06/04/2026
RIP Dexter Wansel, the Philadelphia-born jazz-fusion recording artist, producer, arranger and composer, who died last Sunday, aged 75.
An early proponent of the synthesizer, Wansel grew up working backstage for his uncle at Philly’s Uptown Theatre, meeting many famous artists. During high school he played in bands with Stanley Clarke, destined to become a bass great.
He served in the US military during Vietnam, before finding his feet in the music industry, programming synths for ‘70s sessions at the legendary Sigma Sound Studios, home of the Philadelphia Sound, epitomised by artists like The O’Jays, Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes, The Three Degrees and in-house orchestra, MFSB, all under the stewardship of legendary producers/songwriters, Gamble & Huff.
He’d go on to sign for Philadelphia International Records as a solo artist, his 1976 debut, ‘Life On Mars’ (not to be confused with the Bowie song), became a classic cut on the UK jazz-funk scene.
‘Disco Lights’, would make the US Disco chart in ‘77, peaking at #25. Although he’d have no further club hits, ‘79’s ‘The Sweetest Pain’, featuring vocalist Terri Wells, was his most successful US R&B hit, just squeezing into the top 40. He’d release four albums for PIR between 1976-79, with subsequent LPs in 1986, 2004 and more recently, 2021, returning to the R&B chart with ‘The Story Of The Flight Crew To Mars’.
He led MFSB in the post-Vincent Montana Jr. era (Montana and other key members having defected to Salsoul), and wrote the jazz-funk favourite ‘Mysteries Of The World’ in 1980. He also co-wrote ‘Nights Over Egypt’ by The Jones Girls, another jazz-funk pick in 1981.
It was only in April that London’s Eventim Apollo hosted Dexter Wansel & Friends for a celebration of MFSB and the Philadelphia Sound, featuring a 33 piece orchestra. By all accounts it was a wonderful night, but Wansel was too ill to fly over, although Terri Wells was there to sing ‘The Sweetest Pain’, whilst ‘Life On Mars’ was a highlight.
His son, Pop Wansel, is half of the production team, Pop & Oak, whose long list of credits include Nicki Minaj, Busta Rhymes, Rihanna, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Lopez.
