Marco Pignataro is a multi-talented saxophonist, composer, educator and jazz columnist. Marco's latest CD release "HOMESICK" (Cacao Musica) features original compositions and arrangements recorded with a stellar group formed by Eddie Gomez, Bill Drummond, Matt Marvuglio and Mark Kramer.

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, Luis Perico Ortiz 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 Italy the Hollywood Jazz Festival in Florida, the Panama Jazz Festival, the Heineken Jazz Festival in San Juan just to mention few, and in opening acts for artists such as Tito Puente, Maynard Ferguson, Poncho Sanchez and Amhad Jamal.

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 including Berklee College of Music, Chicago Columbia College, Siena Jazz Foundation, University of Panama, Panama Jazz Festival, University of Costa Rica, University of Puerto Rico, Universidad de las Artes in Caracas, among others.

Marco's column, Style & Influence, has been 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.

MARCO PIGNATARO is a CACAO MUSICA Recording Artist, Endorser for Mauriat saxophones , the Applied Microphone Technology Wireless System and a RICO Performing Artist .