Jay Bennett R.I.P

[Analogman]

What band are they with??????????????

 

If you are asking a question about show, I am glad to try and answer it - but why don't we take it to this thread:

 

Bennett Show Thread

[H-Bomb Henry]

My favorite Jay Bennett memory had to be when I saw he and Ed Burch, shortly after the split in some small bar in Cincy. The bar served great burritos. He was slamming Bloody Mary's before the show and finally took that stage about 1AM after Dolly Varden. He started taking up donations in an effort to make up for the night before. I guess the bar they were playing at kicked them out and refused to pay them. Someone then paid him 20 bucks to play Counting Crows which he did. He did a dead on impersonation. Prior to the show I remember playing some Elvis Costello on the jukebox which he proceeded to rock out to while slamming drinks.

 

Prior to the other day I hadn't thought about Jay Bennett in quite some time. Now I can't quit thinking about the guy. I feel bad about that.

[Barbarino]

Listening to "Genevera" from The Beloved Enemy.. Jay made some beautiful music...

[jackiepants]

Thanks for sharing this, Sam. What a good memory, and it was fun to hear Jay call me Nelly Furtado again.

 

jackie

 

It was at Laurie's Planet of Sound, the funnest record store in Chicago! My avatar is from that day. They only play actual songs for an hour. The "Banter" tracks are 1/2.

 

Share and Enjoy.

[HungryHippo]

Jeepers, every day at work I read these comments and think, "Ooooh, when I get home," and then forget every night. I really should buy up his solo catalogue. I still don't care for his singing voice, but everyone likes the albums so much I think I could grow to love them too.

 

He was such a busy, busy musician, I have to think he lived twice as long as the rest of us for the 25 years he was making music.

get them all! The Beloved Enemy has been one of only 10 or so albums that i have listened to on a constant basis for the past 5 years.

 

i hope Jay's passing doesn't make it impossible to find these albums. he told me a few months ago that they were working on getting them back out there again. i guess its all up to Undertow now.

[mpolak21]

I just watched the DVD Project Volume of bonus clips from the website, and really enjoyed seeing some of the happier times of Jay working with the group during YHF. There's a great scene of Bennett hamming it up for the camera at his keyboard station: "notice I'm playing both the black keys and the white keys at the same time, a lot of guys just play either the blacks or the whites, I'm one of the first to switch it up."

 

--Mike

[J_Lefty]

I just watched the DVD Project Volume of bonus clips from the website, and really enjoyed seeing some of the happier times of Jay working with the group during YHF. There's a great scene of Bennett hamming it up for the camera at his keyboard station: "notice I'm playing both the black keys and the white keys at the same time, a lot of guys just play either the blacks or the whites, I'm one of the first to switch it up."

 

--Mike

 

Just curious, to which DVD project are you referring?

[hilliard]

Just curious, to which DVD project are you referring?

 

http://www.thedvdproject.net/Wilco_DVDs.htm

[hardwood floor]

"notice I'm playing both the black keys and the white keys at the same time, a lot of guys just play either the blacks or the whites, I'm one of the first to switch it up."

 

--Mike

 

[Analogman]

Pledge drive to get Whatever Happened I Apologize released on vinyl.

 

About this project

 

In November 2008, Jay Bennett (ex-Wilco, Titanic Love Affair), released his new album "Whatever Happened I Apologize", for free, under a Creative Commons license on our netlabel Rock Proper. You are encouraged to download it, share it, remix it, etc. Free download.

 

Recorded at Pieholden Suite Sounds, the album is quiet, intimate and sounds amazing. And upon release we received a mess of emails asking whether these lovely tunes would end up on vinyl. As a small emerging netlabel, we simply didn't have the means to do so. Until we stumbled on Kickstarter. So this project is simply seeking funds to manufacture Jay Bennett's "Whatever Happened I Apologize" on a 12" 180 gram vinyl record.

 

Here's what Jay had to say about making this album:

It is stark, stripped down, and acoustic based—more so than any other record I have made. I really wanted to capture the simpler and more emotional nature of the songwriting, and I knew that the only way I could do this was to put it together quickly, with no second-guessing, and no heavy deliberating about minor details. Consequently I would have to learn to embrace the resultant imperfections—and I have. All of the vocals are done live to my own acoustic guitar accompaniment, so it has some "warts," but, in my effort to not forsake integrity for technical perfection, the album ended up feeling more honest, immediate, naked, and cohesive to me. I am very proud of presenting myself without my typical voluminous bells and whistles. I am left wondering why I haven't done this more often in the past.

 

And please check out some very kind reviews at:

Lucid Culture

NY Observer

Pitch Mag

Relix

 

Project location: Chicago, IL

[hardwood floor]

i heard california stars at starbucks today

 

made me sad

[mpolak21]

i heard california stars at starbucks today

 

made me sad

 

There's a scene in the Wilcofilm (I Am Trying To Break Your Heart) bonus clips where Jay talks about hearing songs he played on at a Starbucks and trying to get free coffee because of it, they didn't go for it.

