Jay Bennett may be remembered mainly for his contributions to Wilco, including the almost universally acclaimed Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but we have more solo material to remember him by than Wilco material. He released five solo albums since his unamicable departure from the band in 2001, and was almost finished with a sixth before his death last May.
According to TwentyFourBit, the album, Kicking at the Perfumed Air, will see the light of day a year after Bennett’s death. On the first anniversary of his death, May 24th, the Jay Bennett Foundation will launch, along with a digital version of the album. It will be released online for free, with an option to either donate to the Jay Bennett Foundation or another charity. On July 10th, a CD version will be available, with an undisclosed portion of proceeds going to charity.
Jay’s mother Jan Bennett and brother Jeff are behind the creation of the foundation. Jeff said the following:
AdvertisementThose of us who loved Jay lost a son, a brother, a collaborator and a loyal friend. The world lost a gifted musician, thoughtful song-writer and uniquely creative force in the studio who was always working to make music better. This album is part of a larger effort to honor Jay’s memory and enhance his legacy by exposing more people to his music and by supporting charitable efforts to make the world a better place.
You can sign up at the foundation’s site for e-mail updates, download a free mp3 of “Mirror Ball” here, and stream the song below, along with another new one called “Twice a Year”.
“Mirror Ball”
“Twice a Year”
