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Cheek to Cheek is the first collaborative album by Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett. Initially set to be released on January 1, 2014, the release was pushed back to March 18, 2014, with the final release date set for September 23, 2014. Gaga first announced the project in a tweet mentioning Bennett, following their performance at the Inaugural Ball in 2013.[1]

Background

Tony Bennett originally announced the album in an interview with Rolling Stone in September of 2012. Bennett says that Lady Gaga's father called on her behalf while she was on tour in New Zealand to request doing a collaborative jazz album, which Bennett happily accepted following their work together on "The Lady is a Tramp" in 2011.[2]

"We're gonna do a jazz album with Marion Evans, a big swing band, and I'm looking forward to it because a lot of people don't know it, but she's a phenomenal jazz singer. I can't mention the composer because I don't want anybody to do it before we do it, but there's a great composer that's very underrated, very famous, but not as famous as Gershwin or Porter. But he did as many hit songs as anybody, and so we're gonna do a big swinging album."

—Tony Bennett to Rolling Stone

In an interview with PhillyBurbs.com, discussed his involvement in "The Lady is a Tramp" and the upcoming project. At that point, he did not know how many songs were expected to be on the album, but there would be about four or five different sized orchestras that would be utilized.[3]

During an interview in late June, Bennett revealed the first song title, "Paradise" stating it is one of the original songs written by Gaga to be included on the album, he also stated that while the album will include collaborative covers between the two, it will also feature solo covers as well as some newly written material. Following the interview, Gaga clarified that the album would consist solely of standards.

Recording

Asked about the album in March of 2013, Bennett revealed to Rolling Stone that they already started working on it on papers and would continue to do so until June. The recording session began in late June of 2013 in New York City. According to the press release, the album took over a year to complete.

The duo recruited for their musicians members of Bennett's quartet, Mike Renzi, Gray Sargent, Harold Jones, Marshall Wood and Tom Lanier along with The Brian Newman Quartet, Alex Smith (piano), Brian Newman (trumpet), Paul Francis (drums), Scott Ritchie (bass) and Steven Kortyka (tenor sax). They also recruited jazz soloists Joe Lovano and Paul Horn on selected tracks.

Release

In September 2013, Bennett announced in an interview the album will come out in January 2014 and was quoted saying, "We recorded all great standards, quality songs; George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, songs like that. With a big swingin' band and great, great, jazz artists playing." A month later, it was announced it would come out New Year's Day (January 1), 2014. However, on December 12, in an interview with CNN, Bennett revealed that the album's release was delayed and the final release date was confirmed as March 18, 2014. USA Today's "2014 Album Roster" reported that the album had been pushed back to Fall of 2014.

On The Today Show on July 29, 2014, the same day the lead single was released, Gaga and Tony announced that the final release date for the album is set for September 23, 2014.[4]

Artwork

Photographer Steven Klein contributed the photographs and spearheaded the artistic design for the album packaging as well as for the first official image released from Cheek To Cheek, which is featured on the "Anything Goes" cover art.

Track list

No. Title Length
1. "Anything Goes" 2:03
2. "Cheek to Cheek" 2:50
3. "Nature Boy" 4:08
4. "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" 3:13
5. "I Won't Dance" 3:56
6. "Firefly" 1:57
7. "Lush Life" (Solo by Gaga) 4:14
8. "Sophisticated Lady" (Solo by Tony) 3:49
9. "Let's Face the Music and Dance" 2:06
10. "But Beautiful" 4:04
11. "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" 2:23
iTunes bonus tracks
No. Title Length
12. "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" (Live from Jazz at Lincoln Center) [Solo by Gaga]) 3:43

