Cheek to Cheek (album)

Background

In 2011, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga first met, after she had performed a rendition of Nat King Cole's "Orange Colored Sky", at the Robin Hood Foundation gala in New York City. Bennett then asked Gaga to sing a duet with him on his album Duets II, and these two have recorded "The Lady Is a Tramp" for the album. In September 2012, Bennett confirmed to Rolling Stone that Gaga wanted to record a jazz album with him and there was a well-known composer associated with the project, and although not on a par with songwriters like George Gershwin or Cole Porter, he had had several hits to his name. Swing band and composer Marion Evans were also under consideration for collaborating on the album; Bennett confirmed recording sessions would start soon after.

In January 2013, Evans confirmed that he would have a fairly significant part in the making of the album, stating "I don't know at this point exactly how many songs will be on the CD, but I'm sure we'll have about four or five different-sized orchestras or bands. It'll turn into a giant panic, I can assure you. That's just how this business is." Later that month, Gaga, after her performance with Bennett at the final inaugural ball of President Obama's second inauguration, announced the album formally through her Twitter. "And here's me and my handsome date, I simply cannot wait for our album together, he's my darling!" she wrote as a caption for a photo tweeted of the pair, along with revealing the title of the album as Cheek to Cheek.

In September 2013, Bennett explained that for the album, they 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." He told Chicago Tribune that his main intention of recording the album with Gaga was to introduce the jazz standards to a younger audience, believing that the tracks had a "universal appeal" and "timeless quality" about them. Gaga told The Daily Telegraph that with her earlier releases like The Fame (2008), The Fame Monster (2009), and Born This Way (2011), she felt unable to achieve her full vocal potential. She described Cheek to Cheek as a "rebellious" and "liberating" album for her because she was able to sing without worrying about record producers engineering it for radio.

Bennett said that Gaga had written an original song for the album titled "Paradise". It also contained solo performances along with the duets; Gaga later clarified that the album contained only standards. The songs were handpicked by Bennett and Gaga; they selected tracks from the Great American Songbook including "Anything Goes", a Porter song, "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" and "Sophisticated Lady" by Duke Ellington, "Lush Life" by Billy Strayhorn, and the title track by Berlin.

Recording and composition

Although the project was in development and discussions were taking place as early as September 2012, the recording did not start until the Spring of 2013, being delayed by Gaga's hip surgery and cancellation of her Born This Way Ball tour. The recording took place over a year in New York City, and featured jazz musicians associated with both artists. Bennett's quartet was present, including Mike Renzi, Gray Sargent, Harold Jones and Marshall Wood as well as pianist Tom Lanier. Along with Evans, jazz trumpeter Brian Newman, a long-time friend and colleague of Gaga, played on the album with his New York City based jazz quintet. Tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano and flautist Paul Horn were also enlisted as musicians.

According to Gaga, Bennett wanted her to sing different songs and was impressed by her vocals during "Lush Life", referring to the Billy Strayhorn written standard that has been recorded by everyone from Nancy Wilson and Sarah Vaughan to Donna Summer and Linda Ronstadt. Gaga explained that she was nervous about recording with Bennett. "I just wanted him to hear I have an authentic jazz voice and that I studied that... If he can hear that, I'm okay. If he can't hear it, I'm not an authentic jazz voice", she added. Inspiration for singing came from jazz singer Amy Winehouse, who died in July 2011; Gaga added "I thought of her almost every day in the studio. I wish she was still here. She was jazz to her core". The songs were recorded live with the band, and during the recording process Gaga asked for carpets to be placed on the studio floor, so that it looked like a film set and it could be photographed.

In Cheek to Cheek, Gaga sings solo on "Lush Life", "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" and "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye", while Bennett's solo includes "Don't Wait Too Long" and "Sophisticated Lady". According to Gaga, "Lush Life" and "Sophisticated Lady" complemented each other; for Bennett, the complement came from the fact that Duke Ellington wrote "Sophisticated Lady" and later collaborated with Strayhorn for "Lush Life". Gaga sang "Lush Life" in her school choir, but it was only later she understood the lyrical interpretation of the track, about failure and heartache. While recording Cheek to Cheek she was emotionally upset about her professional and personal conflicts encountered during the Artpop era; Bennett had to support and guide her through the process. Newman recalled that "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" was recorded during the taping of the duo's show at Lincoln Center. Gaga had informed the musicians about performing the song, and piano player Alex Smith made the necessary musical arrangements the night before the concert. They did not rehearse it, and recorded it live when Gaga performed the song in front of the audience.

