Track Listing

1. Ordinary Day
2. I Never Meant To
3. Wrong Side of the Street
4. Luna
5. Say the Words
6. Golden Days
7. Ronnie's Samba
8. Kaleidoscope
9. Slip & Sliding
10. Matt's Mood III

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #82768 in Music
• Released on: 2005-03-01
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

A stunning return-- and a brilliant album
Old bands reuniting twenty years later can really spell trouble, but for Matt Bianco it's proven to be a freaking great idea, and Matt's Mood demonstrates the monster talents of its original lineup. It's a fantastic amalgam of pop, jazz, swing, Latin, retro, lounge, spy, even chill, thrown into a great spin. It won't shock fans of Basia's solo work, yet it has plenty of surprises, and heads in a notably jazz-oriented direction. You can hear influences from Brazil '66 to Manhattan Transfer to soundtracks from swinging movies like Pink Panther, Mission Impossible or the James Bond series-- all done with love, not with cheap irony. These three tried this twenty years ago on the Whose Side Are You On album but Matt's Mood truly brings the sound into its own.

Danny White has become an even bigger piano virtuoso since the last Basia album. Not only does he deliver gorgeous straight piano work, he also handles the more electric-sounding keyboards and organs with finesse-- in lesser hands, the '60s feel of the music could have been turned into a schlockfest. Instead, the arrangements are complex without being overdone, and everything sounds organic even if it comes from electronic equipment. He's always been underrated and one truly hopes he gets the acclaim he's long deserved.

Basia Trzetrzelewska sounds as if eleven years had never passed, and these songs are definitely some of her best vocal work. She seems to be having a great deal of fun too, particularly on the energetic samba La Luna, while the pensive Say The Words is beautifully emotive. Her lyrics, while not as confessional as on her solo work, have enough intrigue to add another dimension to her vocals, and true to form she sings a bit in Polish, notably on Wrong Side of the Street. A couple of songs sound like lost solo tracks, but instead of relying on past glories, Basia goes far more jazzy on the rest of the album. Her voice fits right into the retro feel of songs like Kaleidoscope and Slip and Sliding. Let's hope this brilliant singer at the top of her game doesn't go into hiding again.

Hardly the least, Mark Reilly provides the swagger and the 'tude of the group. Kaleidoscope, in his hands, is a swinging bachelor pad anthem, and I Never Meant To is swoonworthy. It's not too often that someone can both compliment and contrast with another voice, but Mark does both, and it really makes the album work. His brand of cool is a necessary part of the group's chemistry, and I really hope we get to hear more of it on a future MB project with this lineup.

And if all that weren't enough, the musicians are top shelf throughout. Killer flute and sax work comes courtesy of Andrew Ross, and his solos on Matt's Mood III are just knockout. Kevin Robinson contributes right-on '60s-styled trumpet and flugelhorn arrangements. Peter White delivers lovely guitar work that fits right in with his own solo repertoire. Most have worked with MB or Basia over the years, and on this album it sounds like a gathering of friends. Especially great is the incorporation of recently unearthed baritone sax solos by the late Ronnie Ross-- absolutely ace playing.

At the same time charmingly retro and freshly current, both emotive and just plain fun to listen to, Matt's Mood is more than just the return of Basia-- it's a stunning album with a solid sound and hopefully an indication of great things to come.

Basia's Wonderful Return!
A new Matt Bianco album is always an event and Basia's return to the group doubles the joy! Golden Days is the standout track with Basia and Mark Reilly totally in sync to the upbeat, feel good, Latin beats. Please stay with the band Basia and give us more of this fabulous music. By the way what became of Mark Fisher?

A wonderfully pleasant summer album.
Matt Bianco, while widely unknown in North America, released one of the most unusual debut albums of the 80s, the brilliant "Whose Side Are You On". In a decade best remembered for new wave, soul music and arena rock, this trio produced a decidedly arresting blend of jazz, be-bop, salsa and bossa nova that did manage to reach the ears of connaisseurs.

Then two of the three members dropped out - Basia and Danny White, the former starting a successful solo career, the latter helping her out on production and songwriting. Basia attracted a strong following with hits like "Time and tide" and "Cruising for bruising" on the Adult Contemporary charts. The remaining member, Mark Reilly, carried on with a few entertaining Matt Bianco albums, who did reach a certain level of success, while never quite achieving the unique blend of the original combo.

It is interesting that Basia has returned to Matt Bianco,along with Danny White, because the trio picks up where "Whose side are you on" left off, with no effort at all. It's as if they had kept on making music together during the last twenty years. The album has all the usual ups and downs of a Matt Bianco album. The ups : a delicious hybrid of salsa and bossa nova, the wonderful vocal blend of Basia and Mark Reilly, and a wide variety of moods throughout the album's ten tracks. The only downside is that the album is typically inconsistent, losing steam on the album's last two tracks. However, the album has an undeniable quality that will light up your summer days and nights. The highlight of the album is definitely "Ronnie's Samba", but there are many other strong numbers ("Ordinary day", "I never meant to", "La luna", "Golden days"). Definitely worth a listen... and worth a purchase.