No. Title Length
1. "Anything Goes" 2:03
2. "Cheek to Cheek" 2:50
3. "Don't Wait Too Long" (Solo by Tony) 2:36
4. "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" 3:13
5. "Nature Boy" 4:08
6. "Goody Goody" 2:11
7. "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" (Solo by Gaga) 3:10
8. "Firefly" 1:57
9. "I Won't Dance" 3:56
10. "They All Laughed" 1:48
11. "Lush Life" (Solo by Gaga) 4:14
12. "Sophisticated Lady" (Solo by Tony) 3:49
13. "Let's Face the Music and Dance" 2:06
14. "But Beautiful" 4:04
15. "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" 2:23
International physical bonus tracks
No. Title Length
16. "On A Clear Day (You Can See Forever)" (Solo by Tony) 2:34
17. "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" (Solo by Gaga) 3:07
18. "The Lady is a Tramp" (from Tony Bennett’s Duets II) 3:18
iTunes bonus tracks
No. Title Length
16. "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" (Live from Jazz at Lincoln Center [Solo by Gaga]) 3:43
Target bonus tracks
No. Title Length
16. "On A Clear Day (You Can See Forever)" (Solo by Tony) 2:34
17. "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" (Solo by Gaga) 3:07
HSN bonus tracks
No. Title Length
16. "The Lady's in Love with You" (Live from Jazz at Lincoln Center [Solo by Tony]) 1:42
17. "The Lady is a Tramp" (from Tony Bennett’s Duets II) 3:18

Release history

Region Date Format Catalog # Barcode Version
De
Link=Australia
September 19, 2014 CD 602537972289 Standard
602537998845 Deluxe
Fr
Gb
September 22, 2014 3797228 Standard
3799884 Deluxe
Us
Ca
Mx
September 23, 2014 B0021493-02 602537972289 Standard
0253799884 602537998845 Deluxe
Jp September 24, 2014 SMH-CD UICS-1286 4988005848567
September 30, 2014 CD NEOIMP-9525 602537972289 Standard
NEOIMP-9526 602537998845 Deluxe
Us October 14, 2014 Vinyl LP B0021493-01 602537988976 Standard
Fr November 3, 2014

Collector's Edition Box Set

CTC - Collector's Edition Box Set

A special collector's edition box set was released via Lady Gaga's official webstore. The set includes:

  • The deluxe version of the #1 album Cheek To Cheek on CD
  • 12" vinyl version of the standard album
  • Cheek To Cheek LIVE! Concert DVD
  • Cheek To Cheek sheet music autographed by Tony Bennett with a special personal message to Lady Gaga.
  • Exclusive 7" vinyl featuring It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) & Cheek To Cheek
  • Embroidered and monogrammed handkerchief with Tony Bennett's initials and Lady Gaga's lipstick print
  • Four personal snapshots of Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
  • Two sketches by Tony Bennett for Lady Gaga
  • Six 8x10 art prints by Steven Klein housed in a vellum envelope
  • Commemorative newspaper
  • All housed in a black leather-finish box to hold all items

Promotion & performances

Cheek to Cheek LIVE!

On July 28, 2014, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga recorded a live special featuring performances they handpicked from their album. The special titled "Cheek to Cheek LIVE!" will air on Great Performances | PBS on Friday, October 24 at 9pm ET. The special was recorded at the Rose Theater, a venue of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City.

On July 15, 2014, a contest was revealed to win entry to the taping for the special.

"To enter, like this post and send an email to cheektocheeklive@gmail.com with the subject line “Entry”, and the entrant’s first and last name, mailing address, email address and telephone number in the body of the email. The first 20 eligible entries will win entry for you and a guest to the live taping."

Studio videos

Using footage from the recording sessions, a few videos were made and then released prior to the release of the album on September 23, 2014.

Booklet and credits

  • Producer, Recording Engineer & Mixer – Dae Bennett
  • Executive-Producer – Danny Bennett
  • Vocal & Rhythm Arrangements – Lee Musiker
  • Music Directors for Mr. Bennett – Lee Musiker, Mike Renzi
  • Additional Engineering - Dave Russell
  • Production Manager & Contractor – Jill Dell'Abate
  • Live Sound – Tom Young & ACIR Pro Audio
  • Pro-Tools Operator – Alessandro Perrotta
  • Assistant Engineers – Akihiro Mishimura, Darren Moore, Mike Bauer, Sheldon Yellowhair, Tim Marchiafava
  • Recorded at KAS Music & Sound, Kaufman Astoria Studios, Astoria NY, Manhattan Center Studios, NYC and Avatar Studios, NYC
  • Mixed at Avatar Studios, NYC
  • Mastering – Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound, NYC
  • Union Contractor – Ivy Skoff
  • Music Copyists – Joann Kane Music Services, Larry H. Abel
  • Photography – Steven Klein
  • Art Direction – Modern Construct

