Barney Wilen

Barney Wilen (March 4, 1937 - May 25, 1996) was a French tenor and soprano saxophonist and jazz composer. Wilen was born in Nice; his father was an American dentist turned inventor, and his mother was French. He began performing in clubs in Nice after being encouraged by Blaise Cendrars who was a friend of his mother. His career was boosted in 1957 when he worked with Miles Davis on the soundtrack Ascenseur pour l'Échafaud. In 1959, Wilen wrote his two soundtracks Un Témoin Dans la Ville and Jazz sur scène with Kenny Clarke. He wrote a soundtrack for Roger Vadim's film Les Liaisons Dangeureuse two years later, working with Thelonious Monk. Wilen returned to composing for French films in the 1980s and 1990s. In the mid-to-late 1960s he became interested in rock, and recorded an album dedicated to Timothy Leary. He also worked with punk rockers before returning to jazz in the 1990s. Wilen played with modern jazz musicians until his death in 1996. He died of cancer in Paris at the age 59. In 1987, French comic book artist Jacques de Loustal and author Philippe Paringaux paid homage to Wilen in their "bande dessinée" Barney et la note bleue ("Barney and the blue note"). Discography As leader 1957 : Tilt - Vogue Swing 1958 : Jazz sur Seine - Philips 1959 : Barney - RCA 1959 : Un témoin dans la ville - Fontana 1962 : Jazz Soundtrack From Mental Cruelty - Decca 1966 : Zodiac Suite - Vogue 1968 : Dear Prof. Leary - MPS Records 1968 : Auto Jazz: Tragic Destiny of Lorenzo Bandini - MPS 1972 : Moshi - Saravah 1975 : Free Jazz - Mouloudji 1986 : Flashback - Paris Jazz Corner 1987 : La note bleue - IDA 1987 : French Ballads - IDA 1989 : Wild Dogs of the Ruwenzori - IDA 1990 : Paris Moods - Alfa Jazz 1991 : Sanctuary - IDA 1991 : Modern nostalgie (Starbust Forever) - Alfa Jazz 1992 : Dream time - Deux 1992 : Aigre-douce - Alfa global 1993 : Essential Ballads - Alfa Jazz 1993 : Talisman - IDA 1993 : Inside nitty = Gritty - Venus 1994 : Barney Wilen Quartet, New York Romance - Venus 1994 : The Osaka concert - Trema 1995 : Passione - Venus As sideman With Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers : 1959 Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960, Original Soundtrack 1959 : Paris Jam Session - Fontana With Miles Davis : 1957 : Miles Davis And Barney Wilen Quartet - Carlyne 1958 : Ascenseur pour l'échafaud - Polygram/Fontana With John Lewis : 1956 : Afternoon in Paris - Atlantic With Bud Powell : 1959 : Cookin' at Saint-Germain 57-59 - Mythic Sound 1961 : Pianology - Moon With Martial Solal : 1958 : Martial Solal et son Grand Orchestre - Swing