Matt Bianco at Birchmere, Back Without Missing a Beat

Matt Bianco, the oddly named and recently reunited British pop group, drew a near-capacity crowd to the Birchmere on Tuesday night, much to the delight of its lead singer, Polish-born Basia Trzetrzelewska. "You still come to see us!" she gushed after an early round of cheers.

Now a monoponymous pop star in her own right, Basia shouldn't have been surprised by the turnout. But her sensuous, octave-leaping voice and engaging personality doesn't entirely explain Matt Bianco's popularity, which dates to the mid-'80s. Keyboardist Danny White and vocalist Mark Reilly, her co-founders in the group, have helped create and sustain a sun-splashed sound, spiked with Brazilian, Afro-Caribbean, pop, funk and jazz influences.

The 11-member ensemble nearly spilled off the Birchmere stage. Basia, White and Reilly were flanked by two horn players and three vocalists, and backed by a rhythm section that moved from lilting bossa-nova beats to exuberant samba, cha-cha and salsa grooves without a hitch. Reilly was no match for Basia when interpreting ballads -- he's a so-so crooner. Yet his strengths were evident when he performed the Georgie Fame hit "Yeah Yeah" and other upbeat tunes with an R&B or Latin flavor. More often, though, Basia was front and center, sounding wistful and vibrant by turns. Her solo pop hit "Time and Tide" triggered the longest standing ovation, but a few tunes from the group's recent CD, "Matt's Mood," especially "Say the Words" and "Ronnie's Samba," were perfectly tailored for her sultry tone and insinuating delivery.

-- Mike Joyce