Where Are You, Jay Bennett?

Jay was a complicated genius whose life would take several seasons of a docudramedy musical to even begin to scratch the surface. The filmmakers did a near perfect job of whittling things down to an appetite-whetting sample to entice anyone who enjoys music to delve deep into what remains of Mr. Bennett's legacy. A compelling and fascinating story well-told.

Ask any Wilco fan what their favorite album by the band is, and you know they'll say Being There, Summerteeth, or YHF. That, of course, is the Jay Bennett era.

Sadly, too many modern fans of Wilco (and music in general) have no appreciation for how talented Jay was. How influential. How creative. This film takes it upon itself to show you, to teach you. Consider it a Master Class in Jay Bennett appreciation.

Through countless interviews with family, friends, and colleagues - along with fantastic interviews with Jay himself - you get a full picture of his history, development, his ups and downs, his quirks and his generosity. But it's not a false narrative. There's no worshipping at the altar of a false messiah. The people who knew him best reveal the true picture of the man. He was complicated, sometimes difficult, obsessed with details, and sometimes had a bit of a kitchen sink approach to recording music.

Above all, you learn how Bennett worked so hard to be everything he could be to anyone who needed him. He'd wear as many hats as necessary. Like so many of us, he just wanted to be liked, appreciated, and most of all understood.

This documentary is NOT just for fans of Wilco. Any true music fan will love this film.

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.

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.

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.