Sista Monica: People Love the Blues

It’s not fer nothin’ that they call Sista Monica “The Blues Lioness.” An explosive singer on the California blues scene, she smokes all the competition (with the possible exception of Koko Taylor) on People Love the Blues (No Muscle NMRE-688; 53:30). It’s hard to imagine topping Sista’s intensity on the jumpin’ shuffle “Baby Workout!” or equaling the depths of her tough emotional testifying on the spine-tingling slow blues “A Chance to Breathe.” She demonstrates mother wit and plenty of attitude on “You’re Only Good for One Thang Baby” when she sings “You got a story for every day of the week/You shoulda been a screenwriter/But the word out on the street is/You a lover, not a fighter/You see, I don’t want you to give me anything/I don’t want your money/ Just give me what I need baby, then you can call me honey/’Cause you’re only good for one thang baby/You’re only good one hour a night/You’re only good for one thang baby/You got the answer so do it right.”

“The Walking Wounded” addresses homelessness and domestic violence in a frank and heart-wrenching manner while she uplifts the soul with a glorious a cappella rendition of Rev. James Cleveland’s “Walk Around Heaven All Day.” Elsewhere, the dynamic Ms. Monica Parker states her soulful case in bold terms on the raucous shuffle “Some Gonna Give Up Something Tonight,” the gospel-country flavored “It’s a Shame, It’s a Mystery” and the super funky “Honey It’s Your Fault,” which includes a humorously earthy and all-knowing rap on precisely what goes down in the game of flirting and infidelity. Some great guitar work by Larry McCray, Dan Caron, Sam Varela Jr. and Jimmy Thackery fills out this excellent CD, which should be in strong contention for a blues Grammy next year. Sista’s got my vote.

Originally Published November 1, 2000