Matt Bianco (album)
Matt Bianco | ||||
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Studio album by Matt Bianco | ||||
Released | 1986 | |||
Recorded |
1985-1986 P.W.L. Studios, Workhouse, Marquee, Mayfair, Sarm West: recording; The Borough, P.W.L. Studios: digital mixing; CBS Studios: mastering. | |||
Genre | Jazz, pop, soul, dance, Latin pop | |||
Length |
42:49 (LP) 44:55 (CD) | |||
Label | WEA | |||
Producer |
Mark Reilly (production and lyrics) Mark Fisher (production/brass arranger) Phil Harding for P.W.L. (production/sound engineering) Tim Young (mastering) | |||
Matt Bianco chronology | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Amazon.com | link |
Matt Bianco was the second album by the British band Matt Bianco, released in 1986 for WEA. For this album, the band's line-up comprised vocalists Mark Reilly and Jenni Evans, and musician Mark Fisher.
Album background and chart history
Jenni Evans and Mark Fisher were brought in after the departure of Polish singer Basia Trzetrzelewska and keyboard player Danny White, who left the original trio to establish the singer's solo career under the name of Basia.
Evans would leave Matt Bianco shortly after this album, but Fisher would become a long-term member of the group. Fisher, a keyboardist, composer, and studio wizard, contributed a more contemporary sound compared to the band's earlier work. The use of synthesizers increased notably: Yamaha's DX-7 can be heard providing the slap bass in most songs, but the choice of noted studio musicians remained consistent for this album, with Ronnie Ross being the most prominent example.
In terms of its chart position in the United Kingdom, this album was more successful than the group's debut release, reaching #26. It also provided three chart singles, although the only one to make the top 50 was "Yeh Yeh". This was issued as a single in September 1985, about six months prior to the album. A cover version of a song which had been a UK Number One for Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames in 1965, Matt Bianco's version of "Yeh Yeh" reached #13 and stayed in the British charts for 10 weeks.
The other two singles from this album, "Just Can't Stand It" and "Dancing in the Street", were both released in 1986, and only charted for 2 and 3 weeks, at #66 and #64 respectively.
After completing this album, Matt Bianco took a 13-piece band on a European tour that saw them perform in front of an audience of more than 250,000 attendees in total.
Track listing
The CD and LP versions of this album feature a minor difference: "Yeh Yeh" appears in its 12" Dance Mix on the CD and on some LP editions, while the 7" version only appears on some vinyl records. Meanwhile, both the 7" and 12" versions are featured on some (but not all) cassette editions of the album.
- "Yeh Yeh" (Single Version) - 3:17 (on some LP editions only)
"Yeh Yeh" (12" Dance Mix) - 5:23 (on CD edition and on some LP editions) - "Dancing in the Street" - 3:56
- "Undercover" - 4:32
- "Fly by Night" - 3:50
- "Smooth" - 4:37
- "I Wonder" - 3:55
- "Just Can't Stand It" - 3:54
- "Summer Song" - 5:34
- "Sweetest Love Affair" - 3:43
- "Up Front" - 5:31
Singles from the album
- September 1985 - "Yeh Yeh" (#13 UK - 10 weeks)
- February 1986 - "Just Can't Stand It" (#66 UK - 2 weeks)
- June 1986 - "Dancing in the Street" (#64 UK - 3 weeks)
Credits
Band and production
- Mark Reilly: lead male vocals, lyrics, and production; background vocals on track #4
- Mark Fisher: keyboards, mirage bass, slap bass, DX-7 slap bass, DX-7 guitar, melodica, brass arrangement, and production
- Jenni Evans: lead female vocals on tracks #4, and #10; background vocals on tracks #1, #2, #3, #6, #7, #8, and #9
- Phil Harding: production for P.W.L., and sound engineering
- Duffy & Jamie: assistants @ P.W.L. Studios
- Stuart: assistant @ Workhouse
- Gerry & Stuart: assistants @ Marquee
- Tim Young: mastering and digital mixing @ CBS Studios
Additional musicians
- Jordan Bailey: background vocals on tracks #1, and #2
- Shirley Lewis, Helena Springs: background vocals on track #5
- Trevor Murrel: drums on tracks #3, #6, and #9
- Robin Jones: percussion on tracks #1, #2, #3, #4, #8, and #10
- Steve Sidwell: trumpet on track #1; trumpet solo on tracks #3, and #7
- Ronnie Ross: alto sax on tracks #3, #8, and #10; baritone sax on tracks #1, #3, #4, #5, and #9
- Bill Eldridge: trumpet on track #2
- Stuart Brooks: trumpet on track #2
- Martin Dobson: tenor sax on track #2
- Dave Bishop: tenor sax on track #2
- Tony Fisher: trumpet on tracks #3, and #9; flugelhorn on tracks #2, and #4
- Derek Watkins: trumpet on tracks #3, and #9; flugelhorn on track #3
- Bert Ezard: trumpet and flugelhorn on track #3
- Cliff Hardie: trombone on tracks #3, and #9
- Stan Sulzmann: tenor sax on tracks #3, and #9
- Jim Sullivan: acoustic guitar on track #4
- Jamie Talbot: alto sax on track #6
- John Barclay: trumpet on track #9
Other staff
- Haydn Cottam: sleeve painting
- Graham Smith: sleeve design and sleeve photography
- Sheila Rock: sleeve photography
- Carl Leighton-Pope for Bonaire Group: management
References
- Paul Gambaccini, Tim Rice, Jonathan Rice, Guinness Book of British Hit Singles (9th edition) - ISBN 0-85112-526-3