# Brian Newman

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**Brian Anthony Newman** (born June 10, 1981) is an American musician, band director, producer, and podcast host. He is most known for his numerous performances with [Lady Gaga](/source/Lady_Gaga) and [Tony Bennett](/source/Tony_Bennett). Alongside his wife [Angie Pontani](/source/Angie_Pontani), Newman produces their live variety show *After Dark*, which they have performed at the NoMad Library at the [Park MGM](/source/Park_MGM) in Las Vegas and The Box in New York City.

Newman has released three full-length albums: *Eyes on the City* (2016), *Showboat* (2018) and *Electric Lounge* (2020).

Newman and Pontani co-host a podcast called *Showing Off with Brian Newman & Angie Pontani*.

## Early life

Newman was born on June 10, 1981, and raised in [Mentor, Ohio](/source/Mentor,_Ohio), and [Concord Township, Ohio](/source/Concord_Township,_Lake_County,_Ohio), near [Cleveland](/source/Cleveland).[1] He told his mother at age 12 that he wanted to grow up to be a New York City jazz musician.[2] He began playing at age nine and made his public debut at age 14.[3] He is a 1999 graduate of [Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin High School](/source/Notre_Dame-Cathedral_Latin_High_School).[4] Concerning his youth in Cleveland, Newman stated, "That's one thing Cleveland and my family taught me well—the importance of hard work...There are a lot of hard workers in Cleveland."[1] He attended the University of Cincinnati's College-[Conservatory of Music](/source/Conservatory_of_Music) in Cincinnati, Ohio.[1]

## Career

Along with other graduates from Cincinnati's College-[Conservatory of Music](/source/Conservatory_of_Music), Newman began performing in venues across New York City including the [Oak Room](/source/Oak_Room_(Plaza_Hotel)) at the [Plaza Hotel](/source/Plaza_Hotel), and [Duane Park](/source/Duane_Park). Newman has also performed trumpet for [Tony Bennett](/source/Tony_Bennett) and [Mark Murphy](/source/Mark_Murphy_(singer)).[5] When he first arrived in New York, Newman served bar and waited tables between performances to help make ends meet.[6] Newman's music was featured in the 2011 film, *[Friends with Kids](/source/Friends_with_Kids)*.[citation needed] In 2018, he released the LP *Showboat*.[7]

### Collaboration with Lady Gaga

While in New York City, Newman befriended [Lady Gaga](/source/Lady_Gaga)'s boyfriend, Luc Carl, which led to a friendship with Lady Gaga. He has performed with Gaga on the special, *[A Very Gaga Thanksgiving](/source/A_Very_Gaga_Thanksgiving)* (and its follow-up EP, *[A Very Gaga Holiday](/source/A_Very_Gaga_Holiday)*),[8] *[The Today Show](/source/Today_(American_TV_program))*, the [MTV Video Music Awards](/source/MTV_Video_Music_Awards), and [BBC Radio](/source/BBC_Radio). He arranged and appeared on Lady Gaga's jazz album with [Tony Bennett](/source/Tony_Bennett), *[Cheek to Cheek](/source/Cheek_to_Cheek_(album))* (2014), and later their second album, *[Love for Sale](/source/Love_for_Sale_(Tony_Bennett_and_Lady_Gaga_album))* (2021).[9][10] Gaga has also made random surprise appearances at Newman's gigs throughout the city which have been covered by major media outlets including [E!](/source/E!), [MTV](/source/MTV), and [VH1](/source/VH1).[11][12][13] His trumpet performance can also be heard on the track "Just Another Day", from Gaga's 2016 album *[Joanne](/source/Joanne_(album))*.[14] He also collaborated with Gaga on "[Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood](/source/Don't_Let_Me_Be_Misunderstood)" from his *Showboat* album.[7] Their later collaborations include the television special *[One Last Time: An Evening with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga](/source/One_Last_Time:_An_Evening_with_Tony_Bennett_and_Lady_Gaga)*,[15] and Gaga's Las Vegas residency, [Jazz & Piano](/source/Lady_Gaga_Enigma_%2B_Jazz_%26_Piano).[16]

## Personal life

In 2013, Newman married [Angie Pontani](/source/Angie_Pontani), a [burlesque](/source/American_burlesque) dancer who was [Miss Exotic World](/source/Miss_Exotic_World_Pageant) 2008.[17] They have a daughter named Sistilia. Her godmother is Lady Gaga,[18] and Sistilia's baptism is featured in the documentary *[Gaga: Five Foot Two](/source/Gaga:_Five_Foot_Two)*.[19]

## Discography

- *Live from New York City* (2012)
- *Eyes on the City* (2016)
- *Showboat* (2018)
- *Electric Lounge* (2020)

## References

1. Bonchak, Jean (May 3, 2012). ["Lake County native who's played trumpet with Lady Gaga stopping home with burlesque show"](https://www.news-herald.com/2012/05/03/lake-county-native-whos-played-trumpet-with-lady-gaga-stopping-home-with-burlesque-show/). *[The News-Herald](/source/The_News-Herald_(Ohio))*. Retrieved June 5, 2025.

1. ["PMC Magazine"](http://pmc-mag.com/2011/03/brian-newman/?full=content#sthash.RQnBemnT.dpuf/). Pmc-mag.com. August 13, 2013. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131101094733/http://pmc-mag.com/2011/03/brian-newman/?full=content#sthash.RQnBemnT.dpuf/) November 1, 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 21, 2013.

