MP EXPERIENCE
ABOUT
Marco Pieri, born in 1966, picked up musical instruments very early thanks to his father and his love for the Beatles (we are in 1973/74).
He plays bass, harmonica, and guitar, and had his first live experience at age 11 with a quintet where his brother (Max Pieri) also played, performing original songs and covers of Neil Young.
He spent his adolescence playing with various local bands in Cremona.
After turning twenty, he left the conventional job market to fully dedicate himself to studying music, earning a living by playing in dance orchestras and gaining studio and stage experience.
In 1995, he worked aboard Costa Cruises, playing (and studying) throughout the year while traveling the Mediterranean.
Before the 2000s:
- He toured with Gene Gnocchi in the theatrical shows “Questa struttura è suscettibile di modifiche” and “Jhonny Rockstar”.
- He worked for Alberto Radius on the Saturday night TV show “Il Boom” on Canale 5, featuring Teocoli, Ventura, and other TV stars.
- He collaborated with Maurizio Lauzi and recorded an album with the Guitar Club Band, a project by Alberto Radius.
- He worked for director Jim Graziano Maglia on theatrical shows for two seasons as a musician and composer.
- He collaborated with Giorgio Conte in the recording studio.
- He recorded with Dik Dik and collaborated with Cristiano De André for an evening in Cremona.
- He taught music at various schools and courses in northern Italy.
- He recorded his first album under the name Travel Companion with DEA Records and UNIVERSAL. The piece “Seasons” from this album was featured in the romantic comedy film “Love Concerto” across Asia and has nearly two million listens on Spotify.
In 2002, with guitarists Jacopo Delfini and Lorenzo Colace, he formed The Beatles Acoustic Trio, releasing their first album the same year with DEA Records.
The album was distributed in Thailand and Indonesia and sold in Feltrinelli bookstores.
Their YouTube channel videos have hundreds of thousands of views and comments, and the album is available on major digital stores like Spotify, Amazon, iTunes, etc.
Their project is very popular. In 2018, they released a second album “Across the Beatles” with DEA Records, featuring 16 tracks, available in digital stores and as physical copies.
In 2003, he composed works for trios and quartets with a classical influence (for flute, guitar, violin, and percussion) and was invited to play in Perugia at the “Perugia Classico” event at Rocca Paolina, receiving praise from the cultural commissioner of Perugia.
He formed the Marco Pieri Quartet with Roberto Boccasavia on piano (whom he collaborated with for many years in various groups), Max Pieri on drums, and Bruno Bonarrigo on double bass.
They toured northern Italy with their jazz repertoire, influenced by his accumulated experiences.
In 2008/2009, he independently recorded an album titled “Passing” inspired by the “Methenian” style, which he was greatly influenced by.
This album was distributed by DEA Records starting in 2017 under the name Travel Companion.
For the same label, he produced two more albums in 2018 in the same style: “Songs from the Past” and “Travel By Night“, along with a reissue of an album recorded with his brother Max Pieri on drums under the project CROMAX, titled “Differences“
DEA Records released Marco Pieri and Travel Companion’s music on major digital platforms like Apple and Spotify, reaching 4 million listens in 2017. In 2008, he collaborated with drummer Alfredo DeVincentiis, leading to the recording of the album “SoundOnly“.
In 2009/2010, he and his brother Max (with whom he has been playing his whole life) experimented and improvised in the studio, creating the project CROMAX (an anagram of their names) and recorded their first album “A Life Behind“, which received favorable reviews and marked a compositional turning point for the guitarist.
The second album “Differences” was recorded in 2011/12 with the same improvisational approach, later arranged with overdubbing.
In 2013/14, he collaborated with Philip Hamilton (Pat Metheny, J.Cage, etc.) on an Italian tour, always alongside his brother Max and singer Gio Moretti.
From 2015/16, he played and composed for his new quartet (Davide Bussoleni on drums, Loris Leo Lari on bass, Giovanni Gosi on electric guitar and effects), exploring new timbres and moods.
The presence of two electric guitars created new sound textures, culminating in the album “Loop Survival“, recorded in 2018 and later released by DEA Records through MPExperience, a channel associated with the artist’s personal work.
Since 2017, he has been working and collaborating full-time with DEA Records by Salvatore Marletta, under his own name and the pseudonym “Travel Companion“, composing for various commercial and functional musical genres, achieving millions of listens worldwide.
Musical studies
Marco Pieri embarked on his musical journey at a young age, initially as a self-taught musician. He received early guidance from his father’s friends and spent a few years studying with Nino Donzelli.
His serious musical education commenced in 1988/89 under the tutelage of guitarist Dario Faiella and subsequently Roberto Cecchetto, who played a significant role in stimulating and inspiring him. Pieri’s exploration of jazz techniques and concepts deepened over time, leading to new compositional ideas.
From 1990 onwards, Pieri participated in seminars and clinics with renowned musicians who greatly influenced his musical development.
These included guitarists such as Pietro Nobile, Scott Henderson, Mick Goodrick, Pat Metheny, Allan Holdsworth, John Scofield, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and Pat Martino. His engagement extended beyond guitarists to include musicians like Eddie Gomez, Antonio Sanchez, Rick Margitza, and Dave Liebman.
Pieri’s formal education in music theory and solfeggio was under the guidance of maestro Adelmo Mafezzoni, culminating in passing the exam at the Nicolini Conservatory in Piacenza.
He furthered his studies in contemporary jazz harmony with Fabio Jegher, Mick Goodrick, and Scott Henderson.
Despite his extensive education and diverse influences, Pieri’s commitment to musical study remains unwavering. He dedicates himself full-time to his own compositions, which constitute the primary focus and ultimate objective of his work.