Q+A MARK REILLY
THE MATT BIANCO VOCALIST ON HIS SECOND TEAM-UP WITH JAZZ ENSEMBLE NEW COOL COLLECTIVE AND THE CHANCES OF AN ORIGINAL LINE-UP REUNION
STEVE O’BRIEN
© Mariagrazia Giove
Matt Bianco have been dishing out Latin-inflected pop since 1983 when they formed around vocalists Mark Reilly and Basia Trzetrzelewska, keyboardist Danny White and bassist Kito Poncioni. After White and Trzetrzelewska departed in 1985, Reilly brought in keyboard player Mark Fisher and Matt Bianco remained a duo until 2003. The original trio reformed shortly after, releasing the LP Matt’s Mood. After White and Trzetrzelewska’s second departure, Reilly decided to carry on the Matt Bianco name on his own. He’s just released his second collaboration with Amsterdam-based jazzstars New Cool Collective, the deliriously upbeat High Anxiety.