The Basia Unofficial Home Page

This page is devoted to my favorite singer, the great Polish diva Basia Trzetrzelewska (pronounced "Basha Tshetshelevska," says Basia).

Basia was born September 30, 1954 in Jaworzno Poland. Early on she took an interest in music, taking lessons in piano and singing but was prodded by her family toward a career in medicine.

Originally she trained to be an opera singer, but at 15 she won a local talent contest that eventually led to her moving toward pop: three years later she was cast in an all-girl singing group called Alibabki that was already well-known in Poland and other eastern European countries including the Soviet Union.

In 1979 she came to Chicago, singing in a Polish community club, and later got a job fronting a Top 40 covers act. (Apparently she does a scorching impersonation of Pat Benatar!)

Later she moved to London, where she met songwriter Danny White, and both joined the band Matt Bianco which had several hits in England ("Half A Minute", "Whose Side Are You On?", "Get Out Of Your Lazy Bed").

Basia, along with Danny, left after the first album to pursue her solo career. "New Day For You" and "Promises" off the Time And Tide album were big hits throughout Europe and the album went platinum.

Basia's second solo album, London Warsaw New York, contained the big hit "Cruising For Bruising" and also went platinum.

The Sweetest Illusion, Basia's third studio album, failed to generate the sales of the earlier albums despite being her most creative, deeply textured work to date and my personal favorite.

Basia On Broadway is a live album recorded during a single performance at the Neil Simon Theatre in New York City and is probably the best live jazz-pop album ever recorded.

A greatest hits album, Clear Horizon, contains many great Basia songs including some not previously available and the album makes a great introduction to Basia for anyone who has not yet discovered her unique talent.

After a long period without any new recordings, Basia, along with Danny White, is back with the reformed Matt Bianco and they have recorded a new album, Matt's Mood, which was released in the UK in 2004 and was originally available only as an import in the USA. The USA release came in early 2005. This lead to a triumphant long-awaited USA tour.

Basia's musical styles range from samba/Bossa Nova-based rythyms to 80's techno-pop to beautiful, heart-felt ballads. She and her musical partner Danny White write most of her songs. Basia's lyric's many times are deeply personal and expressive. The musicianship on all the albums is first-rate.

CD Discography

This discography is by no means complete but does cover all her major CD releases in the USA & UK.
Most of these were also released on audio cassette and vinyl.

Cover Art	Title	Songs
	Whose Side Are You On? Matt Bianco 1984 Lyrics FOR SALE	Whose Side Are You On? More Than I Can Bear No No Never Half a Minute Matt's Mood Get Out of Your Lazy Bed It's Getting Late Sneaking Out the Back Door Riding With the Wind Matts Mood II
	Time And Tide Basia 1987 Lyrics FOR SALE	Promises Run For Cover Time And Tide Freeze Thaw From Now On New Day For You Prime Time TV Astrud How Dare You Miles Away
	Basia Basia 1988 Promotional CD	Time And Tide (recorded live in Chicago) Half A Minute (recorded live in Chicago) Astrud (recorded live in Chicago) How Dare You (recorded live in Chicago) From Now On (recorded live in Chicago) Prime Time TV (extended remix) Run For Cover (extended remix) New Day For You (extended version) Freeze Thaw (Instrumental) 3:57
	London Warsaw New York Basia 1990 Lyrics FOR SALE	Cruising For Bruising Best Friends Brave New Hope Baby You're Mine Ordinary People Reward Until You Come Back To Me Copernicus Not An Angel Take Him Back Rachel
	Brave New Hope (EP) Basia 1990 Lyrics FOR SALE	Brave New Hope Until You Come Back to Me[12" Remix] Brave New Hope [Brave New Mix] Give Me That Cruising for Bruising [12" Remix] Forgive and Forget From Now On [Band Version] Masquerade Come to Heaven
	The Sweetest Illusion Basia 1994 Lyrics FOR SALE	Drunk On Love Third Time Lucky Yearning She Deserves It / Rachel's Wedding An Olive Tree The Sweetest Illusion Perfect Mother More Fire Than Flame Simple Pleasures My Cruel Ways The Prayer Of A Happy Housewife
	Basia On Broadway Basia 1994 FOR SALE	Copernicus Cruising For Bruising Third Time Lucky Drunk On Love From Now On Baby You're Mine Yearning Take Him Back Rachel New Day For You Promises Time And Tide Half A Minute Reward Until You Come Back To Me Dzien Sie Budzi Brave New Hope
	Clear Horizon - The Best Of Basia Basia 1998 FOR SALE	Clear Horizon Cruising For Bruising Drunk On Love Time And Tide Waters Of March Third Time Lucky Promises Baby You're Mine Yearning Astrud An Olive Tree Go For You New Day For You Perfect Mother From Now On (Live) Half A Minute (Live) Angels Blush
	Matt's Mood Matt Bianco 2004 Lyrics FOR SALE	Ordinary Day I Never Meant To Wrong Side Of The Street La Luna Say The Words Golden Days Ronnie's Samba Kaleidoscope Slip & Sliding Matt's Mood III