Barney Wilen

Bernard "Barney" Jean Wilen (4 March 1937 – 25 May 1996)

Wilen's career was boosted in 1957, when he worked with Miles Davis on the soundtrack for the Louis Malle film Ascenseur pour l'échafaud. The same year, he released Tilt, his first album as leader. Wilen would return to composing for French films in the 1980s and 1990s. He toured in Japan for the first time in 1990. In the 1990s he collaborated musically with his partner at the time, the singer and visual artist Marie Möör,

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 Tilt (Swing, 1957) Barney Wilen Quintet (Guild du Jazz, 1957) Jazz sur Seine (Philips, 1959) – with Milt Jackson, Percy Heath and Kenny Clarke Un témoin dans la ville (Fontana, 1959) Barney (RCA, 1960) Zodiac (Vogue, 1966) Jazz Meets India (SABA, 1967) – with Dewan Motihar Trio, Irène Schweizer Trio, Manfred Schoof Auto Jazz: Tragic Destiny of Lorenzo Bandini (MPS, 1968) – with Eddy Gaumont Dear Prof. Leary (MPS, 1968) – with the Amazing Free Rock Band Moshi (Saravah, 1972) French Ballads (IDA, 1987) La Note Bleue (IDA, 1987) Wild Dogs of the Ruwenzori (IDA, 1989) Movie Themes from France (Timeless, 1990) – with Mal Waldron Trio French Story (Alfa, 1990) – with Mal Waldron Paris Moods (Alfa, 1990) Sanctuary (IDA, 1991) Newport '59 (Fresh Sound, 1991 ) Modern Nostalgie: Starburst Forever (Alfa, 1992) Dream Time (Deux Z, 1992) – with Alain Jean-Marie Essential Ballads (Alfa, 1993) Inside Nitty=Gritty (Venus, 1993) Le Grand Cirque (Wan+Wan, 1993) Le ça: New York Romance (Venus, 1994) Passione (Venus, 1995) Talisman (IDA, 1994) Barney at the Club Saint-Germain (Paris 1959): The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (RCA Victor, 1997 ) More from Barney at the Club Saint-Germain (RCA Victor, 1997 ) Besame Mucho (Venus, 1997) Double Action (Elabeth, 1999 ) – with Jimmy Gourley The Osaka Concert (Trema/RTE, 1999 ) Flash Back (Paris Jazz Corner, 2003 ) – with Philippe Petit Dreamtime (Nocturne, 2004 ) Le Jardin Aux Sentiers Qui Bifurquent (CELP, 2004) – with Jazz-Hip Trio Live in Paris 8 Janvier 1983 (Marge, 2007 ) – with Dièse 440 Jazz in Camera (Sonorama, 2012 ) – with Donald Byrd Moshi Too: Unreleased Tapes Recorded in Africa 1969–70 (Sonorama, 2012 [1969–1970]) – with Caroline de Bendern Four Brothers (Sonorama, 2015 ) – with Lucky Thompson Live in Tokyo '91 (Elemental Music, 2019 ) Montréal Duets (Elemental Music, 2020 ) – with Alain Jean-Marie

As sideman With Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers Les liaisons dangereuses 1960 (Fontana, 1960) Blakey in Paris (Epic, 1961) Paris Jam Session (Fontana, 1961 )

With Miles Davis Ascenseur pour l'échafaud (Fontana, 1958) Jazz Track (Columbia, 1959)

With Bud Powell Bud in Paris (Xanadu, 1975 [1959–1960]) Cookin' at Saint-Germain 57-59 (Mythic Sound, 1989) Groovin' at the Blue Note 59-61 (Mythic Sound, 1989) Paris Sessions (Pablo, 2002) Parisian Thoroughfares (Pablo, 2003) Shaw Nuff (EPM/Xanadu, 1979)

With others Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, Bud Powell, Clark Terry, Europa Jazz (Europa Jazz 1981) Jay Cameron, Jay Cameron's International Sax-Band (Swing, 1955) Franco Cerri, International Jazz Meeting (Columbia, 1961) Gil Cuppini, What's New? Vol. 2 (Meazzi Edizioni, 1961) Leo Ferre, Francofolies La Fete a Ferre Enregistrement Public a La Rochelle (EPM, 1988) George Gruntz, Jazz Sound-Track (From the Schmidthauser-Film Production "Mental Cruelty") (Decca, 1960) – with Kenny Clarke Lars Gullin, The Liquid Moves of Lars Gullin Lost Jazz Files 1959–1963 (Sonorama, 2016) Roy Haynes, Roy Haynes Modern Group (Swing, 1955) John Lewis & Sacha Distel, Afternoon in Paris (Atlantic, 1957) Thelonious Monk, Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960 (Sam, Saga 2017) Marie Möör, Aigre-Douce (Global 1993) Stevie Nicks, Rock a Little (Modern, 1985) Jacques Pelzer, Never Let Me Go (Igloo, 1990) Eje Thelin, Eje Thelin 1966 with Barney Wilen (Dragon, 2003 ) Francois Tusques, Le nouveau jazz (Mouloudji, 1967) Rene Urtreger, Collection Privee Extraits De Concerts (Carlyne Music, 1982)