 

--Mike

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

Is there any word on the results of the autopsy?

 

Actually...I hope the information will never be released. The final indignity is having the cause of death being bandied about for the masses.

[hardwood floor]

There's a scene in the Wilcofilm (I Am Trying To Break Your Heart) bonus clips where Jay talks about hearing songs he played on at a Starbucks and trying to get free coffee because of it, they didn't go for it.

 

--Mike

 

awesome

[Doug C]

Is there any word on the results of the autopsy?

 

Actually...I hope the information will never be released. The final indignity is having the cause of death being bandied about for the masses.

See David Carradine.

[SquashedFrog]

Is there any word on the results of the autopsy?

 

Actually...I hope the information will never be released. The final indignity is having the cause of death being bandied about for the masses.

 

Yes, I'm starting to think it won't be released either.

 

The newspapers didn't release the cause of death of Norm Van Lier (former Bulls star for those not in Chicago), though they dropped plenty of hints about depression, etc.

[Bhickman]

I guess what happened ultimately isn't as meaningful in the scheme of things. I don't know. I know that I wish he were still here.

[HungryHippo]

this is an idea that i've been thinking about for a while now and wanted to throw it out there and see what you all think about it. when Jay and i first started talking to one another, i mentioned his artwork on his myspace page and how cool it looked. he seemed kinda reserved about it until we mentioned him pursuing it further, maybe releasing an art book with an accompanying music CD (like Joseph Arthur) and it was then that he got really excited about the prospect. he told me that he had wanted to do something like that for years but didn't know how. it was an unexpected treat to see his artwork on Whatever Happened I Apologize a couple of months later!

 

with that being said, i think it would be nice to see a website, or even a book, dedicated to Jay's visual artwork. imo, its an extension of his music/ creativity and i really think he would've liked to see something like this happen. imagine being able to visit a website where you could browse through all of his work, doodles, sketches, finished pieces, while listening to his songs, demos, jams, whatever. what do you all think about this? maybe his family will go for the idea?

[bigideas]

i was also wondering if they have confirmed the cause of death.

[Analogman]

He made a great album for Blues Traveler. Did he have a major role in any other releases that we can check out?

 

From The Blues Traveler Blog:

 

 

Monday, May 25, 2009

Jay Bennett

 

I wanted to put out a few words for one of the most musical people i

have ever met -- Jay Bennett. I heard the sad news of his passing

and felt like he needed a shout out. I only knew him a little bit

and for a little while, but it was during that intense time of making

a record. When emotions get raw and insecurities are rampant, and

when someone's passion and creativity are on display. It is easy to

think you know someone at these times.

 

It was clear pretty quickly that Jay had some demons and that they

clawed at him. As exuberant as his love of music and the process of

creating it, was his need to numb. It didn't interfere too much

early on but i think, in retrospect, he may have run out of gas a

little bit during the all too familiar BT race to the record

"finish". I don't think he could work that way very well. We used

to chat in the studio about having a year to work on little parts for

this tune or that tune. Apparently, that was how long Wilco tinkered

with their stuff. What a luxury. Especially with someone who had

such a font of ideas.

 

When he first came to Austin to meet us, we sat him down in the

practice studio and went through each song. His task was to give us

his impressions and ideas off the cuff. It was remarkable the number

of things he came up with. Whether it was instrumentation,

arrangement, individual parts or production the guy was en fuego. We

were sold.

 

He coupled a musician's love of playing and musicality with a

producer's ear for sounds and structure and emotion. In one of the

first conversations i had with him he said that his primary focus if

he took the BT gig would be to try and suck more emotion out of the

tunes. Plus, the dude was a musical encyclopedia and would

constantly throw out references to old tunes as a way to get us to

his understanding.

 

I know, there are a lot of guys who fit this bill in some way or

another, and who had a lot more "success" than Jay. But, listen to

"I Am Trying To Break Your Heart". The melody and chords are super

simple and in the case of the changes, very "done". Yet, the song

feels anything but "done". It feels fresh and engrossing and very

emotional. Yes, Tweedy wrote it and the rest of the band was great,

but that has Jay all over it.

 

Most of our fans put Bastardos, the one he did with us, at the

bottom of the heap. I don't agree but I do wonder what he might have

accomplished had he had less baggage. He helped us get outside of

our comfort zone and was willing to throw anything at the wall to see

if would stick. For most listeners, I am guessing that too many

things stayed stuck and unsettled. I think he ran out of steam and

without his energy the record couldn't quite cohere. But, if you

have taste for little production nuggets and parts and things that

jump out only after many listens, I think the record plays very

differently. Imperfect, yes. Easily digestible, no.

