While playing with Brian for a total of two years, Mario had also joined a Top-40 group at the same time and became the musical director. After Brian announced he was moving to L.A. Mario decided to further his music education and enrolled on full scholarship at Arizona State University under the direction of Chuck Marohnic. This led Mario to play with Joe Labarbera, famed drummer with Tony Benet and Bill Evans. Other musicians included Phil Woods, Tom Harrell, and Dave Liebman to name a few. The Top-40 group then landed an engagement at Trumps Castle in Atlantic City. Here he would be exposed to musicians from NYC, D.C., Philly and the world. Musicians took notice of Mario and he was often asked to sit in with their groups, something that continues till this day. That continued for 4 years on the east coast. The band would then tour around the globe for another 6 years. The last part of Mario’s 11 year tenure in the group was in Hong Kong playing at the Four Season’s Regent Hotel for a 10 month stay.

Back home he would get the opportunity to play and record with a cast of musicians the likes of: The Four Tops, Glen Campbell, Sam Moore, Denise Williams, Nelson Rangell, Marion Meadows, Ray Obiedo, Sister Sledge, Emilio Castillo (Tower Of Power), Israel, Tom Booth, Jeff Kashiwa, David Samuels, Mel Martin, Steve Oliver, Claudio Sloan, Walfredo Reyes Sr., Joe Diorio, John Stowell , Sonia Santos and many more......

Mario also co-founded the group Shining Star with vocalist Jodi Light.The group has become popular in Las Vegas and is the in-demand group for corporate events locally and nationally.