Marco Tulio

Brazilian guitarist MARCO TÚLIO was born in February 27, 1964 in Cuiabá (capital of the state of Mato Grosso) and was raised in Brasília (capital of Brazil). Marco is a graduate (1984) of Seminários de Música Pró-Arte, a prestigious music school in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). He studied with Maestro Carlos Alberto Figueiredo, guitarists Luiz Felipe Oiticica and Celso Mendes. In Rio he also studied Harmony & Arranging with Sergio Benevenuto.
Since 1984 Marco Túlio has been working as a professional guitar player and music teacher. He was the leader and/or co-leader of many instrumental bands from Brazil such as: "QUARTO DE JAZZ", "SEXTO ANDAR", "QUARTETO WABASH" and "MARCO TÚLIO TRIO". During that time Marco had the privilege to work with great brazilian musicians such as Erivelton Silva, Paulo Marques, Andre Vasconcellos, Romulo Duarte, Genil de Castro, Oswaldo Amorim, Nema Antunes, Moisés Alves ("Paraibach"), Eduardo Brito, Mac William, among others. He also played with the legendary brazilian bass player Paulo Russo.
In 1990 he came to Los Angeles for the first time, to study at MUSICIANS INSTITUTE. He studied with guitarists Joe Diorio, Scott Henderson, Sid Jacobs, Norman Brown and with pianist/composer Carl Schroeder. After graduating with "Honors" from MI he went back to Brazil and opened a music school (MUSIC MAKERS) with guitarist Eduardo Brito and pianist Luciana Botafogo. There he taught GUITAR, HARMONY & IMPROVISATION. During that period he had the opportunity to organize workshops at his school with great american guitarists PAT METHENY and JOE DIORIO.
In 1997 Marco Tulio got the "VIRTUOSI AWARD" from the Ministry of Culture of Brazil. At the end of that year he moved to Los Angeles, where he's been living since then. In 2003 he wrote the theme song for the TV Talk Show "New Life". As a member of the band Klezmer Juice Marco recorded one song for the soundtrack of the movie "The Wedding Crashers" (Directed by David Dobkin for "New Line Cinema") - released in July, 2005, starring Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn and Christopher Walken. Marco and the group also appeared in a scene in the movie.
In April, 2007 the Marco Tulio Trio opened for pop singer Sheryl Crow at an event for Mastercard.
Marco has performed and/or recorded with great musicians such as pop star Thalia, Richie "Gajate" Garcia, Paulo Russo, Jose Marino, Guillermo Guzman, Antonio Santanna, Bob Feldman, Rique Pantoja, Irene, Linnea Ross, Roger Espinoza, Frank Zottoli, Mike Rivera, Larry Rousseve, Mark Gutierrez, Mitchell Long, Kamal Kozah, Kimera, Flavia de Mello, Gustavo Bulgach, Joselyn Wilkinson, Javelyn, Katia Moraes, Nayzeth, Ana Gazzola, Sonia Santos, the group Brasil Brazil, Diana Moreira Booker, Victor Serraldi, Patty Stirling, Marta Santamaria, Renni Flores, Christopher Clark, Ron Javorsky, among others.
He had also played on many private events for celebrities such as JANET JACKSON, BILL CLINTON, HILARY CLINTON, ARNOLD SCHWARTZNEGER, OSCAR DE LA RENTA, and MAGIC JOHNSON. With guitarist Roger Espinoza Marco Tulio played at the event celebrating the final episode of the hit TV Show "WILL & GRACE". He had also played on venues such as 46th ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS, Ford Amphitheatre, Spaghettini Jazz Club, Neiman Marcus, Spazio, Rocco's, Jax, Club 705, La Ve Lee, Opera House Theatre (Napa Valley), Granita, Twin Palms, Café Med, Bamboo, Coppacabana, Farfalla, Leblon, Temple Bar, Lush, Sangria, to name a few.
In 2001 he released his first CD as a leader in the US called "Eleven Bridges" with all original compositions, featuring: keyboardist Rique Pantoja, saxophonist George Shelby, flute player Darryl Richards, bassists Ernest Tibbs and Antonio de Santanna, drummers Tim McIntyre and Mike Shapiro, percussionist Cassio Duarte.