Barney Wilen, March 4, 1937 – May 25, 1996) was a French soprano and tenor saxophonist as well as a jazz composer. Wilen was born in Nice. His father was an American dentist and inventor, while his mother was French. After being encouraged by Blaise Clendrars, his mother’s friend, Wilen began performing in Nice clubs. He was able to boost his career in 1957 after he collaborated with Miles Davis for the soundtrack Ascenseur pour l’Echafaud. Wilen composed his soundtracks Un Temoin Dans la Ville in 1959 and Jazz sur scene together with Kenny Clarke in 1959. Two years later, he composed a soundtrack to Roger Vadim’s film Les Liaisons Dangeureuse. He worked with Thelonious monk. In the 1980s and 1990s, Wilen returned to French film composition. He became interested in rock music during the 1960s and recorded an album dedicated Timothy Leary. Before returning to jazz in 1990s, he also worked with punk musicians. Wilen was a member of modern jazz musicians up until his death in 1996. At the age of 59, he died from cancer in Paris. Philippe Paringaux, a French comic artist and Philippe Paringaux, paid tribute to Wilen in 1987’s “bande dessinee”. bio from Wikipedia
