Cheek to Cheek (Album)

Chronology by Tony Bennett
Cheek to Cheek
Studio album by Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
Publication ; (s)	19th September 2014
admission	2013
Label (s)	Streamline • Interscope • Columbia
Format (s)	CD, LP, digital
Genre (s)	Traditional pop , jazz
Title (number)	11 (Standard Edition), 18 (Deluxe Edition)
running time	34:42 (standard), 53:27 (deluxe)
occupation	Singing : ; Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga
production	Dae Bennett, Danny Bennett ( EP )
29th July 2014	Anything Goes
19th August 2014	I Can't Give You Anything but Love

Cheek to Cheek is a joint musical album by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga released on September 19, 2014 through Interscope Records and Columbia Records . Cheek to Cheek consists entirely of jazz standards from relevant composers such as George Gershwin , Cole Porter and Irving Berlin . Bennett and Gaga recorded the album in order to introduce the songs to a younger audience.

On July 29, 2014, September 19, 2014 was announced as the definitive release date on a US television program. A few minutes after the announcement, the lead single Anything Goes was released. The album received generally positive reviews after its release, with reviews particularly praising Gaga's singing. Cheek to Cheek peaked at number 1 on the Billboard 200 in its first week , with 131,000 copies sold. At the Grammy Awards in 2015 won Cheek to Cheek in the category Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album .

Origin and publication history

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga met backstage in 2011 after Gaga performed Orange Colored Sky by Nat King Cole at the Robin Hood Foundation Gala in New York City . Bennett was impressed with her performance and asked her if she would like to record a duet with him for his next album. They then recorded The Lady Is a Tramp , which appeared on his album Duets II . Since then there have been rumors of a joint jazz album by the two of them. In September 2012, Bennett confirmed that Gaga was planning to record an album with him.

Since January 2013 it was officially known that Bennett and Gaga were working on the album; The recording began after Gaga had recovered from a hip operation: On January 8, 2013, Marion Evans , who had arranged The Lady Is a Tramp , confirmed that he will also be responsible for a large part of the album. Lady Gaga later also confirmed the album via her Twitter account.

The recording sessions took place in New York City ; the songs were recorded live with a big band and strings. Throughout the year Bennett and Lady Gaga recorded the album in New York City; the release date of the album has been postponed several times. In September 2013, Bennett said they had “great standards, quality songs; George Gershwin , Cole Porter , Jerome Kern , Irving Berlin , had recorded such songs with a big swinging band and great, great jazz players ”. He told the Chicago Tribune that his main purpose of recording this album was to bring jazz to young people. Gaga said she was able to develop her singing skills to the full with her pop albums. She called Cheek to Cheek "rebellious" and "liberating" because she could sing without producers editing her voice any further.

Bennett was impressed by Gaga's vocal performance when she sang Lush Life , a standard written by Billy Strayhorn and which has been sung by Nancy Wilson , Sarah Vaughan , Donna Summer and Linda Ronstadt , among others . Gaga herself stated that it made her nervous to take on Bennett. She was also inspired by Amy Winehouse . She thought of Winehouse every day in the studio.

On the album, Gaga sings the songs Lush Life , Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) and Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye alone . Bennett's solos are Don't Wait Too Long , Sophisticated Lady and On a Clear Day . During the recording of Cheek to Cheek , Gaga was still struggling with emotional problems caused by professional and personal conflicts. According to Lady Gaga, Bennett was the reason she was enjoying music again. The original plan was for Lady Gaga to compose a song called Paradise herself and contribute to the album. In the end, however, they decided that only standards should be on the record.

Publication and cover

The release date has been postponed several times, so Bennett said on December 12, 2013 that the album would be released in March. However, USA Today later reported that the album wouldn't be released until late 2014. Finally, in April, Bennett said the album would be out in September. This was confirmed by Gaga and Bennett on The Today Show on July 29th . In fact, the album was first released on September 19, 2014.

The photographer Steven Klein , who has worked with Gaga several times, was responsible for the album and single covers. According to Gaga, the picture on the album cover is a snapshot, because Bennett and Gaga were sitting at the table and talking to each other when Klein suddenly photographed them. For the Standard Edition, the photo was placed in a newspaper article, the Deluxe Edition only shows the photo. Gaga's appearance has been compared to a young Cher . The standard edition has a total of 11 tracks, and the physical deluxe edition 18, the digital only 15. There were also several special versions, including one for the retail chain Target , Home Shopping Network and also for iTunes . In October a Collector's Box Set was announced, which, in addition to the CD, also contains vinyl records and several other items. This edition was limited.

promotion

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga during the Cheek to Cheek Tour in London (2015)

The album has been promoted since June 2014: Bennett and Gaga performed at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts . Two days after the performance, Gaga showed off a new tattoo depicting a trumpet drawn by Bennett. Bennett and Gaga also performed at the Montreal International Jazz Festival and were the faces of the H&M winter campaign. The album's It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) was used for the campaign commercial . At the New York Fashion Week Party 2014, Gaga sang Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye , which she dedicated to her boyfriend Taylor Kinney .

