Dexter Wansel, an important force in the hugely influential '70s Philadelphia soul scene, has died. Wansel's son Andrew "Pop" Wansel, a prominent producer in his own right, announced his passing on Instagram last night. No cause of death has been reported. Wansel was 75.
Dexter Gilman Wansel grew up in Philadelphia, and he served as an errand boy at the city's Uptown Theater as a kid. He played in local bands as a young person, then served in the Army. After getting his honorable discharge, Wansel returned to Philadelphia, got interested in modular synths, and played in a number of local R&B groups. He became a part of MFSB, the legendary house band at Philadelphia International Records, and he signed with the label as an artist and an in-house producer and songwriter.
Over the years, Wansel worked as the conductor and musical director of MFSB. He also contributed to tons of classic soul records from the era as a keyboardist, writer, producer, and arranger. Wansel worked on records from acts like the Jacksons, Lou Rawls, the Stylistics, Teddy Pendergrass, and Patti LaBelle. He also released a handful of solo records on Philadelphia Instrumental, starting with the 1976 instrumental club hit "Life On Mars."
Wansel quietly continued to release music in his later years, and his final LP The Story Of The Flight Crew To Mars came out in 2021. But more people heard Wansel's music because of all the records that sampled his work over the years. The breakbeat drum intro from Wansel's 1976 instrumental "Theme From The Planets" has appeared on hundreds of records, including Eric B & Rakim's "I Ain't No Joke," Dido's 'Thank You," the Avalanches' "Frontier Psychiatrist," and a ton of J. Cole tracks. Wansel's producer son Andrew "Pop" Wansel has worked with artists like Nicki Minaj, Lizzo, and Kehlani. Check out some of Wansel's work below.
