Yvonne Cobbs

June 20, 2012
Yvonne Cobbs is blessed with the wisdom to have her own record label at YCC Records. I like hearing projects like this one, her CD "You Can't Have It," because the songs have great musical substance, and a high level of musicianship, offering brilliant and impassioned arrangements, live drums, and nice surprises like the little girl’s voice on the intro to “The Prayer.” The classic gospel arrangement leaves no room for doubt that Ms Cobbs is from a rich Gospel tradition.

Ms. Cobbs is blessed with a voice that delivers effortless soulful exultation upon the most high. “You Can’t Have It” bears the fruit of a dedicated soldier of Christ. With this, her fourth CD now available, I heard a wide range of styles, including classic Isley Brothers style rhythm guitar, and immediate rock solid vocal harmonies, along with Yvonne’s strong voice in 3 part harmony. I enjoyed the breakdown where she gets to testify about our victory over Satan, and was able to fully appreciate the acoustic piano parts that one would hear back in the day on cuts with Dr. Dre.

This talented artist's vocal style is complemented by top notch production in the way her CD is mixed, and her songwriting skills are exceptional. Crank up the sound, and it’s a beautiful thing. I enjoyed the Christmas selections “Sweet Little Jesus Boy,” and “Little Drummer Boy,” and the arrangements on both allowed the lady to shine, hitting the big notes. I didn’t receive the musicians credits for this recording, but I would be remiss in not giving them props on their exceptional piano/keys performances. I recognized some sounds of the Sitar on Little Drummer Boy, and my goodness -- the bass, whether it was electric or synthesizer, was definitely in the right place at the right time. The drummer always played what was needed and he was tasteful in doing so.

The good news is this is only the fourth complete CD from Yvonne Cobbs, which means there are 3 others with more excellence to discover! I was uplifted by “You Can’t Have It,” and I know you’ll be impressed by Yvonne’s conviction in her voice, and her very capable musicians. This was a CD that took quite a while for me to get to to review, and I can say that it was worth the wait, but I wish I hadn't had to. This is gospel music at its finest, and it was truly a pleasure allowing it to touch my soul.
NOTE: A special thanks goes out to my friend and colleague, Mr. Andr'e Carter of Synergy 1 Radio for bringing this CD to my attention and making this review possible. - Michele Wilson-Morris

Holy Smoke
by DJ Sam
RonnieDiamond Hoard
Stephen Evans & David Range
Saints of The Most High, What It Do?
March seemed as if it lasted for a year
all by itself. I don’t know about where
everyone else is from, but, in the Windy
City Chicago, the wind became the
least of our problems. By the grace of
God, we can make it through anything,
and hopefully another winter (the
worst), is behind us. Looking ahead
into 2008, one of the anointings we will
have the opportunity to experience is
in the music ministry of Yvonne Cobbs-
Bey. I have had the pleasure of listening
to music from two different CD’s
previously released by this California
based artist. When I initially listened to
the first track on her “Stand Still” album,
I was delighted at the amount of Gospel
traditional sound in “I Can’t Tell It All”.
It reminded me of some of the great
quartets and small choirs, The Norfleet
Brothers, Edwin Hawkins Singers, and
others with the knee slapping, get up
and shout music of old. From the
moment you hear this song, get ready
to get yo’ Jesus on!!!!! There is great
harmony and unison on “I’m
Indebted”, but the song that really
grabbed me, was “My Soul Loves
Jesus”. I have one question, “Where
did you get that piano player?” The
music accompaniment in this song is a
mini concerto unto itself. I have in my
time, heard some great piano players,
and I must say that the music minister
on the piano in this song, is in a class
with the great ones. Yvonne did a
masterful job of vocalizing along with
the musician. These combinations are
hard to come by, and I understand it
could have been her playing, she’s an
accomplished musician.
I listened to Yvonne’s CD for two days,
before something struck me as different
from most Gospel/Christian CD’s that
I have had an opportunity to review. A
good percentage of Cobbs-Bey’s music
sounds like you could take it, and place
it in the middle of a stage play. It
sounded like the music you would hear
in a Tyler Perry production, touring the
country. It then became evident to me
that Cobbs-Bey had a sound, a reaching
voice that sounded like she was singing
from the stage of a play. I once heard a
gentleman say, “I’m so good that
sometimes I scare myself.”
WELLLLL!, I had the great pleasure
of speaking with Cobbs-Bey’s
manager, Brother Alonzo Bey on the
phone, and afterwards, I googled her
name, and found a website for her
www.yvonnecobbs-bey.com. I also
discovered that Yvonne was indeed
from a background in stage plays, and
was attached to a theater company.
Songs on the CD such as “There’s
Power In your Name” seem to follow
a scene where inspiration is the theme,
and this song delivers. The background,
arrangement, and her vocal attack on
the song would tear the roof off of any
performance venue. The entire album
is a steep in traditional sound, and
profound ministry. I was also blessed
to be able to hear a few tracks from
her CD, “God’s Always There”.
The title track to this CD was once again
a song that was a perfect fit for a great
stage production. Yvonne should
consider writing a script around her
music, and maybe producing a play, I’m
in!! The house would be packed every
night. The CD jacket also list Yvonne
as one of the arrangers of the music,
which makes her a triple threat in the
industry, vocalist, arranger, and actress,
as well as a few other hats of
distinction. The song on the “God’s
Always There” CD that I really enjoyed
was “A Place of No More”, the Latin
beat, and feel were a huge step away
from the traditional sound of some of
her other songs. The background vocals
were on point, and perfectly accented
the lead vocals by Cobbs-Bey. There
were steel drums, maracas, the works!!
I got up and danced a bit on this one.
I also discovered that Yvonne has a
health ministry, so she is practicing the
healing of the Lord from inside and
outside. God Bless Her!!!
I would suggest that when you have the
opportunity, go online and listen before
you purchase your favorite songs from
her CDS... And be blessed.
www.gospelswap.com/
yvonnecobbsbey
www.gospelswap.com/
yvonnecobbsbey1
You can also reach her at
www.beydazl.com on the web. Her
music is also in regular rotation on
Synergy1 Radio on the internet. Well
that’s it for me, but before I go, a lot of
you are asking to know more about DJ
Sam, and whuzzzup wit me.
You can visit me on the web at
www.muziknallthat.com anytime.
Check out my site, and sign my
guestbook. I’m outta here now. Pray
for yourself, and somebody else. God
Bless, Much Success, In Jesus Name - DJ Sam