For Tony Bennett

  • Management – Danny Bennett
  • RPM Productions – Dawn Olejar, Erica Fagundes, Hadley Spanier, John Callahan, Sandi Rogers, Seth Ferris, Sylvia Weiner
  • Sony Music Entertainment – Doug Morris, Nancy Marcus-Seklir, Rob Stringer
  • Tony Bennett appears courtesy of Colombia Records

For Lady Gaga

  • Management – Bobby Campbell
  • A&R – Vincent Herbert
  • Day-To-Day Management – Lane Bentley
  • Fashion Director – Brandon Maxwell
  • Hair – Frederic Aspiras
  • Makeup – Sammy Mourabit
  • Vocal Instruction – Don Lawrence
  • Legal – Kenneth R. Meiselas & Sonya Guardo for Grubman Indursky Shire & Meiselas, P.C.
  • Production Coordinator – Lisa Einhorn-Gilder for Streamline Records
  • Interscope Marketing – Dyana Kass
  • Interscope International – Jurgen Grebner, Tomoko Itoki, Nick Miller
  • Publicity – Amanda Silverman for 42 West, Dennis Dennehy for Interscope Records
  • Interscope Creative – Ianthe Zevos
  • Interscope Production – Gretchen Anderson
  • Tony Bennett Quartet (on all tracks unless stated)
  • Piano – Mike Renzi
  • Guitar – Gray Sargent
  • Bass – Marshall Wood
  • Drums – Harold Jones
  • Orchestra
  • Arrangement & Conductor – Jorge Calandrelli (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14)
  • Concertmaster – Elena Barere (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14)
  • Violins - Alex Sharpe (2) (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Ann Leathers (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Barbara Danilow (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Catherine Sim (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Elena Barere (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Eric Wyrick (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Jorge Avila (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Karen Karlsrud (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Kristina Musser Gitterman (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Laura Bald (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Laura Frautschi (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Laura McGinnis (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Lisa Tipton (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Nancy McAlhaney (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Nancy Wu (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Robert Zubrycki (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Sanguen Han (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Sean Carney (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Sebu Sirinian (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Una Tone (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Xiao-Dong Wang (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Yoon Kwon (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Yuri Vodovoz (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14)
  • Violas – Alissa Smith (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Katherine Anderson (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Kimberly Foster Wallace (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Martha Mooke (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Sarah Adams (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Todd Low (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Vincent Lionti (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14)
  • Celli – Diane Barere (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Ellen Westermann (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Jeanne Leblanc (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Richard Locker (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Stephanie Cummins (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Saeunn Thorsteinsdottir (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14)
  • Harp – Barbara Allen (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Susan Jolles (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14)
  • Flute – Katherine Fink (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Pamela Sklar (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14)
  • Obo/English Horn - Diane Lesser (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14)
  • Clarinet – Pavel Vinnitsky (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14)
  • French Horn – Bob Carlisle (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Mike Atkinson (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Nancy Billman (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Stewart Rose (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14), Theo Primis (tracks: 3, 5, 11, 14)

Brass (tracks: 1, 9, 10, 15, 16)

  • Arrangement and Conductor – Marion Evans
  • Alto Saxophone – Lawrence Feldman, Lou Marini
  • Tenor Saxophone – Andy Snitzer, Dave Mann
  • Baritone Saxophone – Ron Janelli
  • Trumpets – Bud Burridge, John Owens, Bob Millikan, Tony Kadleck
  • Tenor Trombones – Keith O'Quinn, Larry Farrell, Mike Davis
  • Bass Trombone – George Flynn
  • Tony Bennett is a Steinway Artist. Tony Bennett uses Sennheiser and Neumann microphones exclusively. Harold Jones uses DW Drums & Zildjian Cymbals exclusively. Gray Sargent plays Godin 5th. Avenue Archtop Guitars.
  • Tony Bennett thanks:

I'd like to thank everyone who made this album possible, particularly my family and my beautiful wife Susan. But most of all, I wish to thank the exceptionally talented Lady Gaga for bringing these songs to life.

  • Lady Gaga thanks:

There are so many people in my life I need to thank. In fact, I'd like to thank the whole world. But for this album I'd like to extend, on behalf of my entire family, just one thank you. To the one and only Mr: Tony Bennett.

References

Discography
Studio albums
Collaborative albums
Soundtracks
EPs
Compilation
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