Mário Franco started music lessons at the age of 4 in Centro de Estudos Gregorianos. After one year in Lisbon Conservatory where he studied harp, singing and music theory he went on to Academia de Amadores de Música, where he continued his studies in music theory with Cristina Brito da Cruz, and started double bass lessons with Fernando Flores, and composition with Pedro Rocha as well as studying chamber music.
He subsequently became interested in jazz. and became a member of the Lisbon Hot Club. After having bass guitar lessons with António Ferro he began taking Double bass lessons with David Gausden and playing in jam sessions; also took part in workshops with Rufus Reid, Niels Henning, Orsted Pederson, Eberhard Weber, etc.
In 1986-87 attended double-bass courses given by Ludwig Streicher in Estoril and in 1988 won 1st prize in the Prémio Jovens Músicos (Young Musicians Competition); later became a member of Orquestra Sinfónica Juvenil where he worked on classical repertory with conductor Christopher Bochmann.
Also worked with conductors Silva Pereira, Miguel Graça Moura, Alberto Nunes, Roberto Perez and Michel Swierczewski.
As from 1984 plays jazz and improvised music in Portugal and abroad with musicians such as António Pinho Vargas, Mário Laginha, João Paulo Esteves de Silva, Bernardo Sasseti, Benny Lackner; Carlo Morena, Luis Barrigas, Luis Figueiredo, Dan Hewson Carlos Martins, Tomás Pimentel, Maria João, Luigi Waites, Louis Stewart, Tommy Halferty, John Wadham, Zlatko Kaucic, Peter Guidi, Sérgio Pelágio, António Pinto, José Peixoto, Desidério Lázaro, Jarmo Savolainen, Markku Ounaskari, Jim Leff, Ralph Peterson, Jr., Paolo Fresu, Daniel Erdmann, Julian Argüelles, Andy Sheppard, Myra Melford, Jon Irabagon, David Binney, Peter Epstein, Ralph Towner, among others.
Appeared on TV and played live radio broadcasts in Portugal.
In 1990 presented his first project based on original compositions; was awarded 1st prize for his group and 2nd prize for composition in the competition“ A Juventude e a Música“ (Young People and Music).
Has an entry of his own in a book by musicologist Jorge Lima Barreto, “Musa Lusa”, Hugin 1997, Lisboa.
Is mentioned for his work with Tomás Pimentel in the bilingual quarterly journal “The Role of Jazz” written by José Duarte, edited by Edições Cotovia, Lda. Lisboa, 1998.
Has performed outside Portugal, for instance in Macau, Japan, Spain, Italy, France, Belgium, Norway, Brazil, Russia… Has participated in some of Portugal's most important music festivals such as:
Festival de Música dos Capuchos 1985; Jazz na Cidade 88, 90; 5 ª Jornadas Internacionais da Oficina Musical 90; Lisboa em Jazz 90; Encontros de Jazz do Algarve 91; 16º Encontros Gulbenkian de Música Contemporânea 92 (Fundação Gulbenkian); 3º Festival de Jazz Europeu no Porto 93; Jazz no Parque, 3ª edição (Fundação Serralves) 95; Festas de Lisboa 95, 96; Festa do Avante 90, 94, 96; Seixal Jazz Festival in 98, 05; Festival Internacional de Jazz de Faro in 99 “Jazz no Inverno”; Musicalidades 01; Jazz em Agosto (Gulbenkian Foundation) 87, 88, 90, 95 and 05; in 3º and 5º Maio Jazz Almodovar 05, 07; Festival de Jazz de Estremoz 06, 08; International Film Festival IndieLisboa 07; 10º Festival de Jazz de Valado de Frades 07; 11º Matosinhos em Jazz 07; 1ºFestival de Jazz de Sines 07; Festival Y#5; 1º Ciclo de concertos “ O Som das Musas” Vila Flor 07; 2º Festival Internacional de Palmela 07; Mudas Jazz Sessions (Madeira) 08; Jazz às 5 as CCB 08; 1ª Feira de Artes Performativas de Tavira 08, 10; Festival Internacional de Marionetas 08; Festival Internacional de Música dos Açores 09; 6º Festival Terras sem Sombra 2010; Festival Jazz.pt 08; 10; Portugal Jazz 07, 09, 10; Ciclos de Jazz (Quinta da Regaleira) 11, 12 e 13; Jazz no Palácio 10; 4ª e 10ª Festa do Jazz 06 and 2012; 31 Festival Música Em Leiria 13; 1º Festival Sintoma Records 2013…
Since 1987 he keeps working periodically with Pedro Caldeira Cabral, who explores the repertoire for Portuguese Guitar from the XVI century until our days.