The first song, "Anything Goes", was recorded by Bennett for his 1959 collaboration with Count Basie and his Orchestra, Strike Up the Band, and Gaga first came to know about it when she was 13 years old. Gaga thought that "Anything Goes" was a funny track with a "real sexy, powerful vibe to it, and it's just because we're having fun singing it." The version on Cheek to Cheek finds Bennett and Gaga swapping the lyrics between themselves, and was described by Bobby Olivier, from The Star-Ledger, as "smooth as silk". The syllables are pronounced strongly by Gaga in syncopation while her vibrato complemented Bennett's characteristic jazz vocals and swing. Olivier added, "Gaga's voice, when stripped of its bells and whistles, showcases a timelessness that lends itself well to the genre." "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" was originally written in 1928 by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields for the Broadway revue, Blackbirds of 1928. The version on Cheek to Cheek opens with the sound of high-hat and an electronic organ. Gaga alters the lyrics to sing "Gee, I'd like to say you're looking swell, Tony", who later rejoins with the line "Diamond bracelets won't work, doesn't sell, Gaga". "Nature Boy" was first released as a single in 1948 by Cole, and it became a commercial success for him. Written by eccentric songwriter eden ahbez, the song about a "strange enchanted boy" features instrumentation from flutes and drums, and has an orchestral arrangement. A loungier version, Gaga sings in a Liza Minnelli inspired voice with a breathy range, followed by Bennett complimenting her with the story of meeting the titular character.

Release and artwork

On December 12, 2013, Bennett revealed to CNN that the album's release was delayed and the final release date was confirmed as March 18, 2014. Edna Gunderson from USA Today reported that the album had been delayed and was expected to be released in late 2014. Later in April 2014, during the Museum of the Moving Image's salute to Kevin Spacey, Bennett told a reporter that the album would be released during September. On July 29, 2014, Bennett and Gaga appeared on The Today Show to formally announce their collaboration and confirmed the final release date in the US as September 23, 2014. The album was first released in Australia and Germany on September 19, 2014.

Photographer Steven Klein shot the album covers, and was responsible for the artistic ideas behind the packaging of the release. He also developed the cover art for "Anything Goes". On August 18, 2014, Gaga released the official cover art for the album, which showed the singer with Bennett, sitting and holding hands. The singer explained that she and Bennett were sitting and talking when Klein had suddenly photographed them. For the standard edition, Bennett and Gaga are shown in a New York newspaper with the album name atop the image, while the deluxe edition just features the same image. Gaga's look with her massive black curls in the image was compared by Kirthana Ramisetti from New York Daily News to singer Cher's character in the 1987 American romantic comedy Moonstruck.

The complete track list for the album was also revealed alongside the cover arts. The standard edition consists of 11 tracks while the deluxe edition has 15 songs listed. Along with the standard and deluxe editions in digital and CD formats, there were exclusive releases to Home Shopping Network (HSN) and Target. A 180 grams (0.40 lb) vinyl edition of the album was also released to Amazon.com. The album was sold at Starbucks stores with unique cover artwork. In October 2014, Gaga announced a Collector's Box Set to be released in December 2014. It would include limited edition items, like personal snapshots, Cheek to Cheek sheet music autographed by Bennett, 8×10 art prints housed in a vellum envelope and others.

Bennett told Billboard that they were also inspired by Porter's 1936 musical, Red, Hot and Blue, for a possible sequel to Cheek to Cheek. He wanted to see how Cheek to Cheek fared after its release, but Gaga wanted to start working on the collaboration "right away". Bennett added: "we're gonna do two albums in a row with her. We'll have to try and do that as soon as possible, just as a follow-up for a second album."

Live performances

In June 2014, Gaga began promoting the album through a series of public appearances with and without Bennett, the first of them being at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in New York City. At the school, which was founded by Bennett and his wife Susan Crow, the pair performed as a duo and individually, and fielded questions from the audience. They concluded their engagement by watching a performance from the school's choir. Two days after her performance at the school, Gaga showed a new tattoo of a Miles Davis trumpet she had gotten earlier. The singer posted a picture to her Instagram account of her getting the tattoo with Newman, announcing his involvement on the album while proclaiming, "It's jazz time, world". Gaga also performed with Bennett at the Montreal International Jazz Festival, and starred in a holiday commercial for retail company H&M, directed by Johan Renck and featuring "It Don't Mean a Thing (If I Ain't Got That Swing)". The artists announced the news on Instagram. At the 2014 New York Fashion Week party, Gaga performed "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye", dedicating it to her boyfriend, actor Taylor Kinney.

