About Me
ABOUT MARCO PIGNATARO...Marco Pignataro is a multi-talented saxophonist, composer, educator and jazz columnist. A native of Bologna, Italy, Marco Pignataro performed extensively across Europe and the Americas in numerous international music venues, sharing stages and clinics with artists such as Eddie Gomez, Oscar Stagnaro, Danilo Perez, Arturo Sandoval, Ray Vega, Paquito D’Rivera, Clark Terry, Billy Hart, Jon Faddis and many others. Pignataro was also featured in numerous festivals such as the Jazz Improv Conference in New York, the IAJE Jazz Conferences in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, the Alma Jazz Festival in Bologna, the Hollywood Jazz Festival in Florida just to mention few, and in opening acts for artists such as Tito Puente, Maynard Ferguson and Poncho Sanchez.Currently, Marco Pignataro is Director of the Jazz and Caribbean Music Department and Jazz Saxophone Chair at Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, where he developed the jazz saxophone curriculum, founded and directs the CMPR Jazz Faculty Ensemble and co-founded the Bachelor of Music in Jazz & Caribbean Music Studies. As a dedicated music educator, Marco also participates as jazz faculty at the University of Veracruz Internationals Summer Jazz Seminars and held jazz clinics and master classes at institutions such as Berklee College of Music, Chicago Columbia College, Siena Jazz Foundation, University of Panama, Panama Jazz Festival, University of Costa Rica, University of Puerto Rico and many more.
Marco’s column, Style & Influence, is regularly featured in the quarterly magazine Jazz Improv. As a reviewer and columnist, Marco has also conducted interviews with artists such as Branford Marsalis, Jerry Bergonzi , Danilo Perez, David Sánchez and Miguel Zenón.
Marco Pignataro was elected as an IAJE Executive Board Member of the International Association of Jazz Educators where he served as IAJE Latin America Representative and Founder and President of the IAJE Chapter of Puerto Rico.The latest Marco Pignataro/Eddie Gomez’ CD release “HOMESICK†features Marco’s compositions and arrangements recorded with a stellar group formed by Eddie Gomez, Bill Drummond, Matt Marvuglio and Mark Kramer.MARCO PIGNATARO is a RICO Performing Artist, Endorser for Mauriat saxophones and for the Applied Microphone Technology Wireless System.FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT www.marcopignataro.com
