Chaz Jankel -

Chaz Jankel (born April 16, 1952) is an English keyboardist, songwriter, and vocalist from Stanmore, Middlesex, who recorded three albums with rustic-rockers Byzantium circa 1972/73. Between 1974 and 1979, he held slots in Jonathan Kelly’s Outside and Ian Dury’s Blockheads, musically guiding the latter act to chart success on the albums New Bootes and Panties!!! (1977) and Do It Yourself (1979). As a solo artist, Jankel released four albums on A&M between 1980 and 1985, charting with “Ai No Corrida.”

Background

Chaz was born Charles Jeremy Jankel on April 16, 1952, in Stanmore, Middlesex, where he boarded at Mill Hill School. He took piano and Spanish-guitar lessons from age seven, inspired by Lonnie Donegan. As a teenager, he enrolled at St Martin’s College of Art in London with a newfound fixation on American soul records.

While studying at St Martin’s, Jankel joined Byzantium, a London group formed by Nico Ramsden, Robin Lamble, and drummer Steve Corduner. The group signed with A&M and issued Byzantium and Seasons Changing, both with Jankel on guitar and keyboards. He left after the second album to compose soul material.

Jonathan Kelly next recruited him for …Waiting on You; Jankel then bought a Wurlitzer electric piano. Guitarist Ed Speight connected him with Kilburn and the High Roads through a London music shop. Jankel joined Ian Dury in the group’s final phase, then began setting Dury’s lyrics to music. Their partnership produced “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll” and most of New Boots and Panties!!. Further songs followed through Do It Yourself. He left the touring lineup to pursue solo work and signed a long-term A&M contract.

Chas Jankel

Chaz Jankel released his self-titled debut album, Chas Jankel, in October 1980 on A&M.

Jankel supplies the principal keyboard and guitar parts across seven tracks. Mark Isham adds brass and synthesizer, while Peter Van Hooke supplies drums and percussion. Chris Hunter contributes alto and tenor saxophones; Paul Westwood and Kuma Harada divide the bass parts.

“Ai No Corrida” drifts from a distant motorway hum, then coils through insistent Latin-accented motion and an extended instrumental span. “Peace, At Last” settles into a pastoral piano miniature with spare phrasing. “Just a Thought” saunters through restrained offbeat accents, then opens into a spacious midsection. “Am I Honest With Myself Really?” circles through a hypnotic sequence before guitar, saxophone and trumpet passages break its repetition. “Reverie” lingers on measured concert-piano figures.

A1. “Ai No Corrida” (9:10) – Jankel, Kenny Young
A2. “Peace, At Last” (2:50) – Jankel
A3. “Just a Thought” (5:16) – Jankel, Mark Newton-Carter
A4. “Lenta Latina” (3:53) – Jankel

B1. “Fuse” (0:35) – Mark Isham, Peter Van Hooke
B2. “Am I Honest with Myself Really?” (14:51) – Jankel, Mark Newton-Carter
B3. “Reverie” (3:46) – Jankel

Sessions took place at C.J.M. Studios and The Town House in London. Jankel co-produced with drummer-producer Peter Van Hooke and American trumpeter-composer Mark Isham; synthesizer programmer Chris Warwick shared production credit. Engineers Chris Jenkins and Mick Glossop worked alongside Philip Bagenal and Steve Prestage. Van Hooke and Isham also played on the 1980 Van Morrison album Common One and appeared with the singer at the Montreux Jazz Festival.

Jankel conceived the sleeve, which A&M art director Michael Ross developed with designer Simon Ryan. Peter Van Hooke supplied inner photographs, and music photographer Mike Putland shot the back cover. Ross and Ryan also designed the concurrent Police album Zenyatta Mondatta.

A&M issued “Ai No Corrida” in October 1980 (b/w “Lenta Latina”). Quincy Jones recorded the song for The Dude the next year; his version reached No. 14 in Britain and No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Angel Air remastered the album for CD in 2005 and appended “Little Eva” from Looking at You.

