Dexter Wansel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dexter Wansel
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| Birth name | Dexter Wansel |
| Born | 22 August 1950 Philadelphia, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, jazz fusion, R+B |
| Occupation(s) | Record producer, songwriter, arranger |
| Instruments | Keyboards |
| Years active | 1963–present |
| Labels | Philadelphia International, Digital Jukebox |
| Associated acts | The Jackson 5, Lou Rawls, Teddy Pendergrass, Patti LaBelle, Grover Washington Jr., Phyllis Hyman, Instant Funk, Bunny Sigler, Stanley Clarke, MFSB |
Dexter Gilman Wansel (born August 22, 1950) is an American musician, composer, and producer. He is known for his work in R&B and jazz fusion music. Dexter plays keyboards and synthesizers. He has also worked as a songwriter and music director.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Start
Dexter Wansel grew up in Philadelphia. From 1959 to 1963, he worked backstage at the Uptown Theater. There, he met many famous artists. They encouraged him to get into music. In high school, he played in bands. One of his bandmates was his friend, Stanley Clarke, who also became a famous musician.
Dexter's Music Career
After serving in the United States Army, Dexter Wansel began working with synthesizers in 1970. He learned to program early electronic music instruments. These included the EMS VCS 3 and the ARP 2600. He used these for recording sessions.
Working with Famous Artists
In the early 1970s, Dexter played keyboards for groups like Instant Funk and MFSB. He then signed with Philadelphia International Records. This was a very famous record label. He became a songwriter, producer, and arranger for them. He often wrote songs with Cynthia Biggs. He also worked with other writers like Bunny Sigler.
Dexter wrote, produced, and played on many hit songs. He worked with artists on Philadelphia International Records and other labels. In 1977, he produced Unmistakably Lou for Lou Rawls. This album won a Grammy award.
His Impact on Hip-Hop
Dexter Wansel's music has been very important in hip-hop. Many hip-hop artists have used parts of his songs, called "samples." His 1975 song "Theme from The Planets" has a drum beat intro. This beat is considered one of the first "foundation beats" of hip-hop. It is still sampled today. You can hear it in TV commercials and movies.
Famous artists like Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, and Drake have sampled his music. Other artists include Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, and J Cole.
Music Director and Later Work
In 1979, Dexter Wansel was the conductor for the MFSB Orchestra. He was the music director for a special show at the White House. This event celebrated the first 'Black Music History Month' in 1978. From 1978 to 1980, he was an A+R Director for Philadelphia International Records. This meant he helped find new artists and oversaw album releases.
His 1979 album Time Is Slipping Away had a popular disco song. It was called "(I'll Never Forget) My Favorite Disco." He wrote it with Cynthia Biggs. In 1981, he wrote and arranged "Nights Over Egypt" for The Jones Girls. In April 2021, Dexter signed a new record deal with Digital Jukebox Records.
Influence on Jamiroquai
Jay Kay, the lead singer of the band Jamiroquai, has said Dexter Wansel's music inspired him. When Jay Kay was 14 or 15, he heard Wansel's song "Life on Mars." He loved it so much that he would play it over and over again. This song helped start his love for jazz and funk music.
About Dexter's Life
Dexter Wansel is the father of Pop Wansel. Pop Wansel is also a Grammy-nominated music producer and songwriter. Dexter is a veteran of the U.S. Army. He also wrote a novel called Shortwave, which was published in 2011. His sister is the author Teri Woods.
Music Albums and Songs
Studio Albums
| Year | Album | Chart positions | Record label | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B |
US Jazz |
||||
| 1976 | Life On Mars | — | 44 | — | Philadelphia International Records | |
| 1977 | What the World Is Coming To | 168 | 45 | 24 | ||
| 1978 | Voyager | 139 | 37 | — | ||
| 1979 | Time Is Slipping Away | — | 58 | — | ||
| 1986 | Captured | — | — | — | 10 Records | |
| 2004 | Digital Groove World | — | — | — | Hotplanet Entertainment | |
| 2021 | The Story of the Flight Crew to Mars | 178 | 40 | — | Digital Jukebox Records | |
| "—" means the album did not appear on the chart | ||||||
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Record label | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Dance |
US R&B |
|||||
| 1976 | "Life On Mars" | 10 | 91 | 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 | |||
| "—" means the single did not appear on the chart | ||||||
Songs He Produced
Dexter Wansel has produced many albums for other artists, including:
- The Jacksons - The Jacksons, 1976
- Lou Rawls - All Things in Time, 1976
- The Jacksons - Goin' Places, 1977
- Lou Rawls - Unmistakably Lou. 1977
- Lou Rawls - Let Me Be Good to You, 1979
- Teddy Pendergrass - TP, 1980
- Lou Rawls - Sit Down and Talk to Me, 1980
- Patti LaBelle - The Spirit's in It, 1981
- Grover Washington Jr. - The Best Is Yet to Come, 1982
- Patti LaBelle - I'm in Love Again, 1983
- Patti LaBelle - Patti, 1983
- Phyllis Hyman - Living All Alone, 1986
- MFSB - Philadelphia Freedom, 1975
- MFSB - Mysteries Of The World, 1980
- The Jones Girls - The Jones Girls, 1979
- Dee Dee Sharp Gamble - What Color Is Love, 1977
