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Arranger Series - Dexter Wansel
Show
The legendary keyboard player and producer who put Philly on the musical map like few of his contemporaries. Alongside the production duo Gamble & Huff, Dexter Wansel created a special sonic texture that became known as the Philly sound. Since the early 1970s, Wansel has worked with Patti Labelle, Teddy Pendergrass, The Jacksons or Grover Washington Jr., scored a Grammy for his contribution to Lou Rawls’ Unmistakably Lou and played a crucial part in the invention of new age soul and jazz funk. His impact on soul and pop music from the 70s onwards might be without question, but his feel for the right arc of suspense goes beyond the realms of music, as proven by his 2011 debut novel Shortwave. As usual, Kirk knows more.
Host
London United Kingdom
Kirk puts your favourite musical heroes’ discographies to the acid test. This time it’s all about Dexter Wansel. Can we get a Philly hit?
In a career spanning over two decades, _(artist-name)Kirk Degiorgio_ has earned the tag of ‘the producers producer’. From his humble beginnings in 1983 as an electro DJ to his As One productions for Clear, Mo’ Wax and Ubiquity, Degiorgio has remained true to his love of everything soulful, edgy and funky. Inspired by a vinyl buying visit to Chicago and Detroit in 1990 Kirk sold all his records and put together ART Studios in the model of those he saw at Transmat and Metroplex. Kirk fused his vision of the Detroit sound with funk and jazz influences resulting in a succession of projects under the names _(artist-name)Future/Past_, _(artist-name)As One_, _(artist-name)Offworld_, _(artist-name)Esoterik_, _(artist-name)Elegy_ and _(artist-name)Super-A-Loof_, as well as his actual name for his purist techno releases on the New Religion label. He has remixed artists as varied as _(artist-name)Azymuth_, _(artist-name)Coldcut_, _(artist-name)4 Hero_, _(artist-name)Innerzone Orchestra_, _(artist-name)Papo Vasquez_ and many more. His collaborations include work with visionaries like _(artist-name)Ian O'Brien_, _(artist-name)Tony Allen_, _(artist-name)Carl Craig_, and _(artist-name)Paul Randolph_. From 1992 until 1997 Kirk’s ART/OpArt labels released important early productions from _(artist-name)B12_, _(artist-name)Carl Craig_, _(artist-name)Aphex Twin_, _(artist-name)The Black Dog_, _(artist-name)Photek_ and others. Kirk has also worked as producer, writer, and backing singer for the band _(artist-name)The Beauty Room_.