Questionnaire

Chaz Jankel released his second album, Questionnaire, in 1981 on A&M; the British edition appeared as Chasanova that December.

Jankel combines electric-piano and organ parts with Oberheim programming and Linn patterns. Norman Watt-Roy and Charlie Charles return for the live rhythm sections on “Boy” and “Questionnaire,” while Rico Rodriguez and Dick Cuthell add brass to “Magic of Music.” Ian Dury lyricized six tracks.

“109” strides on taut syncopation as Jankel delivers lines in an unvarnished English accent. “Magic of Music” sways through offbeat accents while trumpet and trombone fills punctuate replies. “Glad to Know You” surges through organ figures and machine-set accents before delayed chords open a wider break.

“Boy” simmers through a slow, close-set sequence with subdued phrasing. “Questionnaire” unfurls from a rising percussion swell into brass bursts, sharp piano turns and a timbales solo before a plaintive horn exit. “3,000,000 Synths” ticks beneath deadpan counting as sequenced figures orbit an elastic bass pattern.

A1. “109” (3:53) – Jankel
A2. “Johnny Funk” (4:57) – Jankel, Dury
A3. “Now You’re Dancing” (3:38) – Jankel, Dury
A4. “Magic of Music” (4:53) – Jankel, Dury

B1. “Glad to Know You” (3:40) – Jankel, Dury
B2. “Boy” (3:53) – Jankel, Charlie Charles, Norman Watt-Roy
B3. “Questionnaire” (5:18) – Jankel, Dury
B4. “3,000,000 Synths” (6:27) – Jankel, Philip Bagenal

Sessions spanned January through July 1981 at Eastcote Products Recording Studios in London. Jankel produced with drummer-producer Peter Van Hooke and Eastcote engineer Philip Bagenal; Steve Prestage completed the final mix.

Ian Dury recommended graphic artist Barney Bubbles for the uncredited British sleeve, which uses grey, pink, and black letterforms. Bubbles also devised the accompanying “Questionnaire” single sleeve. The American package credits photographer Jules Bates for the back-cover portrait and designer Melanie Nissen for a separate geometric front.

In October 1981, A&M issued “Questionnaire” (b/w “Boy”), followed by “Glad to Know You” in March 1982 (b/w “Am I Honest with Myself Really”). Stateside, a 12-inch coupled “Glad to Know You” with “3,000,000 Synths” and “Ai No Corrida”; the combined entry led Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play chart for seven weeks.

Chazablanca

Chaz Jankel released his third album, Chazablanca, in August 1983 on A&M.

Laura Weymouth co-writes six songs and contributes background singing. Drummer Jamie Lane and bassist Kendal Stubbs form the main rhythm section, while Neil Richmond programs synthesizers. Ian Dury supplies lyrics for “All I Want to Do Is Dance,” and Jankel alone writes “Davis.”

“Without You” struts through horn bursts and sequenced figures with bright-edged motion. “I Can Get Over It (If You Can Get Over Here)” sways through offbeat accents and an unhurried pattern. “Pretty Thing” skitters across taut electronic figures and brisk syncopation. “Whisper” murmurs as Jankel and Laura Weymouth pair intimate lines over subdued backing. “Thank You Very Much” digs into a deep, twangy bass figure with close-set accents.

A1. “Theme to Chazablanca (Double Bunk)” (0:30) – Fishman, Pratt, Black
A2. “Without You” (4:06) – Jankel, Laura Weymouth
A3. “I Can Get Over It (If You Can Get Over Here)” (4:35) – Jankel, Andrew L. Terner, Laura Weymouth, Peter Van Hooke
A4. “Tell Me” (4:05) – Jankel, Laura Weymouth
A5. “Pretty Thing” (5:25) – Jankel, Laura Weymouth

B1. “Whisper” (4:18) – Jankel, Laura Weymouth
B2. “All I Want to Do Is Dance” (4:30) – Jankel, Dury
B3. “Davis” (4:10) – Jankel
B4. “Thank You Very Much” (3:22) – Jankel, Laura Weymouth

Sessions split between Eastcote Productions in London and Compass Point Studios in Nassau. The original sleeve lists no producer; Philip Bagenal handled engineering and mixing, while Jamaican producer-engineer Steven Stanley worked on the Compass Point recordings. Stanley came from the Compass Point team behind Tom Tom Club’s 1981 debut, where he served as engineer and co-producer.

