Mário Franco
Mário Franco (born 20 October 1965 in Lisbon, Portugal) is a dancer, double bass player and a composer. Studies. Mário Franco started music lessons at the age of 4 in Centro de Estudos Gregorianos and continued his studies in , and where he started double bass lessons with Fernando Flores, and composition with Pedro Rocha as well as studying chamber music. He studied bass guitar with António Ferro, Double Bass with David Gausden in Escola de Jazz do ; and took part in workshops with Rufus Reid, Niels Henning Orsted Pederson, Eberhard Weber. In 1986-87, he attended double-bass  courses given by Ludwig Streicher in Estoril and in 1988 won 1st prize in the Prémio Jovens Musicos (Young Musicians Competition); later became a member of Orquestra Sinfonica Juvenil where he worked on classical repertory with conductor Christopher Bochmann. Performing. Since 1984, he has played jazz and improvised music in Portugal and abroad with musicians such as António Pinho Vargas, Mário Laginha, João Paulo Esteves de Silva, Bernardo Sassetti, Carlos Martins, Tomás Pimentel, José Peixoto, Jarmo Savolainen, Jim Leff, Ralph Peterson Jr., Paolo Fresu, Andy Sheppard, Peter Epstein and Ralph Towner. In 1990, he presented his first project based on  original compositions and was awarded 1st prize for his group and 2nd prize for composition in the competition “A Juventude e a Musica” (Young People and Music). He has performed outside Portugal: in Macau, Japan, Spain, France, Belgium and Norway and has participated in some of Portugal's music festivals such as: Composing and dancing. Also composes for Dance and Theatre. Mário Franco is also a dancer from the National Ballet Company of Portugal (CNB) since 1986. Recordings. As a Side Musician: (Selected CDs): António Pinho Vargas Quintet and Carlos Martins Quartet: Lisboa em Jazz (CML Pelouro Cultura, 1991); João  Paulo Esteves da Silva Quartet: Serra sem Fim (Farol Música, 1993); Tomás Pimentel Septet: Descolagem (El Tatu, 1994); Luz Destino (M.A Recordings, 1996); José Peixoto: O Que Me Diz o Espelho d’água (Farol Música, 2000);José Peixoto: A Tempo (A Capella, 2001); José Peixoto: Aceno, featuring Ralph Towner (Zona Música, 2003). As a Leader: ”This Life” Mario Franco Quintet with David Binney (Tone of a Pitch Records, 2006)