Josie Falbo: "Kickin' It" (2025) CD Review

Josie Falbo is a talented jazz vocalist based in Chicago. In addition to her vibrant solo career, she has provided backing vocals for many artists over the years, including Mavis Staples (on her Have A Little Faith album) and Bobby Lewis (on Here I Go Again). She released her first album as leader, Taylor Street, in 2010, and a decade later followed it with You Must Believe In Spring. Fortunately she has not made her fans wait another decade before her third album. The tracks on Kickin' It show her remarkable vocal talent and range. The album features original arrangements by Carey Deadman, who also produced the album and plays trumpet. There is a fairly good range of material here, and many of the tracks feature a great horn section

The album gets off to a wonderful start with Cole Porter's "I Get A Kick Out Of You," which begins with a bright burst of energy. And as Josie Falbo sings that she gets no kick from champagne or cocaine, we hear in your voice that she needs neither. Her energy, her excitement and her power come from within. She might sing that it's about another person, this "you" of the song's title, but the energy wells up inside her, feeling like it doesn't even need this other person. She delivers some wonderful scat in the middle. This track also features excellent leads by Steve Duncan on trombone and by both John Wojciechowski and Scott Burns on saxophone, while that bass rushes along, keeping things cooking. That's Eric Hochberg on bass. Josie Falbo and the band then change gears with "Autumn Nocturne," which begins with a beautiful swell, before soon relaxing. Josie Falbo delivers an absolutely beautiful vocal performance, getting support especially from the string section. "Now autumn roams the hills once more/But you forgot your vow/Now here am I alone with only memories/Only lonely memories, autumn memories of you." There is a yearning, there is melancholy, but there is also hope. "That when it's fall again, love will call again/And you'll be beside me/To make my autumn dream come true." For now she lives in that moment of not knowing, that moment when everything is possible. The piano dances within that moment, and that dance seems optimistic. That's Chris Sargent on piano. This track has a gentle ending, like the end of a day and the promise of a good dream.

"Flor De Lis" begins with some delightful guitar work by Fareed Haque, taking us to another place. Isn't it wonderful how music can transport us like that? After that introduction, the song gets into its Latin rhythm. And Josie's vocal work, when she comes in, has an otherworldly vibe. This is during that "Oooh" part before the lyrics. The lyrics are delivered first in Portuguese, and then later in English. There is an easygoing vibe at first, and then the song takes on a lively aspect. Soon we are treated to a really nice lead by Jim Gailloreto on soprano saxophone. There are surprisingly playful moments in this track, particularly in that transition from Portuguese to English lyrics, and I love Bob Rummage's drumming there. "All I want is just a chance to love you/And then you'll see me flying/So high up in the sky." As she sings those lines, her voice begins to soar. Ah, so love wins again! "Love Dance" then has a warm and inviting opening. "From too much talk to silent touches," Josie sings. Oh yes! "Turn up the quiet, love wants to dance." There she invites us to witness that dance, and perhaps to take part in it. And who wouldn't want to? Part of the track's charm is in Jeremy Kahn's work on piano.

The horns set "I Just Found Out About Love" in motion. There is a great cheer and optimism in Josie's vocal delivery. It is the kind of performance that makes us feel optimistic too, and certainly we need that these days. "What's love doing to you/Looks like you could be liking it too." Ah, if only everyone could feel such a great love, I bet much of the world's suffering would cease. And I am under the impression that music like this can have the same effect. It's not too late for anyone to find out about love, as Josie's voice suggests. And the energy of the band seconds that. This is one of my personal favorite tracks. Josie slows things down then and draws closer to us with "Yellow Days." What a beautiful performance! And the strings carry us up through the clouds into whatever may lie beyond them, even as she tells us, "Life is empty/And the sunlight seems so harsh instead of tender." It is a song of memory, seemingly of collective memory. At one point in the second half, the horns open a door for us, and the music seems to be going to a different level, yet almost immediately returns to its gentler vibe. 

Some playful scat over a delicious rhythm is such a great way to get "Brigas Nunca Mais" moving. Josie does quite a lot of different things with her voice before delivering the first actual word, and it seems she could convey whatever meaning she wished without a single word. This one is also delivered in two languages. "Why should we still want to fight/No more quarrels tonight." I can't imagine anyone even wanting to voice disagreement once the world of this music takes over. This track features some particularly good work by Fareed Haque on guitar, as well as a wonderful lead by Steve Eisen on flute. There is also more excellent wordless vocal work at the end. That is followed by "Social Call." "Do you recall the old days/We used to have a ball/Not that I'm lonesome without you/I just thought I'd pay a social call." It's a song of second chances, or at least the desiring of one. She delivers more vocal feats here, making us all believe in those second chances. Her voice will dance love and romance right into being. Of course, a saxophone can always help in that endeavor, and here we get some wonderful stuff by Geoff Bradfield on tenor sax. Steve Million then delivers a delicious lead on piano. I also love Eric Hochberg's bass line to this song.

"Lazy Afternoon" has a kind of relaxed feel to match its title. This track creates a world where there is no stress, no anxiety, no haste. "If you hold my hand and sit real still/You can hear the grass as it grows." And in the second half we are treated to a really nice lead by Lawrence Kohut on bass. That's followed by "Estamos Ai," which is a lot of fun, right from its opening moments, even before the scat. But that vocal work is what really makes this one shine. This track is a joyful dance that even the animals and flowers can join. Shouldn't life feel like this? This track also contains some excellent guitar work by Fareed Haque. If you want a song to just take you by the hand and lead you into a colorful, delightful world, this is it. I love this track. Josie Falbo changes gears then with a captivating rendition of "Chelsea Bridge" to wrap up the album. In addition to a phenomenal vocal performance that includes more excellent scat, this track features some really wonderful stuff by Jeremy Kahn on piano.

CD Track List

1. I Get A Kick Out Of You
2. Autumn Nocturne
3. Flor De Lis
4. Love Dance
5. I Just Found Out About Love
6. Yellow Days
7. Brigas Nunca Mais
8. Social Call
9. Lazy Afternoon
10. Estamos Ai
11. Chelsea Bridge

Kickin' It was released on October 17, 2025.