Song of the Year

December 2008


Awarded to Yvonne Cobbs-Bey

Yvonne has been selected as a "Honorable Mention" in the December 2008 round of the Song of the Year song and lyric competition. Song of the Year receives entries from all over the world and only those artists who display particular talent or creativity receive such recognition.

For more information about Yvonne please visit: www.yvonnecobbsbey.com

For more information about Song of the Year please visit www.songoftheyear.com

- www.songoftheyear.com

Gospel Music is alive and well in Oakland California. Award winning Gospel singer Yvonne Cobbs-Bey, the daughter of Pastor A.L. Cobbs, has released a superb album titled “God’s Always There”. And, I am told, she has another in the works. Having grown up in church, she remains active in the church ministry as well as Radio and TV. If you like anointed singing, backed-up by a Spirit filled choir, then this project is for you. There are eleven cuts on this album, with my favorites being “Jesus Is Not Dead”, “Take It Off”, and “I’ll Be Praying For You”. All of which have been added to the GSG Radio Playlists. Yvonne has been given the gift of communication, and communicate she does through every note of every song. I encourage you to visit the following sites to learn more about this special talent out on our west coast. www.beydazl.com www.musicplaces.com/Yvonne_Cobbs-Bey/ www.blackvoicenews.com/print.php?sid=3937 http://cdbaby.com/cd/yvonnec
- RANDY REVIEWS RECENT RADIO RELEASES

Hello Mrs. Yvonne Cobbs-Bey,

Thank you so much for participating in WGBN’s “HOT or NOT” program on May 15, 2009. We received a 100% response of HOT.

We created HOT or NOT to provide a virtual music medium that would spotlight Gospel music artists from across the US; who are looking for that one big break or are simply hoping to provide ministry, through music.

We are proud to broadcast all of your CD’s. Our audience was truly blessed today by your song “Without You.” We encourage you to let other know what WGBN is doing for the community.

May the blessing of the LORD be upon you!!!

Thank you,
Danielle Smith
Host- Hot or Not
WGBN AM 1150

Visit us @www.WGBN.net
560 Seventh Street New Kensington, PA 15068- (412) 333-9426 or (724) 337-3588- Fax (724) 337-1318
- Daniel Smith Radio Station WGBN AM 1150

Yvonne C. Cobbs-Bey delivered the good news of the Lord with her uplifting vocals. She has pushed the envelope, bringing the traditional southern Baptist sound and incorporating jazz to make her uplifting message mainstream. "God’s Always There" would bring any Christian to their feet, with a contagious foot tapping rhythm that would get a whole building to dance. Church choirs should all appreciate the high quality of vocal variety displayed in a single piece. Bey has pushed the Christian music industry to reinvent what constitutes as ‘Christian music’; she’s made everyone realize there is more than one style.
Bey also turned it up a notch on "I’ll Be Praying for You," a soulful ballad opening with a voice over of the Our Father. The song, whose soft R&B nuances, made this Christian artist’s area of influence swell, will no doubt be picked up as a hot track by the hip hop/soul community. Although the message is a religious one, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to see the song grace radio waves and gaining a solid fan base of listeners. As Bey continues to develop her craft as a singer and her creativity soars to new heights, she is sure to wow so many more, like she has wowed so many already.
Visit www.beydazl.com. - The Inside Connection Magzine

Hello and CONGRATULATIONS!!

It is with great pleasure that I write to inform you that you have been selected as one of the top 15 bands/artists in the West out of over 1,300 submissions and are invited to have one song (mentioned below) on the Disc Makers' Independent Music World Series CD ROM Compilation. Being in the top 15 out of 1,300 is not too shabby!

