Matt Bianco -

Matt Bianco was an English sophisti-pop trio that released three albums between 1984 and 1988 on WEA. On its first album, the trio consisted of keyboardist Danny White and vocalist Mark Reilly, both formerly of Blue Rondo Á La Turk, alongside Polish singer Basia, who subsequently left for a solo career.

Members: Mark Reilly (vocals), Kito Poncioni (bass, 1982-83), Danny White (keyboards, 1982-85, 2003-06), Basia (vocals, 1983-85, 2003-06), Mark Fisher (1985-present)

Background

Matt Bianco formed in 1982 in London when singer Mark Reilly, keyboardist Danny White, and bassist Kito Poncioni left Blue Rondo à la Turk to continue a songwriting partnership outside the ten-piece group.

Reilly entered Blue Rondo through saxophonist Moses Mount Bassie, a friend from the northern-soul circuit, and played guitar in the group from the 1981 single “Me and Mr Sanchez.” Rio de Janeiro native Poncioni played bass and backing vocals on the 1982 album Chewing the Fat, which carried several Reilly–Poncioni composition credits. White, younger brother of guitarist Peter White, joined Blue Rondo on keyboards by Chewing the Fat and shared the “Carioca” composition credit.

Basia Trzetrzelewska was born Sept. 30, 1954, in Jaworzno, Poland. She sang with local group Astry at the 1969 National Festival of Beat Avangarde in Kalisz, then joined female vocal group Alibabki in 1972. Trzetrzelewska sang with Perfect from 1977 to 1979 and moved to London in 1981. White knew her through Bronze, a short-lived London group connected through a Melody Maker advertisement.

Reilly, White, and Poncioni assembled demos as their Blue Rondo tenure ended and sought female parts for several songs. White invited Trzetrzelewska to the demo sessions, where her contributions established her place in the new group. The quartet adopted Matt Bianco, the name of a fictitious secret-agent character derived from their interest in mid-century spy themes and film scores.

Producer Peter Collins heard the demos and agreed to produce the first two singles, a commitment that helped Matt Bianco secure a WEA contract. WEA issued “Get Out of Your Lazy Bed” in January 1984 (b/w “Big Rosie”); the single reached No. 15 on the UK chart. Poncioni played on “Big Rosie” and shared its composition credit with Reilly and White, then returned to Brazil ahead of the album sessions.

WEA followed in April with “Sneaking Out the Back Door” (b/w “Matt’s Mood”), another Collins production that reached No. 44 in Britain. Reilly and White assumed production control for the album material with engineer Phil Harding on most tracks. WEA issued “Whose Side Are You On?” (b/w “The Other Side”) in July while Reilly, White, and Trzetrzelewska completed the program for the August release of Whose Side Are You On?.

Discography: