Dexter Wansel

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Dexter Wansel
Birth nameDexter Wansel
Born (1950-08-22) 22 August 1950 (age 73)
Philadelphia, U.S.
Genres Jazz, jazz fusion
Occupation(s) Record producer, songwriter, arranger
Instrument(s)Keyboards
Years active1963–present
Labels Philadelphia International, Digital Jukebox
Website www.dexterwansel.com

Dexter Gilman Wansel (born August 22, 1950) [1] is an American R&B/jazz fusion singer, arranger, musician, composer, conductor, synthesist and A&R director.

Contents

Early life

Dexter Wansel began as an errand boy backstage at the Uptown Theater in Philadelphia [2] from 1959 through 1963 for his step-uncle Georgie Woods. There he met many great artists who encouraged him to pursue music. During high school, he and his friend, Stanley Clarke, performed in bands together.

Career

In 1970, after being honourably discharged from the United States Army, Wansel quietly joined the ranks of synthesists like Wendy Carlos and Dick Hyman, where he began programming the EMS VCS 3 'Putney' and the ARP 2600 for sessions at Sigma Sound Studios both credited and uncredited. From the early to mid 1970s, Wansel also played keyboards for groups such as Instant Funk, Yellow Sunshine, and MFSB. After signing with Philadelphia International Records, as in-house songwriter/producer/arranger, he established a songwriting relationship with the lyricist Cynthia Biggs.

He also collaborated with other writers such as Bunny Sigler, T. Life, Vinnie Barrett and Kenneth Gamble. [2] Wansel produced, wrote, arranged, played keyboards and synthesized hits for artists at Philadelphia International Records as well as numerous other labels. In 1977, he produced the Grammy-winning album Unmistakably Lou by Lou Rawls.

Wansel's music has been used as samples in the world of hip-hop. His 1975 "Theme from The Planets" drum beat intro, is hailed as being one of the first foundation beats of hip-hop. This beat continues to be sampled today and can also be heard on TV commercials and in movies. His sampled music has been used by Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Drake, Rick Ross, J Cole, Eric B and Rakim, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Kim, Ice-T and Ice Cube. In 1979 as conductor of the world-famous MFSB Orchestra, Wansel was the music director/conductor for the historic show at the White House commemorating the very first 'Black Music History Month' celebration in 1978. From 1978 through 1980, Dexter Wansel was the A+R Director for Philadelphia International Records where he oversaw many album releases by the label's artists including MFSB’S Mysteries Of The World, and The Stylistics, Hurry Up This Way Again, under the direction of Gamble and Huff. His LP Time Is Slipping Away, recorded in 1979, produced his second disco-themed hit (his first was "Disco Lights" in 1977) called "(I'll Never Forget) My Favorite Disco" co-written by Cynthia Biggs. It proved to be highly successful on the US club scene.

In 1981, he wrote and arranged the song Nights Over Egypt for the Jones Girls. [2]

In April 2021, Wansel signed a new record deal with Digital Jukebox Records.

Influence on Jamiroquai

Jay Kay of Jamiroquai said that his love for jazz and funk was kickstarted at 14/15 years old by Wansel's "Life on Mars", with Kay recalling on a BBC interview guest spot that he used to play the song over and over again on repeat with a friend. [3]

Personal life

Wansel is the father of Grammy-nominated music producer and songwriter Pop Wansel; [4] [5] [6] additionally, he is a U.S. Army Veteran of the Vietnam War era (Taiwan). He has authored a novel entitled Shortwave, published in 2011. [7]

Dexter Wansel is the brother of author Teri Woods. [8]

Discography

Studio albums

YearAlbumChart positionsRecord label
US
[9] 		US R&B
[9] 		US Jazz
[9]
1976Life On Mars—44— Philadelphia International Records
1977What the World Is Coming To1684524
1978Voyager13937—
1979Time Is Slipping Away—58—
1986Captured——— 10 Records
2004Digital Groove World———Hotplanet Entertainment
2021The Story of the Flight Crew to Mars17840— Digital Jukebox Records
"—" denotes the album failed to chart

Singles

YearSingleChart positionsRecord label
US Dance
[9] 		US R&B
[9]
1976"Life On Mars"1091 Philadelphia International Records
1977"Disco Lights"25—
1978"Solutions"—87
1979"It's Been Cool"—91
"The Sweetest Pain"—40
2021"As One" (featuring Terry Dexter)—71 Digital Jukebox Records
2022"This Is My Story" (featuring Damon Williams)—64
"—" denotes the single failed to chart

Selected production discography

Related Research Articles

Philadelphia soul, sometimes called Philly soul, the Philadelphia sound, Phillysound, or The Sound of Philadelphia (TSOP), is a genre of late 1960s–1970s soul music characterized by funk influences and lush string and horn arrangements. The genre laid the groundwork for the emergence of disco later in the 1970s by fusing the R&B rhythm sections of the 1960s with the pop vocal tradition and featuring a more pronounced jazz influence in its melodic structures and arrangements. Fred Wesley, trombonist with the J.B.'s and Parliament-Funkadelic, described the Philadelphia soul sound as "putting the bow tie on funk."

MFSB, officially standing for "Mother Father Sister Brother", was a pool of more than 30 studio musicians based at Philadelphia's Sigma Sound Studios. They worked closely with the production team of Gamble and Huff and producer/arranger Thom Bell, and backed up Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, the O'Jays, the Stylistics, the Spinners, Wilson Pickett, and Billy Paul.

Philadelphia International Records (PIR) was an American record label based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1971 by songwriting and production duo Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff along with their longtime collaborator Thom Bell. It was known for showcasing the Philadelphia soul music genre that was founded on the gospel, doo-wop and soul music of the time. This sound later marked a prominent and distinct era within the R&B genre. During the 1970s, the label released a string of worldwide hits that emphasized lavish orchestral instrumentation, heavy bass and driving percussion.

Vincent Montana Jr., known as Vince Montana, was an American composer, arranger, vibraphonist, and percussionist. He is best known as a member of MFSB and as the founder of the Salsoul Orchestra. He has been called "the Godfather of disco". Montana was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">If Only You Knew</span> 1983 single by Patti LaBelle

"If Only You Knew" is a single written and produced primarily by Dexter Wansel and Cynthia Biggs for American singer Patti LaBelle's sixth solo album, I'm in Love Again. It was released as the album's official first single in 1983, spending four weeks at #1 on the U.S. R&B chart during January and February 1984; it reached #46 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Walter "Bunny" Sigler was an American R&B singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer who did extensive work with the team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, and was instrumental in creating the "Philly Sound" in the early 1970s.

Tyrone Garfield Kersey, known as Ron "Have Mercy" Kersey, was an American keyboardist, songwriter, producer and arranger most known for writing the music to "Disco Inferno" by The Trammps.

<i>The Spirits in It</i> 1981 studio album by Patti LaBelle

The Spirit's in It is the fifth studio album by American singer Patti LaBelle. It was released by Philadelphia International Records on August 28, 1981, in the United States, her first with the label.

<i>Patti</i> (album) 1985 studio album by Patti LaBelle

Patti is the seventh studio album released by American singer Patti LaBelle. It was released by Philadelphia International Records on July 3, 1985, in the United States.

<i>All Things in Time</i> 1976 studio album by Lou Rawls

All Things in Time is an album by American R&B singer Lou Rawls, released in June 1976 on the Philadelphia International Records label. The album includes Rawls's most famous song, "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine".

<i>Unmistakably Lou</i> 1977 studio album by Lou Rawls

Unmistakably Lou is an album by American R&B singer Lou Rawls, released in 1977 on the Philadelphia International Records label. It was Rawls's second PIR album. It performed respectably, although its sales fell well short of his 1976 PIR debut All Things in Time. Only one single, "See You When I Git There", was released from the album in the US; alongside "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" and "Lady Love", it remains one of Rawls' best-known PIR songs. Like its predecessor, Unmistakably Lou is a well-regarded album for its mix of high-quality Philadelphia soul songs and other more jazz-influenced tracks. Rawls won the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for the album in 1978.

<i>Let Me Be Good to You</i> 1979 studio album by Lou Rawls

Let Me Be Good to You is an album by the American R&B singer Lou Rawls, released in 1979 on Philadelphia International Records.

<i>Sit Down and Talk to Me</i> 1980 studio album by Lou Rawls

Sit Down and Talk to Me is a 1980 album by American R&B singer Lou Rawls, released on the Philadelphia International Records label. All of PIR's major production names contributed to the album, resulting in a diverse set of tracks from dance to urban blues. Although Sit Down and Talk to Me did not produce any major hit singles, its commercial performance was adequate, peaking at #19 R&B and #81 pop.

Bobby Eli was an American musician, arranger, composer and record producer from Philadelphia. He was a founding member and lead guitarist of Philadelphia studio band MFSB.

"The Best Is Yet to Come" is a 1982 song written by Philadelphia-based songwriters Cynthia Biggs and Dexter Wansel, who also produced the song as a duet between jazz saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. and American recording artist Patti LaBelle.

<i>Philadelphia Freedom</i> (album) 1975 album by MFSB

Philadelphia Freedom is the fourth album to be released by Philadelphia International Records house-band MFSB. It is also noted as the debut of PIR producer, artist and musician Dexter Wansel. Of the songs on this album, the bassline of the song "Smile Happy" was used in the song "It Wasn't Me" by Shaggy.

Cynthia Biggs, lawfully known as Cynthia Biggs El, is an American songwriter, producer, publisher and vocalist who wrote music and lyrics for the Philadelphia International Records label. Her main collaborations were with composers Dexter Wansel, Bruce Hawes, and Theodore Wortham. Cynthia has more than 350 songwriting credits including Patti LaBelle's 1983 single If Only You Knew, which reached number 1 on Billboard magazine's Top 100 R&B Singles chart for four consecutive weeks in January 1984.

<i>When Love Is New</i> 1975 studio album by Billy Paul

When Love is New is an album by soul singer Billy Paul. It was produced by Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff; arranged by Bobby Martin, Dexter Wansel, Norman Harris, and Jack Faith; and engineered by Joe Tarsia. Released in December 1975, it reached #139 on the Billboard Pop Album chart and #17 on the Soul chart. It includes the singles "Let's Make a Baby" which hit #83 on the Pop singles chart, #18 on the Soul chart, and #30 in the UK and "People Power" which reached #82 on the Soul chart and #14 on the U.S. Dance chart. The album was reissued on CD in 2010 by the U.K.'s Edsel Records. This was the final album where Paul was backed by MFSB, the house band of Philadelphia International Records (PIR).

Bobby Martin was an American music producer, arranger and songwriter, closely associated with Philadelphia International Records and Philly soul. He is best known for his arrangement of Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones", his work on the Soul Train theme, and with artists including Whitney Houston, L.T.D., MFSB, Patti LaBelle, Nancy Wilson, Lou Rawls, Lesley Gore, The Manhattans, The O'Jays, The Jacksons, Dusty Springfield and the Bee Gees, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dennis Harris (musician)</span> American guitarist, music arranger and songwriter

Dennis Harris is an American session guitarist, songwriter and arranger. Historically he played a significant part in the Philly Sound, playing on many of the hits during the 1970s. The hits include, "Only the Strong Survive" by Billy Paul, "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" by McFadden & Whitehead and "Lady Love" by Lou Rawls. He also played the guitar intro on Rawls' hit "You'll Never Find Another Love like Mine". He is a former member of The Philly Groove Orchestra, The Trammps, MFSB and The Salsoul Orchestra. In recent years he has been part of the New MFSB. He is also a guitar teacher.

References

  1. ↑ Who's Who Among African Americans (15th, illustrated ed.). Gale Research International, Limited. 2002. p. 1330. ISBN   9780787657291.
  2. 1 2 3 Hogan, Ed. "Artist Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  3. ↑ "BBC Radio 2 - Radio 2 Celebrates the 90s, Mixing Influences... with Jamiroquai". BBC. Archived from the original on October 8, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. ↑ Ballin, Sofiya (August 27, 2014). "Producer Andrew 'Pop' Wansel, inspired by Philly". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Archived from the original on September 27, 2014. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
  5. ↑ Trammell, Matthew (June 17, 2014). "Beat Construction: Meet Andrew "Pop" Wansel, the Producer Behind Nicki Minaj's Soft Side". the fader.com. The Fader, Inc. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
  6. ↑ Hailey, Jonathan (August 8, 2014). "Pop Wansel Names Top Five Producers & Best R&B Song Ever [VIDEO]". theurbandaily.com. The Urban Daily. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Shortwave" page". Sage Words Publishing. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Dexter Wansel Presents Sounds Of Philadelphia". DC Nitelife. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "Dexter Wansel US chart history". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 15, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
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