Marco Pignataro (Director Global Jazz Institute Berklee College) Italian saxophonist Marco Pignataro  has performed extensively across Europe and the Americas in jazz festivals and international music venues in Milan, Bologna, Siena, Berlin, New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Panama, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, sharing stages and clinics with artists such as Eddie Gomez, Joanne Brackeen, Danilo Perez, George Garzone, John Patitucci , Kenwood Dennard, Rufus Reid, Antonio Sanchez, Ben Street, Billy Drummond, Billy Hart, Billy Drummond, Arturo Sandoval, Ray Vega, Oscar Stagnaro, Clark Terry and Jon Faddis, among others.  [br] [br] The latest Marco Pignataro CD release “Sofia’s Heart” was produced by jazz legend Eddie Gomez and features Marco’s compositions and arrangements. “Sofia’s Heart” was recorded in Philadelphia with a stellar group formed by Eddie Gomez, Bill Drummond, Matt Marvuglio and Mark Kramer. [br] [br] A native of Bologna, Italy, he studied classical music at the Bruno Maderna Conservatory of Music and jazz at the University of Miami and Florida International University, as well as with jazz artists and educators such as Steve Grossman, Gary Campbell, Ed Calle, Gary Keller, Ron Miller, Vince Maggio, Mike Orta, Renato D’Aiello, and  Richard Dunscomb. [br] [br] Marco is currently the Managing Director of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute (BGJI) a new program designed to foster creativity and musicianship through a variety of musical disciplines. Together with Danilo Perez as Artistic Director, Marco leads the BGJI as a center of musical creativity that emphasizes personalized goal-setting and directed study, experiential and service learning with a special emphasis on nature and the environment, business acumen, and intensive access to world-class visiting artists.[br] [br]