 Through his own instincts, tenacity and raw talent, Mariano formed amateur instrumental and vocal groups, when TV Record in São Paulo invited him for a special called "Passport to Stardom" (Passaporte para o Estrelato).In the early 1960s, a teenaged Mariano became famous for his ability to swing and for his legendary left hand.His ensembles of that era, notably Sambalanço Trio and Som Três, are regarded today as high points in Brazilian jazz; so for his 1981 album "Samambaia", one of his thirty-plus instrumental albums.