JB ARTHUR

MUSIC COMPOSER | PRODUCER | ARRANGER

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 4 decades, JB’s attention to detail and high industry standards have proven a winning combination for every project he engages.

JB arranged and produced the 2023 GRAMMY AWARD-winning ‘BAYETE’, which won Best World Music Performance for Zakes Bantwini, Wouter Kellerman, and Nomcebo Zikode. He also made significant contributions to the GRAMMY AWARD-winning albums ‘Divine Tides’ by Stewart Copeland and Ricky Kej, Best New Age Album 2022, and ‘Winds of Samsara’ by Wouter Kellerman and Ricky Kej – Best New Age Album 2015. He was personally recognized by the SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC AWARDS in 2022, winning the award for Best Produced Album (Thetha Mama by The One Who Sings), although JB 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.

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), film makers celebrated across the globe. 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 Pan-African Barclays Bank Choir Festival (2012 – 2015) and he is the “MD-in-residence” for the prestigious annual TOYOTA NATIONAL DEALER AWARDS, an event that has always featured spectacular music shows.

JB’s years of prolific composition and production work in the advertising industry have seen him compose soundtracks for many of South Africa’s most beloved advertising campaigns, including those for M-Net (‘M-Net Animals’), Castle Lager, Cadbury’s, Nedbank, and many other iconic brands. His work in this sphere has won at the NY Advertising Awards, the Clios, Loeries, and Cannes Lions over many years.

His recent work has seen multiple trips to Dubai (late in 2023), where JB has written and produced recordings of many orchestrations for the FIRDAUS ORCHESTRA, an all-female orchestra based at the fabulous Firdaus Studio (by AR Rahman, the celebrated Indian composer). JB arranged and produced ‘The Ecstasy of Gold’ for the orchestra’s tribute to Ennio Morricone, and he also produced their year-end show “Holiday Experience” in 2023 with an all-Arabic program feat. the celebrated Moroccan singer Abir El Abed.

2024 will see a return to ‘Mayibuye iAfrika’, a theatrical presentation of some of the most iconic songs from composers and performers exiled during the Apartheid era. JB is the arranger and musical director and will conduct this show, featuring a “who’s who” list of celebrated South African singers, choir, and all-star band, complete with strings and brass.

Ahead are also many studio album recordings (in pre-production), as well as some new film score work, and new projects with the Firdaus Orchestra in Dubai. JB is always ready for “the next big thing”.

MUSIC PRODUCTION AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

JB Arthur’s collaborations have led to the creation of numerous hit songs and critically acclaimed albums. Working closely with renowned international musicians, JB consistently pushes artistic boundaries to ignite new creative sparks. He is known for his impeccable attention to detail, ensuring that every aspect of the music is carefully crafted to produce remarkable work.

SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC AWARDS

2024
Umoya: Embracing the Human Spirit - Vusi Mahlasela
Best Adult Contemporary Album African
nominated
2024
Umoya: Embracing the Human Spirit
Best Engineered Album
nominated
2022
Thetha Mama: The One Who Sings
Best Produced Album
win
2018
Symphonic Soweto: A Tribute To Nelson Mandela – Wouter Kellerman
Best Adult Contemporary Album
win
2016
Love Language - Wouter Kellerman
Best Instrumental Album
win

MTV EUROPE MUSIC AWARDS​

2006
Freshlyground
Best African Act
win

grammy AWARDS

2025
Triveni - Wouter Kellerman, Eru Matsumoto & Chandrika Tandon
Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album
win
2023
Bayethe – Wouter Kellerman, Zakes Bantwini & Nomcebo Zikode
Best Global Music Performance
win
2022
Divine Tides – Ricky Kej & Stewart Copeland
Best New Age Album
win
2022
Pangaea – Wouter Kellerman & David Arkenstone
Best New Age Album
nominated
2016
Love Language – Wouter Kellerman
Love Language – Wouter Kellerman
nominated
2015
Winds of Samsara – Wouter Kellerman & Ricky Kej
Best New Age Album
win

FILM AND TELEVISION COMPOSER AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

As a music composer for film, JB Arthur instills a sense of trust amongst his collaborators. Successfully merging the director’s vision with his own to produce an emotional synergy that elevates the final works into critically acclaimed film productions that continually resonant with audiences.

Emmy AWARDS

2021
Jade-Eyed Leopard – Wildlife Films
Outstanding Nature Documentary
nominated
2016
Soul of the Elephant – Wildlife Films
Best Nature Film
win
2007
Eye of the Leopard – Wildlife Films
Best Nature Film
win

nyca AWARDS

2019
Birth of a Pride – Wildlife Films
Best Original Score
win
2019
Okavango (River of Dreams) – Wildlife Films
Best Original Score (JB Arthur & Sarah Class)
win

SOUTH AFRICAN FILM AND TELEVISION AWARDS

2014
Game Of Lions – Wildlife Films
Best Original Score
nominated
2008
Big Cat Odyssey – Wildlife Films
Best Wildlife Program
win

BBC wildscreen AWARDS

2006
Relentless Enemies – Wildlife Films
Best Wildlife Program
win

Jackson Wild MEDIA AWARDS

2003
Ultimate Enemies – Wildlife Films
Best Sound
win

ARTES AWARDS

1985
Portrait of Mynie Grove
Best Music Arrangements & Production
win

ADVERTISING AWARDS

JB Arthur has produced original music for a wealth of memorable TV commercials and advertising campaigns through the years. His awarding winning work has been recogised by the Clio Awards, New York Advertising Awards, the South African Loerie awards and Cannes Lions Advertising Awards for creativity and narrative storytelling through sound.

MUSIC SAYS EVERYTHING THERE IS TO SAY, PERIOD!