Ginger St. James

Every now and then, you make some random musical discovery that you can then spend the next months and years delighting in introducing that musician to them. For me, Ginger St. James is that artist.

I caught her performance at a burlesque show in boring ol' Ottawa one random winter's night, and spent the rest of the evening in aural bliss. Somehow she manages to fit the singing voice of a thousand old jazz singers into her tiny little frame. Hints of Etta James and Patsy Cline show through in her sound (and maybe a little Lucille Bogan in her subject matter). I have, on a few occasions, watched peoples' jaws drop, quite literally, when she opens her mouth to sing.

She plays the blues oh-so-well, and also dips into jazz and country. Her live sets are generally a mix of her originals, and her take on the classics. Her originals bear the mark of her country/small town upbringing, and range from cheeky, to funergetic, to raunchy, and down to soulfully sad. Though not yet the strongest lyricist, as her songwriting progresses, so to will her upward trajectory. With a voice like hers, so long as she sticks with the game, the descriptor "incomparable" may well become apt.

Don't believe me? Fine. I'll prove it. Check out this live version of "Don't Deceive Me," a standard sung by the likes of Chuck Willis and Little Richard alike. I'd take Ms. St. James' version three times out of four.


Grab her first studio LP with her band, the Grinders - Spank, Sparkle & Growl, off of her site, as well as iTunes and Amazon. A little birdie informs me that she's in the studio working on her first full album, and it should be out early in the new year, so keep checking back.

She's based in Toronto now, and keeps a busy schedule. You can see her live at the always-rowdy Magpie Tavern every Monday, starting Dec 19th, and running until Jah knows when. 831 Dundas St. West.

(Try to) Keep track of her on Facebook, or her website, GingerStJames.com.

Understatement of the week: It's all good. ;)

Sneaky Dee’s Nachos

If you want nachos in the city, this is where you go. Period. Their heart-stopping mountains of tortillas and toppings are the stuff of legend, and if you’ve never had them in you, stop reading and go right now. OK, wait, finish reading, then go. Otherwise, why would I write the rest of this?

Sneaky’s is about as authentic as you can get. Established in 1987, at the none-too-classy corner of College & Bathurst, the place is a dive. It always has been, and hopefully always will be. The bathroom walls bear more permanent marker than the face of the first person to pass out at a frat party. The men’s room floors make it apparent that the patrons have little chance of winning any medals in any sport involving aiming. The concert venue upstairs has hosted some racous jams, that I'm proud to have survived. It’s loud, crowded, and the booths bear the signs of some 25 years of heavy traffic. Sometimes there’s quite a wait for a table, which in this city generally means you’re on to a good thing. Let’s just call it “character” and move on.

Its cheap pitchers of home brew and own brand of hot sauce ($5 a bottle to take home) make it a staple of university life for U of T students. They’ve quite often got bands playing in the back, and one-off events in the upstairs. Now, as a grown-up, I wouldn’t rush to make it my regular joint, nor would it be my ultimate destination for a night on the town. Once you’ve been there, however, it will call to you from time to time. It’s more than just a general desire for nachos. I’ve learned to identify it as a specific craving for Sneaky Dee’s. In the way that vinyl always sounded better when Mr. Brown would play it on the shitty speakers at 2theBeat, or wines always taste better in the cellars at the vineyard, nachos just taste better at Sneaky’s. Scienticians have tried for years to explain it, with little luck. I, for one, would rather chalk it up to a confluence of cosmic forces, and order another pitcher.

Brass tacks – let’s talk nachos.

I have a penchant for the King’s Crown platter. Some places claim their nachos are piled high with toppings. They’ve really just got topping envy. For $15.50, this monster has salsa, frijoles, beef, tomatoes, onions, pappers, jalapenos, cheese, guacamole and sour cream in such volumes that you need a fork to get at ‘em by the end. There’s no shame in eating the guac/bean/meat/salsa/sour cream slurry that will inevitably remain once the last chip has been fished out and consumed. In fact, it’s strongly encouraged. One platter is enough to fuel three normal humans, or two stoned teenagers.

There are, however, different ways to skin the proverbial cat. I have friends (surprised?) that swear by the compartmentalization of the nachos. The basic nachos, with guac, salsa, and sour cream on the side is a favourite of Doctors and Medical Residents everywhere. They also feature Greek, Veggie, and Hawaiian, or you can craft your own by adding toppings.

What’ll it cost you?

Nachos: &7.95 for simple chips & cheese - $15.50 for the King's Crown. Bring a friend.

Beer: $11 or so for a pitcher. I like their red best.

You can't go wrong at Sneaky's... 'cos it's alllll good. ;)