Dexter Wansel

Dexter Wansel

Dexter Gilman Wansel (born August 22, 1950) is an American keyboardist, raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He contributed to the development of the Philly Sound and worked with producers Gamble and Huff at Philadelphia International Records. Wansel led the musical group, Yellow Sunshine. He has worked with Phyllis Hyman, The Jacksons, MFSB, Teddy Pendergrass, Patti Labelle, Grover Washington Jr. and Lou Rawls amongst many others. He also wrote The Jones Girls 1981 soul music song "Nights over Egypt" and Patti Labelle's 1984 #1 R&B hit, "If Only You Knew", with Cynthia Biggs. His "Theme from the Planets" has been sampled and was featured on the breakbeat compilation album, Ultimate Breaks and Beats.

Whilst Wansel was relatively unknown outside the U.S., many have suggested that his influence on pop music, as both a producer and performer in the mid 1970s, led to the development of new age soul and jazz funk. His most successful album was Life On Mars, released on the Philadelphia International record label in 1976. Wansel played keyboards, Derek Graves played bass guitar whilst a session singer, Terri Wells, was on vocals. The remaining sound was filled in by Dexter's rhythm section called The Planets featuring Darryl Brown, Calvin Harris, Bobby Malach, Al Harrison and the aforementioned Graves.

During the second half of the 1970s, space travel and sci-fi were important themes in the ambient U.S. culture and therefore in funk, jazz, and jazz funk, and were reflected in in Dexter's titles and music. Listening to other tracks on the album, like "Stargazer", "Theme from the Planets" and "Rings of Saturn", it can be seen that a space theme runs through his music. His "Funk Attack" on the 1979 album Time is Slipping Away and "I'll Never Forget (My Favorite Disco)" have stood the test of time. Instrumental arrangements appeared on his album Voyager (1978). In addition to this he presented a disco theme with "Disco Lights" from the album What The World is Coming To (1977); and jazz funk such as "Latin Love" on Voyager; or "Ode Infinitum" on What The World Is Coming To.

Wansel has produced and recorded many soul ballads including the Time is Slipping Away title track, "New Beginning" on that same album, "The Sweetest Pain" (which was sampled by The Solid Doctor for his trip hop track "Lights On The Vibe", by DJ Cam for his track "Dieu Reconnaîtra Les Siens", and by Global Communication for their track "The Way") and "You Can Be What You Wanna Be" from 1976. He also co-wrote and produced the Pieces of a Dream track, "Warm Weather". The track "Rings of saturn" was sampled by Dela for his track "Long Life" featuring Talib Kweli.

He entered the record chart with "Sweetest Pain" in 1979, and "Solutions" a year earlier. He also made a reggae track called "Going Back to Kingston Town" in 1977.