- Jessica Darrican

Dear Contestants,

Congratulations, making it this far is an incredible accomplishment; I sincerely welcome you to our show, “Sunday Best”. I’d personally like to thank each and every one of you for participating in the show. I’m very excited to get you to Los Angeles.

I’d like to assure everyone that this is going to be a fair and fun competition. As you know, this is our first season of “Sunday Best”, so please continue to be patient and flexible - we’re all in this together!

Let’s jump right into the nuts and bolts of the show. Here’s how it works: we have 20 contestants total, but only one will be the Next Gospel Star. The winner will be crowned on the tenth and final episode.
(Sep 20, 2007)
- Brian Gadinsky

I CAN'T TELL IT ALL
VERY COOL ENERGY - VERY WELL DONE. PRODUCTION IS SPOT AND THE VOCALS ARE DONE SO WELL IT SOUNDS EASY. ENTIRE ARRANGEMENT FEELS LIKE YOU'VE DONE THIS BEFORE.
OVERALL THIS SOUNDS VERY WELL DONE - " I CAN'T TELL IT ALL" HAS THE CLASSIC GOSPEL ENERGY THAT CROSSES BOUNDARIES AND REALLY REACHES OUT TO PEOPLE - THE OTHER TRACKS ARE GOOD, BUT PROBABLY MORE FOCUSED GENRE WISE.
(Feb 22, 2007)
- Taxi Feedback

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The Black Nativity — A Gospel Celebration of Christmas
by jeanne powell
The Black Nativity — A Gospel Celebration of Christmas
Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, SF - through December 30, 2007

The Lorraine Hansberry Theatre in San Francisco presents its annual gospel celebration of Christmas, a delight for the whole family, and not a moment too soon. This nourishing musical is a treat for all, regardless of whether one celebrates Winter Solstice or Kwaanza or any spirituality.

The Black Nativity reminds us with song, dance, humor and poignancy to celebrate life, and for Christians especially to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The first act recreates biblical verses surrounding His birth — Roman taxation order, travel to Bethlehem, no room at the inn for the pregnant Mary, birth, worship (”we three kings of orient are…”), celebration. The second act focuses on rich traditions of the urban AfricanAmerican church, whose very existence is a miracle. After all, Christianity in the New World initially was forced on survivors of the Middle Passage, the African Holocaust, as a way to subdue them.

Lighting up the stage in this production are wonderfully talented lead singers Faye Carol, Yvonne Cobbs-Bey and Yolanda Cato Freeman. Andre C. Andree’ is perfect as “Pastor Solomon,” a combination of biblical prophet and pastor of his flock. As a former choir director and bishop emeritus in New York, he speaks with warmth and knowledge.

The actors who portray Mary and Joseph in act one are enchanting. Without speaking parts, Carla Punch and Antonio Naranjo utilize body language and dance to express their exhaustion after the journey to Bethlehem, their fear when there is no room at the inn for Mary, and joy after the Child is born.

And the music! Throughout the play there is a brilliant combination of traditional spirituals such as “Most Done Traveling” and “Go Tell It On The Mountain” with contemporary songs such as “Mercy Mercy Me” and “When Doves Cry,” along with new lyrics to popular melodies such as “Summertime” and “I’ll Take You There.” In keeping with previous years, the gospel play has a new script this season, along with new songs and new staging so as to showcase the wide-ranging talents of the artists.

The Black Nativity is conceived and directed by Stanley E. Williams, with additional text by Andre C. Andree’ and Marc Paquette. Yvonne Cobbs-Bey is music director, and Pjay Phillips did the choreography. Bert van Aalsburg is stage manager, and Matthew Royce handles lighting design. Roland Pollard and Kenneth Little are on keyboards, and Davon Vigay plays drums. Costume design is by Rose Plant.

Experiencing A Gospel Celebration of Christmas is recommended highly. A major corporation has underwritten family matinee prices for the run of the play. Further information is provided on the theatre’s Web site at www.LHTSF.org.


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This article was posted on Wednesday, December 12th, 2007 at 5:00 pm and is filed under Theatre Reviews, Reviews, Issue 49.

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- Jeanne Powell

Black Nativity

For the past eight holiday seasons, the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre's take on African-American writer Langston Hughes' gospel musical "Black Nativity," directed by Stanley Williams, has been making audiences laugh, cry and even dance in the aisles.

Says this year's musical director, gospel singer Yvonne Cobbs-Bey, the show is breaking away from the Hughes script to really make it the Lorraine Hansberry's own. Of the show's 24 songs, only three gospel standards are repeats; the rest are new. "The roots aren't taken away," she explains. "They're still there, and everything else is blooming around them." Cobbs-Bey performs as a principal along with vocalists Faye Carol, Yolanda Cato-Freeman and a cast that includes church choristers.

"It's about love and optimism and hope," adds Cobbs-Bey. "I want people to grasp those concepts. We're here to help one another, serve one another. We are not alone."

Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, 620 Sutter St., through Dec. 30, 474-8800,
- by Jean Schiffman