Matt Bianco featuring Basia: Matt’s Mood

The contemporary jazz group Matt Bianco enjoyed considerable success in the ’80s, but the band was short-lived. It originally included a singer named Basia, who soon after the band’s demise embarked on a successful solo career, keeping Bianco keyboardist Danny White as a collaborator. More than 20 years later, Matt Bianco has reformed, and from the sound of their reunion album, Matt’s Mood (Decca), the group members seem to be enjoying making music together again. Basia and the band’s other original singer, Mark Reilly, share vocal responsibilities; the Brazilian “Ordinary Day” features harmonies unmistakably Basia, and while Reilly sings lead on the jazzy “Wrong Side of the Street,” Basia takes a chorus in her native Polish. The playful “Ronnie’s Samba” salutes deceased saxophonist Ronnie Ross, who played in Matt Bianco’s original incarnation. One quibble: The fadeout at the end of the closing track, “Matt’s Mood III,” makes the tune feel unfinished-such a vigorous instrumental jam really calls for a decisive ending-but overall this is a fun and welcomed comeback album.

Originally Published May 1, 2005