I’m guessing not too many people have heard the name JOSIE FALBO even though the Chicago singer has been in the business for over 35 years! However, you will have probably heard Ms F’s wonderful voice. You see she’s one of the Windy City’s top session singers. She’ sung on hundreds of commercials and video games while her versatility has seen luminaries like Celine Dion, Michael Jackson, Earth, Wind & Fire, Michael Bolton, Ben Vereen, Vic Damone, Nancy Wilson, Dennis De Young of Styx, Loleatta Holloway, Yolanda Adams, Della Reese and Mavis Staples keen to use her talents as backing singer both on stage and in the studio.
Soul anoraks might just know that Josie was one of the last artists to work for the legendary Vee Jay label – yes, as a solo artist and indeed over the years she’s recorded plenty of solo stuff – a lot of which is now eminently collectable. Amongst those in-demand items is a gorgeous album she recorded about ten years ago for the Southport label. The set was called ‘Taylor Street’ – named for the main street in Chicago’s Little Italy where she grew up (In 2006, by the way, Josie was inducted into the Order of the Sons Of Italy Hall Of Fame for lifetime achievement in the arts).
Now to meet demand, Izipho Records are set to release two of that album’s key cuts on limited edition 7” vinyl. The tunes are the jazzy/soulful ‘This Is Real’ and the slinky ballad ‘What You Do To Me’ – both delicious items with shades of people like Phyliss Hyman and Anita Baker and instrumentation that features the cream of the Chicago session scene – little wonder soul radio is regularly blasting both songs out!
Miss this one at your peril – but be quick. There is a very limited edition of just 300 pressed up in translucent green vinyl. Good to go from Friday 8th January!