Richard Haughton photographed Jankel in a shearling-lined jacket for the black-and-white cover; Peter Saville Associates set the red and yellow typography. Haughton and Saville also worked together on 1983 sleeves for Minor Detail and Trevor Herion.

A&M issued “Without You” in Britain in 1983 (b/w “To Woo Lady Kong”), then released “I Can Get Over It (If You Can Get Over Here)” in October (b/w “To Woo Lady Kong”).

Looking at You

Chaz Jankel released his fourth album, Looking at You, in May 1985 on A&M.

Jankel reunites with drummer Charlie Charles and bassist Norman Watt-Roy for a lineup that combines live rhythm parts with Fairlight programming. Robbie Taylor shares keyboards and drum-machine work, while Derek Watkins arranges horns and Caroline Lavelle directs strings. Ian Dury contributes lyrics to “Little Eva,” “Number One,” and “The Boy on the Bridge.”

“Hard Music” stomps through spatial effects and blunt machine-set accents. “Little Eva” threads a tense midtempo pattern beneath airy upper figures and taut phrasing. “Number One” counts down over emphatic electronic figures and thumping machine accents, while Jankel’s dry delivery gives each line an angular contour. “Looking at You” glides on lighter syncopation as Jankel delivers an open, direct lead. “The Boy on the Bridge” drifts through contemplative lines with sparse acoustic guitar accompaniment.

A1. “Hard Music” (5:40) – Andy Heath, Jankel
A2. “Tonight’s Our Night” (4:11) – Jankel
A3. “Rhythm in My Life” (4:08) – Jankel
A4. “Little Eva” (5:00) – Jankel, Dury
A5. “Eastern Light” (4:15) – Jankel, Kenny Young

B1. “Number One” (7:18) – Jankel, Dury, Norman Watt-Roy
B2. “Tell Me, Tell Me” (4:14) – Jankel
B3. “Looking at You” (5:28) – Jankel
B4. “The Boy on the Bridge” (4:16) – Jankel, Dury
B5. “Love Rhythms” (4:03) – Jankel, Kenny Young, Norman Watt-Roy

Sessions took place at Eastcote Products in London. Jankel produced with Eastcote engineer Philip Bagenal and German keyboardist-producer Zeus B. Held, whose recent credits included Gina X Performance and Dead or Alive. Keiron De Lancey-Wheeler served as assistant engineer.

Richard Haughton photographed the cover portrait under Michael Ross’s A&M art direction. Helen Backhouse and Jeremy Williams designed the yellow-and-black sleeve. Haughton also photographed 1984/85 covers for OMD (Junk Culture) and the Dream Academy.

A&M released “No. 1” in Britain in 1985 (b/w “Tonight’s the Night”), with 12-inch editions adding “Ai No Corrida.” “Looking at You” followed (b/w “Little Eva”). “No. 1” also appeared in the 1985 Val Kilmer sci-fi comedy Real Genius.

Cherry Red collected all four A&M albums in the five-CD Glad to Know You: The Anthology 1980–1986, issued in November 2020 as a clamshell box. Bill Brewster compiled a fifth disc of single edits, dance mixes, and 12-inch material.

Later Activity

Jerry Moss rejected a completed fifth solo album in 1985 and ended Jankel’s A&M contract. Jankel moved to the United States and scored films, including D.O.A., co-directed by his sister Annabel Jankel, followed by The Rachel Papers and K2. He returned to Britain in the mid-1990s and rejoined Dury and the Blockheads. Jankel resumed solo output with the 2001 disc Out of the Blue, followed by further independent releases and continuing Blockheads work.

Discography: