Barney Wilen

Biography

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 Ja...

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
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