Matt Bianco first came on the scene in the 80s and while many thought Matt Bianco was the name of a person in the band, it was Mark Reilly who founded the British band that came to be known as Matt Bianco. “We were into spy movie theme tunes of the 50s, 60s, 70s which had a Latin, Jazz, Film noir influences and so for the concept of the first album we invented our own fictitious character called Matt Bianco”, states Reilly in an email interview.

Back then Matt Bianco consisted of vocalist Mark Reilly, piano player Danny White and Polish emigré singer Basia Trzetrzelewska (pronounced “Chet-che-levska”). Their music, if you are not already familiar with it, is a blend of Jazz, Latin and sixties' spy film music, (as he just said), mixed with pop elements. With this style of music, the band not only made significant inroads into the pop charts but have also been mandated on the dance floors by a notable, if unexpected success in the disco charts.

Reilly began his music career when he was in a band called “Blue Rondo a la Turk” where he and White played keyboards for live shows. “Danny, myself and Kito Poncioni struck up a song writing collaboration and decided to leave and form our own band. While working on demo songs, we wanted to get some female vocals on some of the tracks and Danny suggested we ask Basia (Trzetrzelewska) who was also in a band called “Bronze”. It sounded great and the sound was complete”.

As a trio, Reilly, White and Basia soon released an album, ‘Whose Side Are You On?’ in 1984 which spawned the hit song Get Out of Your Lazy Bed, besides other notable tracks like the bossa nova influenced Half a Minute, the heartbreaking More Than I Could Bear and the title track Whose Side Are You On? Reilly and White wrote the songs, with Reilly taking lead vocal on most tracks, and Basia bringing in backing harmonies and occasional lead vocals of her own. The album received immense popularity not only in the UK, but took over the charts in parts of Europe. After the band became a household name in Europe, their fame crossed the Atlantic and into America stamping their success in a short time across the world into Asia and beyond.

These songs are still in the minds of those who followed the band closely, many enjoying the various musical styles that they brought with them. The band’s music brings genre-bending musical styles that carve a niche all its own. Reilly clarifies, “Our mix seems to come naturally as it is a combination of our influences and musical tastes we have grown up with”, while adding, “we loved the jazzier side of Latin like Bossa nova and jazz influenced spy movie theme tunes, R&B soul, mixed with percussion grooves and so these songs bring all those influences”.

However, after just one album, the band split. One of the reasons being Basia’s role in the band was minimized to being just a supporting role in the band, for as a talented songwriter herself who had by now mastered English, she felt branching out on her own would be more beneficial, besides she and White, had become romantically involved. “Danny and Basia became a couple and wanted to concentrate on Basia as a solo artist, so we disbanded and I moved on”, states Reilly nonchalantly.  After they departed in 1985, Basia soon released her first solo album, ‘Time and Tide’ with many more coming in later years.

Keeping alive Matt Bianco, Reilly brought in keyboardist and studio wizard Mark Fisher as his collaborator, with Jenni Evans on vocals. They released a 1965 cover song Yeh-Yeh originally recorded by Georgie Fame. Reilly and Fisher continued work in the studio and on tour accompanied by session musicians and singers, bringing out albums that adopted stronger Latin, pop, and dance club grooves.

In 1988 at the suggestion of WEA (Warner-Elektra-Atlantic record label) and alongwith Fisher, Reilly collaborated with Gloria Estefan’s husband Emilio and released an album ‘Indigo’ which spurned the super hit Don’t Blame It on That Girl. “It was WEA who suggested the collaboration and it was a great experience recording in Miami and working with Emilio and the Miami Sound Machine”.

After 15 years of touring the world and recording seven albums, Reilly and Fisher parted ways in 2000. Three years later Basia, White and Reilly reunited for a new album, ‘Matt’s Mood’ that consisted of ballads to danceable tracks, with Reilly this time offering Basia a prime spot on the vocals, compared to her work on the ‘Whose Side Are You On?’ album. “It was the idea of our first manager and A & R man to get back together and make a new album”, recalls Reilly about the reunion.  But soon after a world tour to promote the album, Basia and Danny once again departed Matt Bianco.

Reilly connected with Fisher and brought in singer Hazel Sim to keep the band alive and continue where he left, soon bringing out the 2009 album ‘Hi-Fi Bossanova’. But a few years later tragedy struck when in December of 2016, Matt Bianco suffered a blow when Mark Fisher died from cancer. With troubles with the band on and off, Reilly didn’t give up and instead continued on, this time on a new path working with a big band sound in the Dutch jazz ensemble the New Cool Collective. Although it was a new sound and experience, Reilly enjoyed it. “I really enjoyed it as they were great musicians and cool people to work with. We had many similar musical influences too”. With the New Cool Collective, he released the Matt Bianco album ‘Gravity’ in 2019.

In June 2022, the band released a double album ‘The Essential Matt Bianco. Re-imagined, Re-loved’ that features new versions of 15 of the band’s classic songs, probably a way to introduce Matt Bianco to a new generation of fans. “Yes it could be. It was also an opportunity for me to revisit all those songs in the Covid lockdown and present the songs in a way that represents how I perform them now”.

It’s over 40 years since the band was formed and surely there have been songs that touch his heart, despite the many lineup changes. “I think I appreciate it even more now and can’t believe it’s been 40 years, I still really enjoy it. Collaborating with different musicians over the years keeps the music progressing. I think “More Than I Can Bear” has been a long standing favourite of the fans and is always well received at the live shows”.

At his debut concert in Mumbai at the Jamshed Bhabha theatre on Sunday 7^th September 2025, Bianco performed a mix of hits from the past mixed with new songs from the current albums.

The performance of Matt Bianco in Mumbai consisted of Reilly, who was accompanied by Elisabeth Antwi (Betty Black) on backing vocals, Graham Harvey on piano, Sebastian de Krom on drums, Geoff Gascoyne on bass, Martin Shaw on trumpet, David O’Higgins on saxophone, all of who feature on Matt Bianco’s new album ‘Masquerader’ which was out on 19^th September and features the singles Playing With Dynamite and Deep Space.

Sharing his joy at visiting India, Reilly takes back a great experience that he would share for many years. “I have been asking people who have been to Mumbai for recommendations and contacts in order to make the most of this trip. We are all very excited”. While he claims to have definitely heard of Bollywood, he confesses that he doesn’t know anyone in particular. 

Interviewed by Verus Ferreira

Photos: Courtesy of the Artist