Marco Pignataro is a multi-talented saxophone player, composer and educator. Together with Danilo Perez, Marco currently leads the Berklee Global Jazz Institute (BGJI), the world premiere jazz center of musical creativity at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Previously, Pignataro was the director and cofounder of the Jazz and Caribbean Music Department and was the chair of the Jazz Saxophone Department at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico. Marco maintains a very active international schedule of concerts, recordings and clinics and he has shared stages with artists such as Eddie Gomez, Joanne Brackeen, Danilo Pérez, George Garzone, John Patitucci, Rufus Reid, Kenwood Dennard, Antonio Sanchez, Ben Street, Billy Drummond, Billy Hart, Victor Lewis, Clark Terry, and Jon Faddis, among others. Pignataro performs and tours internationally with several musical groups, including the Marco Pignataro Jazzet and the Eddie Gomez Quintet, which is featured in the widely acclaimed recent CD Per Sempre (BFM Records). His 2007 release CD "Sofia's Heart” was highly praised by the press and was produced by jazz legend Eddie Gomez and recorded with a all star group including Gomez and Billy Drummond. Marco Pignataro lasted recording “Almas Antigua” features a stellar band including Eddie Gomez on bass, Alan Pasqua on piano, Adam Cruz on drums, and George Garzone on tenor saxophone (on three tracks of the album). The music is evocative and powerful, blending modern jazz with shades of Mediterranean, folk & Latin influences and very lyrical melodies throughout the CD. Marco Pignataro is a D’Addario Woodwind Performing Artist and endorser for Applied Microphone Technology Wireless System and for Mauriat saxophones.