Biography
Marcello Cardillo is an Italian drummer, composer and educator from Naples, currently based in New York City. His career has developed across Italy, the Netherlands and the United States, leading him to perform at renowned venues and collaborate with distinguished musicians from different generations of the international jazz community.
Inspired by watching his father play, Cardillo began playing drums at the age of five. By fourteen, he was already performing with established musicians in Naples and soon began working throughout Italy, receiving national and international recognition while still in his teens.
At eighteen, he moved to the Netherlands to study at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where he earned his Bachelor's and first Master's degrees. During his years in Amsterdam, he performed with artists including John Clayton, Wycliffe Gordon, Bob Mintzer, Vince Mendoza, Jesse van Ruller, Riccardo Del Fra, Alex Sipiagin, Justin DiCioccio and Ben van Gelder.
In 2019, Cardillo spent a semester at The New School in New York as an exchange student, studying with Reggie Workman, Charles Tolliver, Andrew Cyrille and Rodney Green. He returned to the city in 2020 after receiving a scholarship to attend the Manhattan School of Music. There, he completed his second Master's degree and studied with Kendrick Scott, John Riley, Miguel Zenón, Buster Williams and Dayna Stephens.
Cardillo has since become an active presence in New York City's jazz scene, performing regularly at venues including Smalls, Dizzy's, The Django, Nublu, Café Bohemia and Minton's Playhouse. His collaborations include Steve Wilson, Stacy Dillard, Logan Richardson, Jaleel Shaw, Troy Roberts and Fabrizio Bosso.
Among his most significant collaborations is his work with legendary bassist Buster Williams. Cardillo performed with Williams' ensemble Something More and later recorded the album Portrait of a Moment alongside pianist Tommaso Perazzo. The project was followed by an Italian tour in 2025.
His achievements include the DownBeat College Award, the Bucharest International Jazz Competition, the Keep an Eye International Jazz Competition and Barga Jazz.
Drawing from his experiences on both sides of the Atlantic, Cardillo continues to develop his own artistic voice as a drummer, composer and bandleader. He currently records, teaches and performs in New York City and internationally.