Chaz Jankel

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and producer Chaz Jankel – born April 16, 1952, in Stanmore, Middlesex, England – is best known as the bandleader and co-songwriter for Ian Dury & the Blockheads as the co-writer of “Ai No Corrida,” which was a hit for Quincy Jones in 1981. Chaz Jankel learned to play the guitar at the age of seven and then studied the piano. His musical journey began in 1972 when he joined the folk-rock group Byzantium, eventually joining Jonathan Kelly's Outside in 1974. He met former Kilburn & the High Roads leader Ian Dury and co-founded Ian Dury & the Blockheads in 1977. Jankel became the Blockheads’ bandleader, co-writing Dury’s most popular hits including "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll," "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick," and "Reasons to Be Cheerful, Part 3." Tensions between the two creative forces led to Chaz Jankel leaving the Blockheads in 1980. He then focused his attention on disco and funk music and signed a solo deal with A&M Records. He released the albums Chaz Jankel (1980), Chasanova a.k.a. Questionnaire (1981), Chazablanca (1983) and Looking at You (1985). While his own albums didn’t chart as well as expected, Quincy Jones covered "Ai No Corrida" (originally featured on Chaz Jankel’s self-titled album) and turned it into an international hit. Some of Chaz Jankel’s best-known singles include "109", "3,000,000 Synths", "Glad to Know You" (Number 1 in the American dance charts in 1981), and "Number One". He also composed soundtracks for films such as Making Mr. Right (1987), D.O.A. (1988), Killing Dad (1989) and K2 (1991). Chaz Jankel rejoined Ian Dury & the Blockheads in 1994 and appeared on the album Mr. Love Pants (1998), the final album released before Ian Dury’s death in 2000. The Blockheads continued to record together, releasing a series of albums including Where’s the Party (2003) and Beyond the Call of Dury (2017). Chaz Jankel continued to release solo albums including Out of the Blue (2001), Zoom (2003), and The Submarine Has Surfaced (2010).