Ethan Setiawan & Fine Ground Release Debut Album Little Storms October 2

Boston-based bluegrass quintet Ethan Setiawan & Fine Ground will release their debut album, Little Storms, on October 2, 2026 via Adhyaropa Records. The group blends deep bluegrass traditions with a thoughtful, contemporary acoustic sound.

Three singles will arrive ahead of the album: “Whiskey, Boys” on August 24, “Ships At Sea” on September 7, and “The Clover Saloon” on September 21.

Led by award-winning mandolinist and vocalist Ethan Setiawan, Fine Ground brings together some of the Northeast bluegrass scene’s most accomplished young musicians: BB Bowness on banjo and tenor vocals, Julian Pinelli on fiddle, Alex Rubin on guitar and baritone vocals, and Brittany Karlson on bass and tenor vocals. Together, the quintet creates music that is deeply rooted in traditional bluegrass while adding adventurous songs and fresh original compositions.

Setiawan has been described as “creative and virtuosic” by WBUR Boston and “one of the most formidable mandolinists of his generation” by The Bluegrass Situation. He is a two-time championship winner, having earned both the National Mandolin Championship and RockyGrass Mandolin Championship. His eclectic musical career has encompassed traditional bluegrass, Scottish folk, classical music, jazz and original instrumental composition. Fine Ground, however, grew from a desire to return to the music that first inspired him.

Little Storms combines Setiawan’s original compositions with songs by contemporary and influential folk artists. The album’s three focus tracks offer a glimpse into that range. “Whiskey, Boys,” written by Setiawan’s longtime friend and songwriter Carolyn Kendrick, takes inspiration from the folk tradition of riddle songs, in which the subject is revealed only at the end. “Ships At Sea,” written by Toronto-based band Basset, brings an evocative, atmospheric waltz to the album. “The Clover Saloon,” written by enigmatic songwriter Connie Converse, is a rambunctious bluegrass treatment of a tale of a cowpoke down on his luck.

Recorded at Dimension Sound Studios in Boston, Little Storms was captured live in the room, reflecting the way Fine Ground naturally makes music together by listening, responding and connecting through the songs.

Little Storms was produced and mixed by Setiawan, engineered by Dan Cardinal at Dimension Sound Studios, and mastered by Dave Glasser at Airshow Mastering.

Following the album’s release, Ethan Setiawan & Fine Ground will embark on a series of Northeast and Midwest performances, including an October 2 album release show at Club Passim in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Ethan Setiawan & Fine Ground Fall Tour Dates

October 1 — The Granite — Redding, CT
October 2 — Club Passim — Cambridge, MA
October 3 — Blasty Bough Brewing Company — Epsom, NH
October 4 — Cultural Center of Cape Cod — Yarmouth, MA
October 9 — Auburn Public Theater — Auburn, NY
October 10 — Adirondack Americana — Brant Lake, NY
October 11 — One Longfellow Square — Portland, ME
December 3 — McMillan Memorial Library — Wisconsin Rapids, WI
December 4 — Sugar Maple Concert Series — Madison, WI
December 5 — Ignition Music Garage — Goshen, IN
December 6 — Anodyne Coffee Roasting Company — Milwaukee, WI

For more information: https://www.ethansetiawan.com