He holds a BFA degree from CalArts where he majored in Composition and Piano performance. Cantrell is a self-taught master of the accordion, excelling at Balkan, Romani, Eastern European, and Klezmer styles. In recent years, Cantrell has performed and recorded with Tom Waits, Joanna Newsom, Beats Antique, Bono, Danny Elfman, members of the Klezmatics, and Fishbone. Cantrell’s broad ranging musical portfolio, including compositions for video games, cartoons, film, television, web broadcast, and self-produced albums can be heard on his website.