A Cheek to Cheek Special was also broadcast on HSN , which showed exclusive backstage scenes and where you could order a special edition of Cheek to Cheek . On October 24, 2014, a live concert called "Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek Live!" Was broadcast on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), which will also be released on DVD.

Bennett confirmed that he and Gaga will perform at various jazz festivals throughout 2015. There are also independent concerts in America and Europe. On December 30, 2014, Bennett and Gaga performed in Las Vegas; this appearance is considered the prelude to the album tour.

Singles

Anything Goes was released as a lead single on June 29, 2014, together with the music video on Gaga's Vevo YouTube account. The video shows Gaga and Bennett recording Anything Goes and other Cheek to Cheek songs . The song was at the top of the Billboard Jazz Digital Songs Chart. For Bennett, it is his third number one single on the jazz charts. According to Nielsen SoundScan , Anything Goes sold 16,000 times in the first week. I Can't Give You Anything but Love was released as a second single on August 19, 2014. The official music video followed on August 26th. It is stylistically similar to the first video and shows Bennett and Gaga recording different songs from the album. Rolling Stones magazine's Jon Blistein praised the video, saying it "proves that Gaga and Bennett are a unique, lovable combination." After the release, I Can't Give You Anything but Love was also able to reach the top of jazz digital songs and placed itself at number one.

reception

After its release, Cheek to Cheek received generally mixed reviews. On Metacritic, the album scored 64 points out of a possible 100, which is "essentially positive" based on 12 reviews.

Jazz critic Ted Gioia was surprised by Gaga's vocal abilities, and said that Gaga can hold a candle to Bennett. Mixed reviews came from Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic . He said that Cheek to Cheek was mainly worn by the celebrities of the two singers. Laut.de complains that the interpretation of the standards often heard does not lead to any “new nuances”, but emphasizes the versatility of Gaga's voice and the contrast that Bennett's aging voice creates.

Track list

Cheek to Cheek - Standard Edition (CD, Download)
No.	title	Songwriter	length
1.	Anything Goes	Cole Porter	2:04
2.	Cheek to Cheek	Irving Berlin	2:51
3.	Nature Boy	Eden Ahbez	4:08
4th	I Can't Give You Anything but Love	Jimmy McHugh • Dorothy Fields	3:13
5.	I won't dance	Jerome Kern • Oscar Hammerstein II • Otto Harbach	3:57
6th	Firefly	Cy Coleman • Carolyn Leigh	1:58
7th	Lush Life	Billy Strayhorn	4:15
8th.	Sophisticated lady	Duke Ellington • Irving Mills • Mitchell Parish	3:49
9.	Let's face the music and dance	Irving Berlin	2:07
10.	But beautiful	Jimmy Van Heusen • Johnny Burke	4:04
11.	It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)	Ellington • Mills	2:24
Overall length:			34:42

Cheek to Cheek - Deluxe Edition (CD)
No.	title	Songwriter	length
1.	Anything Goes	Cole Porter	2:04
2.	Cheek to Cheek	Irving Berlin	2:51
3.	Don't wait too long	Berlin	2:51
4th	I Can't Give You Anything but Love	Jimmy McHugh • Dorothy Fields	3:13
5.	Nature Boy	Eden Ahbez	4:08
6th	Goody goody	Matty Malneck • Johnny Mercer	2:12
7th	Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye	Cole Porter	3:10
8th.	Firefly	Cy Coleman • Carolyn Leigh	1:58
9.	I won't dance	Jerome Kern • Oscar Hammerstein II • Otto Harbach	3:57
10.	They All Laughed	George Gershwin • Ira Gershwin	1:49
11.	Lush Life	Billy Strayhorn	4:15
12.	Sophisticated lady	Duke Ellington • Irving Mills • Mitchell Parish	3:49
13.	Let's face the music and dance	Irving Berlin	2:07
14th	But beautiful	Jimmy Van Heusen • Johnny Burke	4:04
15th	It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)	Ellington • Mills	2:24
16.	On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)	Burton Lane • Alan Jay Lerner	2:34
17th	Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered	Richard Rodgers • Lorenz Hart	3:07
18th	The Lady Is a Tramp (from Duets II , 2011)	Rodgers • Hard	3:18
Overall length:			53:27

