Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
The Grammy Award winning duo of Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga will bring a once in a lifetime performance, featuring tracks from their critically acclaimed album Cheek to Cheek, to Meadow Brook Music Festival on Monday, July 27 at 8 p.m.
Tickets go on sale Saturday, Feb. 21 at 10 a.m. at Livenation.com, Palacenet.com, The Palace Ticket Store and all Ticketmaster locations. Tickets may also be purchased with American Express, Discover, Visa and MasterCard by calling 800.745.3000.
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga took home the award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for their 2014 collaboration album Cheek To Cheek at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards this past Sunday, Feb. 8, and the pair also performed the title track. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 charts upon its release on Sept. 23, and at 88, Bennett remains the oldest artist in music industry history to have an album on the #1 spot on the Billboard charts. Cheek To Cheek marks Lady Gaga's third consecutive #1 album release in just over three years.
The performance will be accompanied by a full orchestra along with each artist's jazz ensembles who will also serve as special guests for the evening.
Cheek To Cheek features classic jazz standards sung by Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett in a combination of vocal duets and solo performances. From the title track to “But Beautiful” to “I Won’t Dance,” the record showcases the chemistry between the two artists, who span 60 years in age. As Bennett says, “What I really love about being a jazz singer is that jazz artists are very creative, very honest, from phrase to phrase” and Lady Gaga adds, “We wanted to make something that sounded perfect because of the quality of the emotion…the honesty.”
Cheek To Cheek also features the Lady Gaga solo “Lush Life,” accompanied by Tony Bennett’s solo of “Sophisticated Lady.” The two songs complement each other, as Lady Gaga explains, “I loved making ‘Lush Life,’ Tony mentored me emotionally through the process,” and Tony Bennett adds, “I sang ‘Sophisticated Lady’ to answer her on ‘Lush Life,’ and because Duke Ellington wrote it, who collaborated with Billy Strayhorn, the writer of ‘Lush Life.’”
Recorded in New York City, Cheek To Cheek took over a year to complete and features jazz musicians associated with both artists including members of Bennett’s quartet: Mike Renzi, Gray Sargent, Harold Jones and Marshall Wood as well pianist Tom Ranier. Jazz trumpeter Brian Newman, a long-time friend and colleague of Lady Gaga appears on the album as well with his NYC-based jazz quintet. Jazz soloists on selected tracks include tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano, trumpeter George Rabbai and flutist Paul Horn, who passed away in July.
What the critics are saying about the just aired TV special, Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek LIVE!
“Simply put Cheek to Cheek LIVE! is a full hour of great music” - Dallas Morning News
“We’ll just remind you they’re actually both divine live performers and they’ve got great chemistry.” - The Washington Post
“In Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek Live!, this musical odd couple with 60 year age differences take on the Great American Songbook and prove again that the classics can bridge many divides” - The New York Times
“Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett make beautiful music together. This goes beyond great, actually. Two splendid singers are backed by brilliant instrumentalists.” - The Californinan
What the critics are saying about the #1 CD, Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek To Cheek:
“An unlikely pairing results in beautiful music...She's a revelation” – People Magazine
“Cheek to Cheek serves up the real thing, start to finish. If you didn't know the name of the vocalist and the kind of publicity that surrounds her, you'd surely say: Who's that swing singer, and why haven't I heard of her before?” – Chicago Tribune
“Gaga and Bennett? It's an epic musical mash-up” – USA Today
“...Magical results...glorious jazz album...a musical match made in jazz/standards heaven...there is so much to enjoy and discover...intoxicating prowess...” – Chicago Sun Times
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga at Meadow Brook Music Festival is part of the Belle Tire Concert Series.