1. ["Style Like You"](http://stylelikeu.com/closets/brian-newman/#ad-image-0/). Stylelikeu.com. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130929195015/http://stylelikeu.com/closets/brian-newman/#ad-image-0/) September 29, 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 21, 2013.

1. ["Life Style Mirror"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131003045917/http://www.lifestylemirror.com/man/style/1311454167/new-york-jazz-musician-brian-newman-shows-us-how-wear-suit/). Archived from [the original](http://www.lifestylemirror.com/man/style/1311454167/new-york-jazz-musician-brian-newman-shows-us-how-wear-suit/) on October 3, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2013.

1. Holden, Stephen (January 18, 2008). ["Messenger From Late '50s, Scatting and Swooning Away"](https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/18/arts/music/18murp.html?_r=0%2F). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180707013533/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/18/arts/music/18murp.html) July 7, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 6, 2017.

1. ["PMC Magazine"](http://pmc-mag.com/2011/03/brian-newman/?full=content%2F). Pmc-mag.com. August 13, 2013. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131101094928/http://pmc-mag.com/2011/03/brian-newman/?full=content%2F) November 1, 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 21, 2013.

1. Slingerland, Callum (November 19, 2018). ["Hear Lady Gaga Cover Nina Simone's 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood'"](http://exclaim.ca/music/article/hear_lady_gaga_cover_nina_simones_dont_let_me_be_misunderstood). *[Exclaim!](/source/Exclaim!)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20181119225805/http://exclaim.ca/music/article/hear_lady_gaga_cover_nina_simones_dont_let_me_be_misunderstood) November 19, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 20, 2018.

1. *A Very Gaga Holiday*. 2011. p. 3. ASIN B006CUI7UW.

1. ["Brian Newman"](http://briannewman.com/). *BrianNewman.com*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130915073216/http://www.briannewman.com/) September 15, 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 7, 2022.

1. Hunt, El (September 30, 2021). ["Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga – 'Love For Sale' review: oldies covers with a playful wink"](https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/tony-bennett-and-lady-gaga-love-for-sale-review-3058264). *[NME](/source/NME)*. [Archived](https://archive.today/20210930112719/https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/tony-bennett-and-lady-gaga-love-for-sale-review-3058264?amp&__twitter_impression=true) September 30, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 30, 2021.

1. ["E Online News"](http://www.eonline.com/news/417940/lady-gaga-performs-for-first-time-since-hipsurgery). E! n.d. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180707062607/https://www.eonline.com/news/417940/lady-gaga-performs-for-first-time-since-hipsurgery) July 7, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 21, 2013.

1. Vena, Jocelyn (January 6, 2011). ["MTV News"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131101154300/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1655393/lady-gaga-makes-surprise-nyc-nightclub-appearance.jhtml/). MTV. Archived from [the original](http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1655393/lady-gaga-makes-surprise-nyc-nightclub-appearance.jhtml/) on November 1, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2013.

1. Bené Viera (December 18, 2012). ["VH1 Music Tuner"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131101091031/http://www.vh1.com/music/tuner/2012-12-18/lady-gagas-you-and-i-gets-a-jazzy-makeover/). VH1. Archived from [the original](http://www.vh1.com/music/tuner/2012-12-18/lady-gagas-you-and-i-gets-a-jazzy-makeover/#more-224127/) on November 1, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2013.

1. *Joanne* (CD). United States: Streamline/[Interscope Records](/source/Interscope_Records). 2016. 2580102.

1. [*One Last Time: An Evening with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga*](https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/one-last-time-an-evening-with-tony-bennett-and-lady-gaga/). [Paramount+](/source/Paramount%2B). November 28, 2021. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220730173103/https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/one-last-time-an-evening-with-tony-bennett-and-lady-gaga/) July 30, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 30, 2022.

1. Mazur, Kevin (October 20, 2021). ["Glitz, glamour and Gaga: 'Jazz & Piano' provides quintessential Vegas show experience"](https://lasvegassun.com/news/2021/oct/20/glitz-glamour-and-gaga-jazz-piano-provides-quintes/). *[Las Vegas Sun](/source/Las_Vegas_Sun)*. [Archived](https://archive.today/20211021114017/https://lasvegassun.com/news/2021/oct/20/glitz-glamour-and-gaga-jazz-piano-provides-quintes/) October 21, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 20, 2021.

1. ["The bride wore whoa! How smitten bandleader Brian Newman won the heart of a city burlesque queen Angie Pontani"](http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/wedding-article-1.1266276/). *Daily News*. February 17, 2013. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131103182203/http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/wedding-article-1.1266276) November 3, 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 21, 2013.

1. Lakshmin, Deepa (July 26, 2016). ["Lady Gaga Is A Very Popular Godmother"](https://web.archive.org/web/20221011103747/https://www.mtv.com/news/3b8pm4/lady-gaga-godmother-goddaughter). [MTV](/source/MTV). Archived from [the original](https://www.mtv.com/news/3b8pm4/lady-gaga-godmother-goddaughter) on October 11, 2022. Retrieved October 11, 2022.

1. Weiss, Suzannah (July 25, 2016). ["Lady Gaga Is A Very Popular Godmother"](https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2016/07/117854/lady-gaga-sistilia-pontani-newman-baptism). [Refinery29](/source/Refinery29). Retrieved November 12, 2025.

## External links

- [Official website](http://briannewman.com/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Brian Newman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Newman) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Newman?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.