Artist of the Month

Barney Wilen

Born in Nice, Barney Wilen’s (1937-1996) 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 also wrote a soundtrack for Roger Vadim’s film Les liaisons dangereuses 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. Wilen toured in Japan for the first time in 1990. 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 of 59.

Barney Wilen