Since arriving in the U.S. in 1988, Martin Tillman has blurred the lines between genres and stretched the boundaries of contemporary cello music. Performing with artists like Better Than Ezra, Ted Hawkins, Chicago, Tracy Chapman, and Beck and as a member of two ensembles, Triptych and Axiom of Choice, Tillman has adapted the cello for a variety of styles of music.

His musical studies began in Europe and continued in the U.S. with cellist Lynn Harrell. He graduated from the University of Southern California in 1989 with a master's degree in Performance. After spending nearly a decade working with other artists, he began issuing projects of his own. In 1996 he recorded an ambient album in Switzerland entitled Lingo; he also has two collaborations with Michael Hoppe, The Poet and Afterglow. In 2000 Tillman made his major-label debut with a recording for Rounder, Eastern Twin, which also explored ambient textures with the cello. ~ Stacia Proefrock, Rovi