Dexter Wansel, the Philadelphia-based songwriter/producer, turns 75 years young today and his contributions to the Sound of Philadelphia are as important as those of the producers he followed.
Wansel joined Philadelphia International Records in the mid 70s just as Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff started delegating more production duties out to greats like Gene McFadden, John Whitehead and Victor Carstarphen. Dexter brought a space-age production style to Philly International, most noticeable on the MFSB song “Morning Tears” from their 1975 album Philadelphia Freedom.
The next year, Dexter Wansel released his debut solo album, Life On Mars, an answer to a question posed by David Bowie a few years earlier. He would go on to record and release other jazz funk albums while producing hits for Teddy Pendergrass, Grover Washington Jr., Phyllis Hyman, The Jones Girls and others.
Check out “Theme from the Planets” from Dexter Wansel’s solo debut album Life On Mars:
