Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, Barkan grew up in Columbus, Ohio and attended Oberlin College.

[1] He ran a club in San Francisco called Keystone Korner from 1972 to 1983, which became, in the words of journalist Bob Margolis, "legendary for its adventurous bookings and its bohemian ambience".

[2] A fan of jazz from a young age, Barkan ran the club despite its inability to break even, and financial troubles resulted in its closure in 1983.

[2] In 2001 he began working as the director of Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center, a position he held until 2012.

[5] In 2019, Barkan and Michelin-starred chef Robert Wiedmaier re-launched the Keystone Korner in Baltimore's Harbor East.