Bianco's 20-year reunion

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As musical reunions go, this one was relatively painless -- no old grudges to settle or hurt feelings to smooth over.

But 20 years is a long time, and the original members of Matt Bianco weren't sure what would happen once they decided to play music together again.

"I had been in touch with [keyboardist] Danny White, and we'd sort of ask each other what we're up to," explains vocalist Mark Reilly over the phone from his home in London. "I invited him up to our studio ... and he said, 'Let's get together and write some songs.' I didn't really think it was going to be for Matt Bianco."

The reunited trio plays Tuesday and Wednesday at the Birchmere in Alexandria.

Matt Bianco, a jazz-pop group with Latin influences, made a splash with its 1984 album "Whose Side Are You On?" and the single "Get Out of Your Lazy Bed." The group's name came from a fictitious spy the group created, in part based on a love for secret-agent TV shows and themes.

The third member of the trio, vocalist Basia Trzetrzelewska (who uses only her first name professionally), went on to work with Mr. White and gained success as a solo artist soon afterward, while Mr. Reilly continued to record with others under the name Matt Bianco.

Looking back on the time, Mr. Reilly says that there were probably personal problems between himself and Basia, but that both have done a lot of growing up since.

What made Mr. Reilly finally decide a reunion was worth a shot was that, days after his meeting with Mr. White, Matt Bianco's original manager called up, asking if he'd thought about doing a reunion.

"Two independent people getting us together was almost too much a coincidence," Mr. Reilly says.

He says he didn't want to simply record for the sake of recording. If the songs were there, they would go for it, he says.