Chas Jankel
Encyclopedia
Charles Jeremy Jankel professionally known as Chaz Jankel, is a musician best known as the keyboard player and guitarist with Ian Dury
and the Blockheads. He was co-writer with Dury of the band's best-known songs during its commercial peak in the late 1970s.
influence in the Blockheads' music; his fondness for it is also evident in his solo career.
First hooking up with Dury as part of the pub group Kilburn and the High-Roads in the early part of the 1970s, Jankel was asked by Dury to join his new outfit, and appeared on such Blockheads releases as 1977's New Boots and Panties!! and 1979's Do It Yourself
, before leaving the group. But in 1981, Jankel teamed up once more with Dury (sans the Blockheads), for the release Lord Upminster
, which spawned the U.S. Top 40 dance hit "Spasticus Autisticus." But by this time, Jankel had become more interested in pursuing a solo career and he issued several releases for A&M
such as 1980's self-titled debut, 1981's Chasanova and Questionnaire (the latter of which contained the U.S. dance hit "Glad to Know You," a collaboration with Dury, plus the MTV video hit of the title track).
Quincy Jones
had a UK chart hit with his version of Ai No Corrida
which reached #14 in April 1981.
Jankel hit #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in 1982 with the triple A-side "Glad To Know You
"/"3,000,000 Synths"/"Ai No Corrida
". In 1984, "Number One" went to #1 in the clubs in France. 1983's Chazablanca and 1985's Looking at You are other releases for A&M. Jankel returned to the Blockheads after his solo career in America, and worked with Dury on his final two albums (Mr. Love Pants
, Ten More Turnips From The Tip
). Jankel continues to perform and write with the Blockheads today, after Dury's death in 2000.
Jankel has several composer credits for film
s, including D.O.A.(1988) and K2
. He contributed the song "Number One" to the soundtrack of the 1985 film Real Genius
. He also composed much of the music for the film Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
, the biopic of Ian Dury. He received a Bafta nomination for the film's music.
My Occupation – The Music Of Chaz Jankel is a compilation of Jankel’s biggest works: "Ai No Corrida", "Glad to Know You" and "You're My Occupation". "Get Myself Together" is a lost B-side.
Ian Dury
Ian Robins Dury was an English rock and roll singer, lyricist, bandleader and actor who initially rose to fame during the late 1970s, during the punk and New Wave era of rock music...
and the Blockheads. He was co-writer with Dury of the band's best-known songs during its commercial peak in the late 1970s.
Biography
Jankel was responsible for much of the funkFunk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
influence in the Blockheads' music; his fondness for it is also evident in his solo career.
First hooking up with Dury as part of the pub group Kilburn and the High-Roads in the early part of the 1970s, Jankel was asked by Dury to join his new outfit, and appeared on such Blockheads releases as 1977's New Boots and Panties!! and 1979's Do It Yourself
Do It Yourself (Ian Dury & the Blockheads album)
Do It Yourself is a 1979 album by Ian Dury & The Blockheads. It was the first album to be credited to Ian Dury & The Blockheads rather than Ian Dury alone, although Dury had used the full band name for the "What A Waste" 7" single of 1978...
, before leaving the group. But in 1981, Jankel teamed up once more with Dury (sans the Blockheads), for the release Lord Upminster
Lord Upminster
Lord Upminster is a 1981 solo album by Ian Dury. It was his first record for Polydor Records and was recorded in The Bahamas with his old writing partner Chas Jankel and the famous reggae duo Sly and Robbie....
, which spawned the U.S. Top 40 dance hit "Spasticus Autisticus." But by this time, Jankel had become more interested in pursuing a solo career and he issued several releases for A&M
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
such as 1980's self-titled debut, 1981's Chasanova and Questionnaire (the latter of which contained the U.S. dance hit "Glad to Know You," a collaboration with Dury, plus the MTV video hit of the title track).
Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
had a UK chart hit with his version of Ai No Corrida
Ai No Corrida (song)
"Ai No Corrida" is a song written by Chaz Jankel and Kenny Young, first recorded in 1980 and featuring on Chaz Jankel's self-titled debut album for A&M Records.- Interpretation :...
which reached #14 in April 1981.
Jankel hit #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in 1982 with the triple A-side "Glad To Know You
Glad to Know You (Chas Jankel song)
Glad to Know You is a 1982 dance single by the former keyboard/guitarist for Ian Dury & the Blockheads, Chas Jankel. Along with the singles, "3,000,000 Synths, and the self penned, "Ai No Corrida", "Glad to Know You" hit #1 on Hot Dance Club Play charts, for seven weeks, becoming the biggest...
"/"3,000,000 Synths"/"Ai No Corrida
Ai No Corrida (song)
"Ai No Corrida" is a song written by Chaz Jankel and Kenny Young, first recorded in 1980 and featuring on Chaz Jankel's self-titled debut album for A&M Records.- Interpretation :...
". In 1984, "Number One" went to #1 in the clubs in France. 1983's Chazablanca and 1985's Looking at You are other releases for A&M. Jankel returned to the Blockheads after his solo career in America, and worked with Dury on his final two albums (Mr. Love Pants
Mr. Love Pants
Mr. Love Pants is a 1998 album by Ian Dury and the Blockheads, released on East Central One under Dury's own label Ronnie Harris Records .- History :...
, Ten More Turnips From The Tip
Ten More Turnips from the Tip
Ten More Turnips From The Tip is the final album by Ian Dury and the Blockheads. It was compiled and released in 2002, two years after the singer's tragic demise from cancer in March 2000.- History :...
). Jankel continues to perform and write with the Blockheads today, after Dury's death in 2000.
Jankel has several composer credits for film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s, including D.O.A.(1988) and K2
K2 (film)
K2 is a 1991 motion picture loosely based on the story of two friends' ascent of the second-highest mountain on Earth, K2. The story is based on a play written and presented as a senior-thesis at Stanford University. These roles were played by Michael Biehn and Matt Craven...
. He contributed the song "Number One" to the soundtrack of the 1985 film Real Genius
Real Genius
Real Genius is a 1985 satirical comedy film directed by Martha Coolidge. The film's screenplay was written by Neal Israel, Pat Proft and Peter Torokvei. It stars Val Kilmer and Gabriel Jarret....
. He also composed much of the music for the film Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (film)
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll is a 2010 biopic of Ian Dury, starring Andy Serkis as Dury. The film follows Dury's rise to fame and documents his personal battle with the disability caused by having contracted polio during childhood. The effect that his disability and his lifestyle have upon his...
, the biopic of Ian Dury. He received a Bafta nomination for the film's music.
My Occupation – The Music Of Chaz Jankel is a compilation of Jankel’s biggest works: "Ai No Corrida", "Glad to Know You" and "You're My Occupation". "Get Myself Together" is a lost B-side.
Albums
- Chaz Jankel - A&MA&M RecordsA&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
- 1980 - Chasanova - A&M - 1981
- Questionnaire - A&M - 1981
- Chazablanca - A&M - 1983
- Looking At You - A&M - 1985
- Out of the Blue - 2001
- Zoom - 2003
- Experience - 2005
- A Bit On the Side - 2008
- The Submarine Has Surfaced - CJ label - 2010
External links
- theblockheads.com: Chaz Jankel
- http://www.chazjankel.com/
- http://www.residentadvisor.net/feature-read.aspx?id=928
- http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9cka_chaz-jankel-number-one