 

At the end of the session he approached us and said how much he

appreciated working with us and watching the closeness and sense of

camaraderie that BT has. He was uplifted by our "band", in the way

you think of it when you're 16 and carting your Crate 12 inch amp and

Casio keyboard over to your buddies house to jam. Or when you're

12, dancing around the living with a broomstick pretending to be

Jagger and Richards.

 

I have no idea what his dreams were then, or what they were

yesterday, but I am sure he had a lot more music in them.

I am glad I was able share some time with Jay. He inspired me. I

only spoke to him once or twice after the record was all done but

recently i had begun re-listening to "Yankee Hotel.." and

"Summerteeth". I kept hearing things I loved in the recordings and

wondered if I might be able to track him down and ask him about

them. I doubt I would have but I'm disappointed I won't ever have

the opportunity.

 

Thank you Jay. For your inspiration and belief.

 

-Ben Wilson

[IcculusDC]

Thanks for posting Analogman -- really enjoyed reading that.

[Wendy]

this is an idea that i've been thinking about for a while now and wanted to throw it out there and see what you all think about it. when Jay and i first started talking to one another, i mentioned his artwork on his myspace page and how cool it looked. he seemed kinda reserved about it until we mentioned him pursuing it further, maybe releasing an art book with an accompanying music CD (like Joseph Arthur) and it was then that he got really excited about the prospect. he told me that he had wanted to do something like that for years but didn't know how. it was an unexpected treat to see his artwork on Whatever Happened I Apologize a couple of months later!

 

with that being said, i think it would be nice to see a website, or even a book, dedicated to Jay's visual artwork. imo, its an extension of his music/ creativity and i really think he would've liked to see something like this happen. imagine being able to visit a website where you could browse through all of his work, doodles, sketches, finished pieces, while listening to his songs, demos, jams, whatever. what do you all think about this? maybe his family will go for the idea?

Wow, you have been thinking about this a lot! Nice. Sounds like a labor of love, would love to see what develops! I'm a fan of the art/music books and actually own that Joseph Arthur book you mentioned. If you go the internet site route, maybe the guys at Glorious Noise http://www.gloriousnoise.com/ especially Derek Phillips could assist internet-wise. They are huge Jay Bennett fans and have written about him extensively over the years.

 

I checked today, and the project that is raising money to have his latest LP released on Vinyl has raised only 19% of its goal. So that's one thing that still needs funding.

 

And I don't know if this as been posted yet - the family requested (in the funeral home obit - http://www.heathandvaughn.com/bennett-jay.html ) donations to Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation - http://www.mhopus.org/

 

Contributions may be made to Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation in Jay’s memory (www.mhopus.org). Founded in 1996, The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation donates new and refurbished musical instruments to underserved schools, community music programs and individual students nationwide, in an effort to give youngsters the many benefits of music education, help them to be better students and inspire creativity and expression through playing music.

 

Also in that obit, they mention this future event:

 

Later this summer, Jay’s multi-talented friends will be hosting a Memorial Concert in Urbana.

[HungryHippo]

Wow, you have been thinking about this a lot! Nice. Sounds like a labor of love, would love to see what develops! I'm a fan of the art/music books and actually own that Joseph Arthur book you mentioned. If you go the internet site route, maybe the guys at Glorious Noise http://www.gloriousnoise.com/ especially Derek Phillips could assist internet-wise. They are huge Jay Bennett fans and have written about him extensively over the years.

 

I checked today, and the project that is raising money to have his latest LP released on Vinyl has raised only 19% of its goal. So that's one thing that still needs funding.

 

And I don't know if this as been posted yet - the family requested (in the funeral home obit - http://www.heathandvaughn.com/bennett-jay.html ) donations to Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation - http://www.mhopus.org/

 

 

 

Also in that obit, they mention this future event:

 

unfortunately, my web-design skills are quite limited. however, i would def. love to help out to the best of my abilities to see a project like this through. if Jay's family/ estate could offer up some high quality scans of his art, i'm sure i could find someone who could create a rockin' site. thanks for the Derek Phillips suggestion. i'll e-mail him and see if he'd be willing to help. have you checked out Joseph Arthur's art site? Museum of Modern Arthur i was thinking of something similar to that.

 

as for the LP funding, it would only take 160 of us on here to donate $25 to see Jay's last record become a physical reality. really hope this project's goal is reached.

 

and thanks for the heads-up regarding the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation. i've never heard about them before but what they're doing sounds really cool.

[cwnorman]

Don't know how to search for specific link on the new board, not that I knew how to do it on the old. A friend passed this on to me and I hadn't seen it, thought some of you might appreciate it if it had not already been posted.

 

Will Johnson on Jay

[H to the ickle]

On the subject of his cause of death, when a press release says, "... from complications due to surgery" and does not specify what kind of surgery, it was usually cosmetic.