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Marco Pignataro
Marco Pignataro is an Italian multi-talented saxophone player, composer, educator, and program director based in Boston.
About Me
Marco Pignataro occupies a distinctive position at the intersection of contemporary jazz performance, intercultural musical exploration, and global music education. An Italian, Boston-based saxophonist and composer, he is a founding member of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute at Berklee College of Music, where his work has contributed to its international reach, mentoring artists from across the world while fostering dialogue between jazz traditions and diverse cultural identities.
As a recording artist and bandleader, Pignataro has released multiple albums that trace a clear artistic arc. His music is deeply lyrical and expressive, blending Mediterranean influences with contemporary jazz idioms. Rooted in melody and emotional depth, and informed by his Italian heritage and classical sensibility, his compositions and performances are marked by rich harmonic textures and evocative improvisation. Across his discography, he integrates American jazz language, European lyricism, and cross-cultural elements into a cohesive and personal voice.
He has performed and toured internationally with Eddie Gomez, Joe Lovano, Kenny Werner, Ron Carter, Joanne Brackeen, Terri Lyne Carrington, Alan Pasqua, Billy Hart, Lenny White, George Garzone, John Patitucci, and Adam Cruz. These collaborations span festivals, concert halls, recordings, and educational residencies throughout Europe, Latin America, and the United States.
Parallel to his performing career, Pignataro has mentored a new generation of jazz artists worldwide through masterclasses, global workshops, and institutional leadership. His pedagogical work emphasizes creativity, global awareness, and social responsibility, positioning jazz not only as an art form, but as a vehicle for cultural dialogue, critical reflection, human connection, and an ongoing spiritual search expressed through sound.
DISCOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
As a leader:
Chant for Our Planet (Zoho Music) Joe Lovano, Terri Lyne Carrington, John Patitucci, Chico Pinheiro, Nadia Washington, Anastasiya Petrova (Oct. 2022)
Awakening (Zoho Music) Kenny Werner, Nadia Washington, Devon Gates (Apr. 2022)
I Caught a Reflection of Me (video) Alan Pasqua (2021)
Passione - Canto Italiano (Livestream concert & video) John Patitucci, Alan Pasqua, Adam Cruz & Boston Symphony String Quartet (2020)
Farfallina (single & Berklee video) Luciana Souza, Kenny Werner, Giorgio Albanese, Eli Heat, Tyson Jackson (2020)
Almas Antiguas (Zoho Music) Eddie Gomez, Alan Pasqua, Adam Cruz and George Garzone- (4 stars and a half, voted amongst the best album of 2019 by Down Beat)
Sofia’s Heart (CD Baby) Eddie Gomez, Billy Drummond, Matt Marvuglio and Mark Kramer (2011)
As a sideman:
Puerto de Buenos Aires 1933 (Zoho Music): Guillermo Nojechowitz ”El Eco” featuring Brian Lynch, Kim Nazarian, Helio Alves, Fernando Huergo (2017)
Dania Tal Gamlieli Group featuring Avishai Cohen, Richie Barshay, Kevin Harris. (2017)
Omio (Omio Music World Records): Fidel Morales (2017)
Per Sempre (BFM Records) Eddie Gomez Quintet (2012)
Moving Waters (Correntezas) Hermanes Abreu Grupo (2012)
Taking Notes (BMG) FIU Big Band Featuring Arturo Sandoval (1997)