orchestra

Marion Evans - conductor (wind instruments), arranger
Jorge Calandreili - conductor (strings), arranger
Lou Marini - alto saxophone
Lawrence Feldman - alto saxophone
Dave Mann - tenor saxophone
Andy Snitzer - tenor saxophone
Tony Kadleck - Trumpet
Bob Millikan - Trumpet
John Owens - Trumpet
Bud Barridge - trumpet
Mike Davis - trombone
Larry Farrell - trombone
Keith O'Quinn - trombone
George Flynn - bass trombone
Gray Sargent - guitar
Mike Renzi - piano

Tom Ranier - piano
Marshall Wood - bass
Harold Jones - drums
Elena Barere - violin
Jorge Avila - violin
Laura Bald - violin
Sean Carney - violin
Barbara Danilow - violin
Laura Frautschi - violin
Sanguen Han - violin
Karen Karlsrud - violin
Yoon Kwon - violin
Ann Leathers - violin
Nancy McAlhaney - violin
Laura McGinnis - violin
Kristina Musser gridman - violin
Alex Sharpe - violin

Catherine Sim - violin
Sebu Sirinian - violin
Lisa Tipton - violin
Una Tone - violin
Yuri Vodovoz - violin
Xiao-Dong Wang - violin
Nancy Wu - violin
Eric Wyrick - violin
Robert Zubrycki - violin
Vincent Lionti - viola
Sarah Adams - Viola
Katherine Anderson - viola
Kimberly Foster Wallace - viola
Todd Low - viola
Martha Smith - viola
Alissa Smith - viola
Richard Locker - cello

Diane Barere - cello
Stephane Cummins - cello
Jeanne LeBlanc - cello
Sacunn Thorsteinsdottir - cello
Ellen Westermann - cello
Barbara Allen - harp
Susan Folles - Harp
Paul Horn - flute
Pamela Sklar - flute
Katherine Fink - flute
Diane Lesser - oboe
Pavel Vinnitsky - clarinet
Mike Atkinson - French Horn
Bob Carlisle - French Horn
Nancy Billman - French Horn
Theo Primis - French Horn
Stewart Rose - French Horn

Charts and chart placements

The album reached position twelve in the official album charts in Germany and stayed in the top 100 for a total of four weeks. In September 2014, the album topped the German jazz charts .

Chart placements
Charts	Top ranking	Weeks
Chart placements
Germany (GfK)	12 (4 weeks)	4th
Austria (Ö3)	6th (13 weeks)	13
Switzerland (IFPI)	7th (8 weeks)	8th
United Kingdom (OCC)	10 (14 weeks)	14th
United States (Billboard)	1 (30 weeks)	30th

Web links

swell

↑ This makes Gaga the first woman to have produced three number-one albums in that decade. Bennett also extended his record as the oldest person to reach a number one album (88 years old).

↑ http://www.cbsnews.com/news/grammy-awards-2015-nominations-announced/

↑ http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/lady-gaga-and-tony-bennett-detail-magnificent-collection-of-duets-20140729

↑ http://www.universalmusic.ca/press-releases/tony-bennett-lady-gaga-cheek-to-cheek-album-of-classic-jazz-standards-to-be-released-september-23/

↑ http://www.recendet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20131102/A_ENTERTAIN/311020312/-1/NEWSMAP

↑ http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/lady-gaga-and-tony-bennett-plan-jazz-album-together-20120928

^ Stanley, Matt (January 8, 2013). "The man behind the music". Philadelphia Media Network.

↑ http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jan/24/entertainment/la-et-ms-lady-gaga-album-tony-bennett-20130124

↑ http://www.gigwise.com/news/84528/lady-gaga-is-picasso-of-the-entertainment-world-says-tony-bennett#FjsrRIscC1Tz0XQQ.99

↑ http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/reich/ct-tony-bennett-lady-gaga-20140805-column.html

↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/11075519/Lady-Gaga-on-Tony-Bennett-Ive-been-controlled-for-years.-He-liberates-me.html

↑ http://miami.cbslocal.com/2014/07/29/lady-gaga-tony-bennett-to-release-jazz-duets-album-cheek-to-cheek-this-fall/

↑ http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/music-news/lady-gaga-thought-of-amy-winehouse-every-day-whilst-recording-with-tony-bennett-30614772.html