On September 13 and 14, 2014, HSN broadcast a special titled Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek. The music special gave fans an exclusive look behind-the-scenes at the making of the album, as well as never-before-seen footage of the two artists collaborating in the recording studio. It also showcased their song selection process from the Great American Songbook. Following the announcement of the release, a short concert was held at the Rose Theater of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Titled Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek Live!, the concert aired on PBS as part of their Great Performances series on October 24, 2014. It was watched by an audience consisting of invited guests and students from New York schools. Set and lighting was created by Robert Wilson, while David Horn directed it. Bennett and Gaga were joined onstage by 39-piece orchestra conducted by Jorge Calandrelli, soloists Chris Botti on trumpet and David Mann on tenor sax, and jazz musicians associated with both artists. On January 20, 2015, the DVD was released.

Three songs from the album were used by ESPN during the advertisements for the 2014 Tennis US Open. The channel's vice president Jamie Reynolds explained that their decision to incorporate the "classic swing vibe of New York" led them to use the Cheek to Cheek songs. Universal Music provided the videos for the songs, which were then mixed with tennis shots and used in the ads. It also used original content like Bennett in his Manhattan apartment, and Gaga on tour in Australia with ArtRave: The Artpop Ball. On September 13, 2014, Bennett joined Gaga onstage at the ArtRave tour in Tel Aviv, Israel to sing selected tracks from the album. Gaga's vocals on "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" drew praise for her range and control. On September 22, Bennett and Gaga performed a short set list of songs from Cheek to Cheek at the Grand Place of Brussels, Belgium. Their performance received positive reviews, with The Daily Telegraph's Anne Bilson giving it four out of five stars, complimenting their vocals saying "Bennett had the lungs to compensate, and Gaga had the moves." Promotional videos were released for "Anything Goes" (from Brussels performance) and "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" (from the PBS special) on September 27, 2014.

While touring with ArtRave in the United Kingdom, Gaga appeared with Bennett on the twelfth season of British television show, Strictly Come Dancing, performing two songs from the album, "Anything Goes" and "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)". Following the tour's completion the duo performed the title track on talk shows The View and The Colbert Report. For the Christmas Tree lighting at Rockefeller Center, Bennett and Gaga performed a rendition of "Winter Wonderland". A few days later on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, they performed "Cheek to Cheek" and "It Don't Mean a Thing (If I Ain't Got That Swing)" and Gaga singing solo on "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye".

Cheek to Cheek Tour

Bennett had confirmed that he and Gaga would tour jazz festivals in 2015, supporting Cheek to Cheek. According to him, Gaga was tired from playing bigger venues, and wanted to have the tour visit smaller venues for at least three-four days, or for three-six weeks. Bennett also explained that he was accustomed to playing in acoustic music halls and outdoor theaters, so Gaga had been looking at such options. "I'm not interested in playing to 45,000 people a night, so [Gaga's] finding places where we could work for three or four days, or three or four weeks, in one place at a time. That's how she wants to work with me.", the singer concluded. On New Year's Eve 2014, the duo started the Cheek to Cheek Tour by performing at the Cosmopolitan Casino of Las Vegas, making it their first concert in US following the album's release. They also performed at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards and its scheduled a post-Grammy concert on February 8, 2015, at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, just after the conclusion of the ceremony. More shows were scheduled in 2015, including Hollywood Bowl on May 30; the Royal Albert Hall in London on June 8; and Radio City Music Hall in New York City on June 19. Jesse Lawrence from Forbes reported that there was high demand for the tickets, leading to additional dates being added to the itinerary. He also noted that the concerts had a much higher ticket price than the average, especially in the secondary markets.

Singles

"Anything Goes" was released as the first single from the album on July 29, 2014, to digital retailers, followed by the release of its music video to Gaga's YouTube and Vevo accounts. The video showed Bennett and Gaga recording "Anything Goes" as well as other songs from Cheek to Cheek. In the United Kingdom, "Anything Goes" debuted at number 174 on the UK Singles Chart for the week ending August 9, 2014. It also charted at number 132 on the sales chart of the Official Charts Company. In Spain it debuted within the top-fifty of the PROMUSICAE singles chart at number 40. "Anything Goes" debuted outside the top 100 of the French Singles Chart, at number 178. On the Billboard Jazz Digital Songs chart, the track debuted at the top, becoming Gaga's second entry on that chart, following "The Lady is a Tramp". The song was Bennett's 15th entry on the Jazz Digital Songs chart, and his third number-one single. According to Nielsen SoundScan, "Anything Goes" sold 16,000 digital downloads in the US up to the week ending August 3, 2014. The song dropped to number three on Jazz Digital Songs chart the next week.

