Aretha Tillotson Quartet

Fierce, feisty and fabulous: that’s the music of bassist, bandleader
and composer, Aretha Tillotson. A rising star on the Canadian
scene, Tillotson earned a JUNO nomination in 2025 for her second
album, “Kinda Out West”, a collection of original tunes that carries
forward the tradition of the cordless quartet established by Sonny
Rollins and Ornette Coleman:
“Kinda Out West presents modern compositions that bear the mark
of deep admiration for old-fashioned ideas. Aretha Tillotson takes
on the tricky task of fusing those two ends of the jazz spectrum with
freshness and fire.” (UK Jazz Journal).

Tillotson has shared the stage with outstanding artists such as Kris
Davis and Ingrid and Christine Jensen and is the recipient of a
Western Canadian Music Award for Jazz Artist of the Year (2024)
and a presidential scholarship to Berklee’s prestigious Global Jazz
Program. In addition to her work in jazz, Tillotson often rocks the
electric bass in musicals such as “SIX” , “The Ballad of Johnnie and
June” and “Come from Away.”

Join us for a high-flying musical conversation with the Aretha
Tillotson Quartet! Tillotson will be joined by Feven Kidane on trumpet, Daive Laing on drums and Donny Kennedy on alto sax.