JB ARTHUR

SAMA and EMMY AWARD-winning composer, music arranger, and GRAMMY AWARD-winning music producer, JB Arthur has made music his life. Working across all musical disciplines and alongside some of South Africa’s and the world’s greatest music artistes over a remarkable career spanning nearly five decades, JB’s musicality and uncompromising ear have proven a winning combination for every project he engages.

His GRAMMY story continues to grow. Having arranged and produced the 2023 GRAMMY Award-winning ‘Bayete’ (Best Global Music Performance), and made significant contributions to the GRAMMY-winning albums ‘Divine Tides’ (2022) and ‘Winds of Samsara’ (2015), he added another GRAMMY win in 2025 when ‘Triveni’ by Wouter Kellerman, Chandrika Tandon, and Eru Matsumoto took the award for Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album. JB originated, recorded, and produced all South African vocal and choral parts for the album. He was personally recognised by the SAMA in 2022, winning the award for Best Produced Album for ‘Thetha Mama’ by The One Who Sings (Zolani Mahola), and has produced more than 20 SAMA-winning albums over many years for artists such as Tony Cox, Wambali, Wouter Kellerman, Watershed, and Freshlyground, to name but a few.

In 2024, JB relocated to Nashville, widely regarded as the world’s music city, while continuing to return regularly to South Africa, where his creative roots and many of his most valued collaborations remain firmly anchored. Bringing that experience home, JB has since returned to South Africa, now basing his music production company in Cape Town.

2026 has seen JB reunite with one of South Africa’s most beloved bands, producing Freshlyground’s long-awaited comeback album ‘Take Me Home’, their first studio release since 2018 and their first with new lead vocalist Mbali Makhoba. The singles ‘Jabula’ and ‘Welele’ announced the band’s return to great acclaim, with the full album following in April 2026. 2026 has also seen releases of new music by celebrated jazz bassist Vimbs Mavimbs (album ‘Late Bloomer’), the much-anticipated new album from SA icon Vusi Mahlasela, and the first full album release from Congo Cowboys, with JB producing, due for release in the coming weeks.

“Mayibuye iAfrika”, now re-named the “Rebirth of Ubuntu Concert”, is a theatrical concert celebrating iconic songs from composers and performers exiled during the Apartheid era, and has grown into one of South Africa’s most anticipated annual cultural events. As arranger, musical director, and conductor of its 20-piece orchestra, JB has led the production through four successive editions, including shows at the Joburg Theatre and the South African State Theatre in Pretoria, each drawing a celebrated cast of South Africa’s finest voices.

JB has written a number of orchestrations for the 2026 edition of “Red Bull Symphonic”, a sell-out concert series that features a full orchestra performing with celebrated Amapiano and Deep House recording artists Msaki, Sun-El Musician, and Dlala Thukzin.

His ongoing relationship with the Firdaus Orchestra in Dubai, the celebrated all-female ensemble at Firdaus Studio founded by Indian composer AR Rahman, has continued to flourish. Following his work arranging ‘The Ecstasy of Gold’ for their Ennio Morricone tribute and producing their 2023 “Holiday Experience” show featuring Moroccan singer Abir El Abed, JB is looking forward to further developing his creative partnership with the orchestra into the future.

JB is also a prolific composer, and wildlife documentaries are his particular passion. He is the “composer of choice” for Dereck and Beverly Joubert (Wildlife Films), filmmakers celebrated across the globe. His latest collaboration with the Jouberts is a 2-part series entitled “Mara: Rebirth”, released worldwide in early 2026. Films JB has scored for them (more than 20 since 2002) have won multiple EMMY Awards among many others, and he has personally won Best Original Music at many worldwide film festivals.

His work as a musical director has seen him at the helm of many high-profile events and productions, including the 2010 FIFA World Cup Draw Show, the acclaimed 2010 FIFA World Cup Closing Ceremony, 8 successful seasons of “Strictly Come Dancing” on SABC, numerous Miss SA Pageants and 2 Miss World Pageants, the 2012 and 2015 Pan-African Barclays Bank Choir Festival, and he is the “MD-in-residence” for the prestigious annual Toyota National Dealer Awards, an event that has always featured spectacular music shows.

With new film score commissions underway and his Nashville base opening new creative horizons, JB Arthur remains, as ever, ready for “the next big thing”.