Marco Antonio Santos

Marco Antonio Santos is a guitarist, arranger, composer, and music educator. Originally from Minas Gerais, Brazil, he is currently based in Austin, Texas. Throughout more than fifteen years as a professional musician, Santos has performed extensively in Brazil and the United States, navigating freely between jazz, funk, pop, and Brazilian music. His singular style blends traces from his multiple musical influences, ranging from Radiohead and Pat Metheny to Maria Schneider and Brazilian legend Milton Nascimento. As a performer, arranger, and composer, Santos has recorded and toured with acclaimed artists from across the globe, including Grammy-nominated Brazilian drummer Nenê, Brazilian vocalists Di Melo and Hilda Maria, Brazilian jazz group Katchie Cartwright Trio, and Austin-based elite big band CWBB. Behind the scenes, he has been producer and musical director on several albums, including Hilda Maria's Feita de Rendas and Realinhando by Selía Nask. Santos holds a doctorate in jazz composition and a master of music degree in jazz performance from The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin). He was a member of UT Austin's elite jazz ensemble, A.I.M.E., in 2017, when it won Downbeat Magazine's Award for Best College Jazz Ensemble, performing several of his works. In 2022, he became chair of the guitar panel at the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), where he has been a member of the jury since 2021.