"I Can't Give You Anything but Love" was released as the second single from the album on August 19, 2014. Gaga announced the release on Twitter, accompanied by the single's cover art. An official music video for the song was released on August 26, 2014. The video was shot in the recording studio and the first half showed Gaga in numerous outfits and wigs, while recording the song and roaming around. Bennett joins the studio sessions later on, singing the song. The final chorus finds the two singers belting together, described as "join[ing] forces for a peculiar, yet potent blend of styles that transcends generations and genres". Jon Blistein from Rolling Stone complimented the video, saying that it "proves [Bennett and Gaga] exude a unique, adorable brand of musical chemistry". After its release, "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" debuted at number-one on the Jazz Digital Songs chart of Billboard, on the week ending September 6, 2014, and the French Singles Chart at number 173.

Additionally, "Nature Boy" was released for streaming on Gaga's Vevo channel from September 16, 2014. Gaga had previously tweeted about the background of the song, as well as about the death of flautist Horn. The song debuted on the Billboard Trending 140 Chart at number five and quickly rose to number one. After Cheek to Cheek's release, "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" debuted at number one on the Jazz Digital Songs chart, which became Gaga's first entry as a solo artist.

Critical reception

At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from music critics, Cheek to Cheek received an average score of 64, indicating "generally favorable reviews", based on 12 reviews. MTV News's Gil Kaufman praised the album, calling Bennett and Gaga "a match made in heaven". He added that the singers were able to "flawlessly" merge their unique vocals, that was reflected in their in-studio rapport, and thus onto the songs on Cheek to Cheek. Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian awarded the album with four out of five stars, claiming that "Gaga is a wonder". She also praised that "Cheek to Cheek reveals the considerable warmth and depth of her voice". The Times critic Will Hodgkinson praised the album giving it a rating of four out of five stars. He added that Gaga could have been a "habitué of Upper Manhattan piano bars and supper clubs.. as Stefani Germanotta, classy singer of standards". Jazz critic Marc Myers reviewed the album for The Wall Street Journal, claiming that "the biggest surprise on the album is Gaga's solo vocal on 'Lush Life', a difficult song that has troubled even the most seasoned jazz-pop singers, including Frank Sinatra. Her lower register is warm and her phrasing is heartfelt." In his favorable review, Chicago Tribune critic Howard Reich wrote that "Cheek to Cheek serves up the real thing, start to finish... Both singers revel in swing rhythm, eager to buoy from one offbeat to the next and the next. They achieve considerable energy. But it's when things slow down that you can hear what these artists are capable of as interpreters, alone and together."

Jazz author Ted Gioia, who reviewed the album for The Daily Beast, was surprised by Gaga's ability to sing jazz, saying that "in all fairness to Lady Gaga, any singer who matches up with Tony Bennett needs to get loud and assertive... Her voice projects an appealing innocence [on] 'But Beautiful' and 'Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye'". Rating it four out of five stars, Lewis Corner from Digital Spy complimented the vocal mix on the album, adding that "Cheek to Cheek may not be the glittering spectacle we've come to expect from Lady Gaga, but with Tony Bennett's guidance the pair have delivered an authentic and solid jazz record that respects the genre's generous history. Jon Dolan from Rolling Stone gave the album three out of five stars and praised Gaga's vocals. Dolan felt the album "proves she can be a sophisticated lady". Charles J. Gan from Associated Press also praised Bennett and Gaga's singing, writing that "Had she been born in an earlier era, Gaga would have been right at home in an MGM musical". Idolator's Bianca Gracie described the album as "a refreshing listen that highlights the undeniable talent of both Bennett and Gaga and how well they work together". Writing for the National Post, Mike Doherty observed that Gaga took "liberties with the beat, bends notes, purrs and whoops away" with the vocals, while Bennett was able to complement with his characteristic "dapper approach".

