Eric Barret was a French jazz saxophonist and composer born on May 5, 1959, in Le Havre. As a self-taught musician, he began his career playing in Parisian jazz clubs in 1978 with notable figures such as Chet Baker and Jean-Louis Chautemps. He joined various ensembles, including the quintet of Alby Cullaz and the quartet of Charles Bellonzi. In 1982, Patrice Caratini invited him to his onztet, and the following year, Barret participated in his first album recording with Jean-Pierre Mas's quartet, Trapèze. He co-founded a trio with Henri Texier and Aldo Romano in 1985, which won the Prix Boris Vian. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, Barret collaborated extensively, forming quartets and septets, including New Shapes and My Favorite Songs. He died on March 3, 2025.
