Double Takes, the long-awaited studio debut as a duo by Canadian roots artists Gordie Tentrees & Jaxon Haldane, which is scheduled for release on May 23 2025.
| “The album showcases what a great bond Tentrees and Haldane have formed through their live shows. To deliver such a strong and polished set of tracks from live recordings too, is testament to how skilled they are as musicians (they play over 10 different instruments between them). However, it’s the powerful songwriting and gritty (no pun intended, well maybe…) delivery that makes ‘Grit’ stand out.” Americana-UK |
| “They all sound like old standards, which is testament to the authenticity that is brought to their delivery and performance.” Lonesome Highway |
| “In the great tradition of folk songs, and storytelling that goes back to Steinbeck and The Grapes Of Wrath, this is an absolutely classic – in all senses of the word – record. They live, eat and breathe their craft and “Grit” is the glorious result.” Maximum Volume |
After playing over 1,100 shows together in 11 countries over the past decade, and following their previous joint venture, the live album GRIT in 2018, Gordie Tentrees and Jaxon Haldane have finally captured their dynamic musical partnership in the studio on their first fully collaborative album, Double Takes. Comprised of 10 original songs, the album was recorded during a whirlwind trip to Nashville, where the pair managed to corral some of Music City’s top players.
Double Takes was overseen by the legendary Australian producer Nash Chambers (Paul Kelly, Archie Roach, and brother of Kasey Chambers), with the all-star supporting cast comprised of the one and only Charlie McCoy, fiddler Tania Elizabeth (Avett Brothers, Mary Gauthier), bassist Steve Mackey (Dolly Parton, The Wallflowers) and drummer Shawn Fichter (Peter Frampton, Tim McGraw). In their typical no-nonsense fashion, Tentrees and Haldane had the album completed within a matter of days and were ready to get back on the road.
Those already familiar with Gordie and Jaxon’s stripped-down approach will immediately be enamoured with the intimate sound of Double Takes. For the uninitiated, the album plays like a gathering of old friends, with songs like the first single ‘Time’ reflecting upon how life’s twists and turns ultimately lead people to places they were always meant to be.
Another highlight is Jaxon’s song ‘Bobbi & Gus’, which tells the tale of his Icelandic grandparents - both amputees - who exhibited boundless love for all during tough times. It’s complemented by Gordie’s tune ‘Tinkering’, a tongue-in-cheek nod to growing old that he managed to finish in time to mark his 50th birthday.
As expected, there are also songs about life on tour, such as ‘Arcata’, written by Gordie during a west coast drive as he thought about his family back in the Yukon. Then there’s Jaxon’s ‘Franklin’, an ode to domestic bliss and the album’s most poignant moment.
Tentrees and Haldane’s undeniable chemistry throughout Double Takes suggests it was inevitable that the pair would ultimately team up. As Tentrees relentlessly toured the world in support of his solo albums - the most recent being 2021’s Mean Old World - Haldane was charting a similar course for his Winnipeg-based band the D. Rangers and producing records like Sharpen The Plow, the last collection by the beloved Canadian singer-songwriter Willie P. Bennett, prior to his death in 2008.
In many ways, Bennett’s longtime partnership with fellow Canadian legend Fred Eaglesmith inspired Gordie and Jaxon to forge their own creative bond, formally unveiled in 2014 at their first show together in Beaumont, Texas. They haven’t looked back since, and with Double Takes, those who have yet to experience them in concert can now finally hear their distinctive sound that draws from a century of North American music traditions and is rooted in truth, social justice and the human condition.
Two singles from the album, ‘Time’ and ‘Arcata’ will be released prior to the album, along with accompanying videos, on April 1 and 15 respectively.
Social: www.tentrees.ca | www.facebook.com/
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Bio 2023 International Acoustic Music Award (IAMA) winners Gordie Tentrees (Yukon) and Jaxon Haldane (Manitoba) met in 2005 (Fred Eaglesmith Picnic, Ontario) and swapped records before hitting the road with disparate musical aspirations. Gordie performed over 3000 concerts around the world, often touring as Eaglesmith’s opening act, learning about the music business, and leveraging his previous experience in the boxing ring (3x Golden Glove champ). Tentrees also toured with James Cotten, Mary Gauthier, Kelly Joe Phelps, Steve Poltz, and Ray Wylie Hubbard, to name a few. Jaxon was meanwhile tearing up stages from Churchill to Belfast (D. Rangers bandleader/banjo player), producing records for his indie label (Dollartone), and touring with the likes of Petunia, The Sadies, Jon Spencer, and Romi Mayes. His close relationship with lifelong musical hero and mentor Willie P. Bennett led to Haldane recording Willie’s last record, Sharpen The Plow, just prior to Bennett’s passing in 2008. Haldane founded the Willie P. Bennett Legacy site to pay tribute to his deceased friend. Interestingly, Bennett and Eaglesmith spent 25 years performing and touring, setting an example of camaraderie and excellence that still guides the way for Tentrees and Haldane. Fast forward to 2014 in Beaumont, Texas. Gordie and Jaxon made their stage debut and quickly realized their friendship off the stage made for something special on it. Armed with an arsenal of instruments (Fiddle-Saw, Harmonica, Resonator, Cigar Box Guitars, Foot Percussion, Acoustic Guitar, Banjo, and Mandolin), they have performed over 1100 concerts in 11 countries, creating an unscripted, dynamic electric/acoustic show built on brotherly harmonies and masterful storytelling. In 2018, they released GRIT, their debut live album recorded over 5 nights in Western Canada by Scott Franchuk (Corb Lund, Old Reliable, Mariel Buckley, Del Barber), propelling feature appearances at major festivals such as Celtic Connections in Glasgow, UK, the National Folk Festival in Canberra, Australia, and the Woody Guthrie Festival in Okemah, USA. Recently, they have each released solo records. Tentrees’ Mean Old World was inspired by his journey as both a foster child and foster parent. For the past 3 years, Gordie has also been the sole non-indigenous male member of a land-based healing team operating on a horse ranch, writing songs with families in treatment and reconciling trauma. The Yukon based program, Shäwthän Näzhì, recently won the $500k Arctic Inspiration Prize. Haldane dropped On The Other Side in 2023, a concept album celebrating the unpredictability of life and his coming to terms with a return to living in Canada after years of being based in Oklahoma. The music of Tentrees and Haldane draws from a century of North American music traditions and is rooted in truth, social justice, and the human condition. Their performances are heartfelt and honest, seldom shying away from challenging topics and tough subject matter. |
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