He also played with the Portuguese guitar players António Chaínho, Miguel Amaral, Luís Guerreiro and the acoustic guitar player Diogo Clemente.
Mário Franco has worked also with the following singers: Sérgio Godinho, Uxia, Eugénia Melo e Castro, Filipa Pais, Vitorino, Fernando Tordo, Lura, Vânia Fernandes, Sofia Vitória, Carminho, Camané among others
Also composes for Dance and Theatre.
His most important works are “Nine Dancers Facing a Mirror” with choreographer David Fielding (1999).
”Frida Khalo”* staged by Nuno Carinhas for “Cão Solteiro” theater company (1999). “Para a Mónica” with musicians Bernardo Sassetti, Mário Delgado, André Sousa Machado, José Peixoto and Filipa Pais. (2002), a project composed and recorded as a tribute to choreographer Mónica Lapa.
“Nocturno Delirante”* also staged by Nuno Carinhas for “Cão Solteiro” theather company (2004). *Both ”Frida Khalo” and “Nocturno Delirante” were considered by the critics to be in the top 10 best performances of their respective years.
In 2006 created two new pieces for Dance: “Bern nº49, Kramgasse” for choreographer Claúdia Nóvoa. “Vent” for dancers Filipa Castro and Carlos Pinillos was presented at XI International Ballet Festival of Miami. This ballet continues to be performed in famous Galas in Germany, Russia and USA among others countries, and has more performances scheduled for 2014. He wrote some arrangements for the portuguese Heavy Metal group Alkateya for their album “Lycantrophy”. In the same year Tone of a Pitch Records edited his first CD as a leader, “This Life”, with Jesse Chandler, André Fernandes, João Lencastre, João Gomes and includes NY based David Binney. This recording, consisting entirely of original compositions, was considered, by theAmerican magazine All About Jazz, one of the best CDs of 2006, as well as by the Portuguese newspapers Expresso, Público and the bimonthly magazine Jazz.pt. A group of national critics, in the JazzLogical site voted it the second best CD of that year.
2008 started with the recording of another piece for choreographer Claúdia Nóvoa “Olhos de Areia” presented at CCB (Centro Cultural de Belém) in January. In the same year he also worked as a dancer, musician and composer in the ballet “Come Together” by the choreographer Rui Horta for the National Ballet Company of Portugal (CNB). In December 2008 he composed the music of “Xirtam” a ballet by choreographer Xavier Carmo for the Quorum Ballet company.
In 2009 starts his collaboration with the Early and Contemporary Music Consort “Sete Lágrimas”. In the same year he starts a new piece for portuguese choreographer Alina Lagoas. He continues his collaboration with several projects as a sideman and he starts his new musical project as a leader with Julian Argüelles, Sérgio Pelágio, João Paulo and Alexandre Frazão.
In 2010 starts his new project “Lux Perpetua” a project where he uses the freedom of the Jazz language to explore different musical contexts and aesthetics. In the same year he was invited by famous Portuguese stage director Ricardo Pais to participate in “Sombras“ choreographed by Paulo Ribeiro; in this performance, which has been presented in Portugal and France (Theâtre de la Ville), he danced and also played music by Mário Laginha. He starts a new project “Cine Qua Non” as co-leader with Paula Sousa, João Paulo Esteves da Silva and Afonso Pais. As a sideman he continues working in Desidério Lázaro Trio with Luis Candeias. With Luis Barrigas Trio won 1st prize in the Prémio Luis Villas Boas 2010 edition. He appeared on TV talk Show Bairro Alto.
In 2011 composed a piece for vibraphone solo for “Dó Ré Mi” a project involving dance and music for children aged 0 – 3 with choreographer Fernando Duarte. Also continued his activity as a sideman with artists like Myra Melford and recorded with singers Sofia Vitória, José Manuel Barretto and Carminho.
In 2012 he continued touring with “Sombras“ to Brazil (São Paulo and Santos) and with Sete Lágrimas he participated in some of the best European music festivals, like W. A. Mozart Festival in Rovereto (Italy), Festival de Sablé (France), Gent Festival of Flanders.
In 2013 with “Sombras“ participated as a dancer and musician in the famous russian festival (Chekhov International Theatre Festival - Program 2013). “Our Door” is Mário Franco’s new album for TOAP Records as a leader, recorded in 2013 and includes Sérgio Pelágio (guitar) and André Sousa Machado (drums).
He composes for Dance and Theatre, and since 2013 also for Cinema (“A Palestra” by director Bruno de Almeida).
Mário Franco is also a dancer from the National Ballet Company of Portugal since 1986 where he started his professional activity first as an apprentice then was promoted progressively to corps de ballet, demi-soliste and is currently a principal dancer since 1995.
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