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, started to study double bass with Fernando Flores, composition with Pedro Rocha and 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, among others. 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, 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 Sassetti, Benny Lackner, Carlos Martins, Tomás Pimentel, Maria João, José Peixoto, Tommy Halferty, John Wadham, Luigi Waites, Jarmo Savolainen, Jim Leff, Ralph Peterson Jr., Paolo Fresu, Andy Sheppard, Peter Epstein, David Binney, Ralph Towner, among others. 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 performed outside Portugal for instance in Macau, Japan, France, Belgium, Norway…Has participated in some of Portugal..s most important music festivals. Mário Franco has also worked with the following singers and musicians: Uxia, Eugénia Melo e Castro, Vitorino, Fernando Tordo, Lura, Mário Pacheco, António Chaínho. He keeps working periodically with Pedro Caldeira Cabral, who explores the repertoire for Portuguese Guitar from XVI century until our days. Also composes for Dance and Theatre. Mário Franco is also a dancer from the National Ballet Company of Portugal since 1986. 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, and “Vent” for dancers Filipa Castro and Carlos Pinillos presented at XI International Ballet Festival of Miami. 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 was considered, by the American 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 National Ballet Company of Portugal (CNB). In December 2008 he composed the music of “Xirtam” a ballet by the choreographer Xavier Carmo for the company Quorum Ballet.