hole in the Wall, two decades after the release of his solo introduction Captain of the Town, Ethan’s still going strong.As a matter of fact, just in time for this big freeze, Ethan Azarian’s offering up a much-welcomed change of scenery with his latest full-length Hawaii. Featuring not just the album artwork of Ethan’s son Francis but some really tasteful piano and organ as well, Hawaii is a gorgeous, sans-percussion folk family affair. And you can see the father-son chemistry live at a free show 7PM this Saturday at the Cactus Cafe with fellow Hawaii contributors Lindsey Verrill, Jeff Johnston, and special guest Amy Annelle. By then we’ll have warmed up just enough to want to get out, thanks in no small part to Hawaii‘s title track. Despite its beautifully-barren, wintry arrangement, the lyrics that carry “Hawaii” paint a transportive tropical portrait of volcanos, green waters, and enveloping island voices.
Ethan Azarian
Ethan Azarian: “Zebras”
Though he got his start way up in Vermont, singer/painter Ethan Azarian‘s been flourishing in Austin for the past three decades, beginning with his early-’90s project The Orange Mothers with longtime collaborator Jeff Johnston. This seasoned banjo-playing vocalist hasn’t felt the need to shy away from evergreen themes of folk songwriting, instead tapping into what makes people tick and exploring those elements in his own unique way.
This Friday Ethan Azarian shares his latest endeavor, On The Fringe, and celebrates with a release show this Saturday evening at Wyldwood House Concerts alongside his pals Lindsey Verrill, Jeff Johnston, and Little Mazarn. So while we’re still on the cusp of On The Fringe‘s arrival, we can earn some stripes early with one of the record’s previous unheard but strongest offerings, “Zebras”!