Aretha Tillotson is a Canadian bassist, band leader and composer. As passionate lover of improvised music, Aretha has played across North America with Kris Davis, Francesca Remigi, Allan Chase, and Josh Rosen. In 2023, she toured as a member of the Ingrid and Christine Jensen quintet. She released her debut album Introducing Aretha Tillotson (Bent River Records), and in 2024, she won a Western Canadian Music Award for Jazz Artist of the Year. The record was composed by interviewing intersectional women across arts disciplines about their experiences in arts institutions as part of Aretha's masters thesis, and features Allison Au. 

Her second album as a band leader, Kinda Out West will feature Ingrid and Christine Jensen and Dave Laing, releasing November 1 2025.

 As a session musician, Aretha has toured with Universal artist Mick Flannery and worked as a touring/resident bassist on the Broadway rendition of SIX. She continued her work with SIX in 2024 as the bassist for Mirvish Theatre’s residency in Toronto. 

Aretha was honoured to receive a presidential scholarship in 2020 to attend Berklee's Global Jazz Masters program, receiving an individual mentorship with John Patitucci, and studying with Linda May Han Oh, Joe Lovano, and Danilo Perez. She earned a Masters of Music in 2022.  Aretha is a faculty member at MacEwan University, teaching bass and theory, and Berklee College, teaching bass and ear training.