Where Are You, Jay Bennett?

When I first heard of the documentary, I had just missed being part of the Kickstarter campaign. The filmmaker was kind enough to give me an update to its status. I received a copy of the DVD through a Record Store Day release which included a double vinyl set which included Jay's last two and extremely rare solo recordings, Whatever Happened I Apologize and Kicking At The Perfumed Air along with the DVD of the documentary. Jay's story is emotionally told through his mother and brother who shared so much about Jay's early years, Ken Coomer, former Wilco drummer, who added tremendous insight to the Wilco years and Edward Burch who collaborated with Jay during his solo years, amongst others. This documentary is an absolute must for Wilco fans.

I saw the premier in Chicago and enjoyed the thorough, emotional filmmaking. Jay Bennett was a musical genius and the filmmakers did a great job showcasing his unique personality. Highly recommend this for Wilco fans or music fans in general.

Jay Bennett is one of the least known geniuses of popular music. His name should be mentioned in the same breath as Brian Wilson and Brian Eno, but he has been unfairly cast, by an earlier documentary film, as the necessary villain of the early Wilco story. A poignant, moving, celebration of a true innovator in music who tragically passed before his time. Where Are You, Jay Bennett? Is the product of 10 years of work, and it shows. I've just attended the world premiere and I can say, without doubt, that this is a story that needed to be told.

I love Jay's music from early Wilco and the Mermaid Avenue sessions straight through to his later solo work, and I wish his talents were better-known. This film colored in additional detail about his life that made me appreciate his work all the more. What a tragedy that he was taken from us at a time when his life was on an upswing. While this film led me to revisit the previous documentary with fresh eyes, to me there are no villains in this story, just the sadness and resignation of well-meaning, extremely talented people drifting apart. Actually, scratch that: the villain in the story is the U. S. healthcare system.

Great, unbiased film that tells the story of Jay Bennett whose influence on Wilco's records like Being There, Summerteeth and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot helped evolve Wilco to where they are today. A true artist.