The hip injury that led to Lady Gaga’s canceled world tour last month will not prevent her from recording a jazz album with Tony Bennett as scheduled, Bennett told Rolling Stone in an interview Thursday in New York.

“We’re working on it from now until June, and then we’ll record in June. She’s phenomenal,” he said during a dinner at the Amy Winehouse Gala and Inspiration Awards, which recognized him with a Lifetime Achievement honor. “I get along great with her. She’s looking forward to it and so am I.”

Inspired by their lone collaboration, “The Lady Is a Tramp” for Bennett’s Duets II album, the pair plan to expand on their relationship when they enter a studio in Astoria, Queens. “Once you have an idea, then you go for it,” Bennett said. While they have not settled on a producer, Dae Bennett and Phil Ramone worked on the 2011 song.

In addition to Gaga’s vocal ability, Bennett added that her business sense also impresses him. He recalled admiring a skyscraper-length advertisement for Fame, her women’s fragrance line, during a visit to Germany last year. “She sold one billion bottles of perfume,” he said with a laugh.

“It’s the best time of my life right now,” he said. “I’m 86 years old and I really feel like I’m just starting out right now, because I want to prove that I can get better as I get older.” Asked if he plans to record other albums beyond this project, Bennett replied, “Absolutely. I’m studying all the time, learning as much as I can.”

Source: Rolling Stone