JazzTrenzz : Between Sets with Matt Bianco "Matt’s Mood 2004" Interviews / Jazz News Date: May 02, 2005 - 12:00 AM By Karl Stober Two decades have passed and three lives have traveled very different paths, sometime touching upon the past whether by song or a brief recall of a faint memory. However fans do not forget just anticipate the resurrection of a new beginning in hopes of past musical magic becoming restored. Hope is not a strategy just a forgone wish gambled upon but in this case this gamble paid three to one for hope won out. Ladies and gentle, Matt Bianco is back in studio. Matt Bianco in partnership with Universal Music rejuvenated the mystical harmonies that once adorned the 80’s and brought forth “Matt’s Mood”, a unique and visionary effort brought forth by Mark Reilly, Danny White, and the seductive tones of Basia Trzetrzelewska. All whom wrote and produced this entire project, they way it should have been. Without skipping a beat Matt Bianco continued where the ended off only leaving most of the past behind and successfully igniting the rebirth. The melodies and tempos throughout the piece are so acutely arranged adding a new dimension to their signature sound. Assisted through the digital age, the recordings are so crisp and project that smooth harmony fans are so used too. Jazz will embrace this with a new fascination towards the 2004 Matt Bianco. In London Mark Reilly took five and I decided to pilfer that time from him to go between sets as he prepares to plan out Matt Bianco’s next steps. Direct and with humor he went backwards and forwards in time, it was an experience all should try just once with Mark. KHS: Music like life goes through numerous changes. Matt Bianco then, Matt Bianco now. How has the group evolved? MR: We are pretty much the same. We like the jazz, Latin and R&B influences, which is really what are music is a combination of all those three. Unlike our individual place which is added to that, its funny how music goes full circle and into different trends. Some music feels right at the time. Certainly getting back together after all that time it felt right. We wanted to make a contemporary album and the time was right for us to get back together. We thought we could put a contemporary album in today’s market, even though the music was really much the same as when we first started. KHS: In 1984 your debut cut “Get Out Of Your Lazy Bed” hit the Top 20 charts at #15, does that style of music have that promise of impact 20 years later? Do you look it as rebirth of sorts? MR: Well it’s kind of more an adult thing! The Matt Bianco of 1984 was very much marketed in a pop world. It was the beginning of the video age and we kind of marketed that way. Now it’s 20 years later and although the music to me has not changed a great deal. We are now taking music more on an adult level, I think the music we did now is the same but more mature. It suits our age group and us. We feel comfortable with it [music]. KHS: Matt Bianco is without question labeled as a pop culture group. However you seem to have such a major impact on the jazz populace. What caused this to occur and was it, in some way, intentional on your part? MR: We got criticism from mainstream jazz people because it isn’t like straight ahead jazz; jazz was an influence for us we were not trying to make mainstream jazz music. Mixing jazz and the retro feel to the music interested allot of people. I think we created an interesting fusion with our music this time around. Which interested not just the older people but the young generation as well. KHS: So Matt Bianco is back and on tour. How will the group deal with the debut of being on stage together for the first time? MR: We never got around to playing live back then so we are excited. Rehearsals have gone really well. KHS: Were there any reservations at first as to reuniting the magic again? MR: There was in much as we decided to get together and if we felt the music was good and well carried out. So far things have gone rather easily. There are no egos or competition among us; everyone seems to bring something to the table, which helps in compliment each other. KHS: Were there any unexpected emotions or barriers to negotiate with? MR: No! Not really. Enough time had passed; people’s agendas are different. We all needed to be sympathetic to everyone’s issues and again it seems to have gone smoothly. KHS: “Matt Mood 2004” is a classic rejuvenation of a spirit. Matt Bianco and its innovative touch kept the 1980’s promise of great music thriving through the decade. How was this album arranged and designed? MR: Yes it is. We had to find a way of working because I’ve got a studio in London and been using a computer-based system so I showed Danny how that works and he got a similar setup. So Basia got the same because she lives about 30 miles outside of London. What we would do was to work together and send files to one another and Basia would do the vocals by herself so we really just interchanged files. Musically we had to look at the first album we made together and we like liked much of that album. It may have sounded a bit naïve but there was some great music on it. One of the starting points was Ronnie Ross; we discovered we had numerous outtakes of his that was not used the first time around. So we removed his solos and started to compose songs in the key he was playing in. That seemed to be a good starting point for us. KHS: Were the selection of cuts at all a difficult task, being apart for some time? What selections were a must to make the project a successful venture? MR: We just did not want to come back in a nostalgic way we wanted to write good songs; therefore we spent a lot of time crafting our songs. I think there are four or five we did not use. The cuts were not labored over too much it was spontaneous in many ways. KHS: The fan base is all too familiar with the names Mark, Basia, and Danny but the late saxophonist Ronnie Ross seems to have been the driving force on this project. Talk to his impact and influence on Matt’s Mood 2004. MR: Ronnie had his hay-day in the fifties and sixties; he played the solo on “Walk On The Wild Side” with Lou Reed. He is very much part of that British Jazz movement and was not given enough credit. We were just plain lucky to have him. Ronnie did tours with Danny, Basia plus myself and passed about twelve years ago. We think he will be pleased with what we have done. KHS: Basia’s vocals are so very sultry and penetrating. In this project, do you note any changes in her style since you last were together? MR: She states she has gone to a mellower vibe than some of her tracks on the Basia album because she felt that would suit the start of the songs. As in “Ordinary Day” and “Say the Words” which sound great but in rehearsal she sounds world class to me. KHS: What cut stands out for you in the project? MR: Of course we like all the tracks however it is very interesting how people’s preferences are. “Ordinary Day” seemed like a good bridge from our last album. There is a lot of diversity on this album. I do not have a clear favorite I am just very proud of the album. KHS: Is there one cut that was more intense to mix and put together? MR: Funny you ask the instrumental took the longest. [Laugh]. We kept working that track going through different changes. It took along time but we felt we got it right. It’s an ironic thing that an instrumental took longer than the songs. KHS: What future concepts or plans have Matt Bianco discussed? MR: First thing is the tour and to promote the album in America. In June we come back and do the jazz festivals in Europe. Hopefully in the summer come back to America for the shows there. That’s the immediate plans then start doing some more writing. KHS: When Mark is home and the stereo is on, what is coming out? MR: For the last couple days I have been playing an album by King Pleasure, a jazz vocalist. I really like it. He sounds great to me. KHS: What would you like to say to the fans of Matt Bianco that needs to be said? MR: You put me on the spot there. [Laugh]. Just that it’s going to be interesting to see ourselves together for the first time live, we hope they enjoy it. Enjoy the masses will and witness a slightly more mature experience to the sight and sounds of Matt Bianco. Their tribute to Ronnie Ross accentuates this whole effort both on stage and in studio. This has to be a must see performance for all ages, jazz aficionados and fans alike. Note the change is Basia’s delivery and tones, very becoming of her today. Mark is Mark as solid vocally has he has ever been always complimenting the composition and arrangement. Danny has his keyboards as fresh each note bonding the vocals together. This is a mix of talent that needed a second chance, so be it and it is! This is not your stereotypical reunion effort for as Mark stated he wanted to write good music in a new era. That he has accomplished and I can only envision future efforts will uncover the Matt Bianco revitalized. Karl Stober is an international freelance columnist and broadcaster who can be reached at jazztrenzz@bellsouth.net. Karl can also be reached at 1-802-380-6065. This article comes from eJazzNews.com : The Number One Jazz News Resource On The Net http://www.ejazznews.com/ The URL for this story is: http://www.ejazznews.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=4349