With three and a half stars out of five, Kenneth Partridge from Billboard opined that Gaga justified Bennett's faith in her – but sometimes "too forcibly" – and that she needed him, more than he needed her, on the recording of the album. Partridge summarized that overall, they had a "blast together and both will benefit from this pairing". Another three and a half star rating came from Lydia Jenkin of The New Zealand Herald, who declared the album as "seamless standard renditions". Jim Farber from New York Daily News awarded the album with four out of five stars, claiming that "Gaga has always been a power singer" and "She has a lot of Liza Minnelli in her". Bennett received great review from the site about the agility and pluck he is able to sing the songs. James Reed from The Boston Globe praised the album and felt that both singers "bring out the best in each other". Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph gave the album a rating of three stars out of five, writing "If you take this album in the spirit of throwaway fun in which it seems to have been concocted, it is harmlessly engaging". Giving Cheek to Cheek a rating of A–, Glenn Gamboa from Newsday declared the album as "straightforward jazz, gorgeous and well crafted". Adam Markovitz of Entertainment Weekly commented that Bennett and Gaga are "in–if not quite heaven, then at least a pretty swell piano bar" and gave the album B+.

In a mixed review, Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic declared that "Cheek to Cheek is a record where the music and even the songs take a backseat to the personalities". Alexa Camp from Slant Magazine gave the album a rating of two out of five stars. Camp criticized Bennett and Gaga's vocals in the album, adding that "If not for the session musicians' top-notch work... much of Cheek to Cheek, which drags at an economical 45 minutes, would sound like glorified karaoke." San Francisco Chronicle writer Aidin Vaziri was disappointed with Bennett and Gaga not "highlight[ing] each other's wildly distinguishing features", adding that "the background music is far more exciting than the people singing over it". Mikael Wood from Los Angeles Times complimented Gaga's vocals in the album but panned her "cheap exploitation: of a bunch of important songs she brings nothing to; of an 88-year-old legend with whom she has zero chemistry; and, most disappointingly, of our eagerness to follow her down an unlikely creative path." At the 57th Annual Grammy Awards on February 8, 2015, Cheek to Cheek won a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

Commercial performance

Cheek to Cheek debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 131,000 copies sold in its first week according to Nielsen SoundScan, earning Gaga her third consecutive number-one album and the second for Bennett. It also topped the Jazz Albums and Traditional Jazz Albums charts. Bennett beat his own record—previously achieved in 2011 with Duets II—as the oldest living act to earn a number one album in the US. The debut also made Gaga the first female artist in the 2010 decade to have three number-one albums. Along with the Billboard 200 and Jazz Albums, Cheek to Cheek also entered at number four on the Top Digital Albums chart. As of April 17, 2016, the album has sold more than 717,000 copies in the country, becoming Bennett's seventh half-million album since Nielsen began tracking data in 1991, and Gaga's fifth. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of over 500,000 copies. Cheek to Cheek debuted at number three on the Canadian Albums Chart selling 10,000 copies per SoundScan. It was certified Platinum by the Music Canada (MC) for shipment of 80,000 copies of the album.

In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number ten on the UK Albums Chart with sales of 10,469 copies, making it Gaga's fifth top ten album and Bennett's third. Cheek to Cheek dropped to number 24 in its second week, selling 4,081 copies. Due to Bennett and Gaga's appearance on Strictly Come Dancing and Gaga's ArtRave tour, the album rebounded to number 12 on the chart in its fifth week, selling 6,257 copies. In November 2015, the album was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for selling over 60,000 copies. In Ireland the album debuted outside the top-ten of the Irish Albums Chart, at number 12, dropping to number 24 the next week. In its fifth week, Cheek to Cheek again climbed from number 50 to number 24 on the chart.

In Australia, Cheek to Cheek debuted at number seven on the ARIA Albums Chart, becoming the second top-ten album for Tony in Australia out of 56 albums released; it was the fifth top-ten album for Gaga. It dropped to number ten the next week before moving to its peak again in the third week. The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) certified it Gold for shipment of 35,000 copies in the country. In New Zealand it debuted at number 13 on the albums chart, peaking at number three in its fourth week. In Japan, it debuted at number seven on the Oricon albums chart with sales of 11,397 copies, dropping one spot the next week with another 7,371 copies sold. Cheek to Cheek was Gaga's fourth top-ten album in France, where it debuted at number nine and has sold 40,000 copies according to the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP). On the Greek Albums Chart, the album reached a peak of number two on its third week. In Russia, the album debuted at the top of the albums chart, with sales of 38,018 copies as reported by Billboard Russia. For Gaga, it was her sixth chart topper, making her the foreign artist with the most number-one albums in the country.

Track listing

All songs produced by Dae Bennett, except "The Lady Is a Tramp", produced by Phil Ramone and Dae Bennett.

Personnel

Credits adapted from Cheek to Cheek Dutch CD liner notes.

Management