JB Arthur
JB Arthur is a multi-award-winning composer, arranger and producer, working alongside some of the world's greatest’s. Conducting a full orchestra at age 24 to receiving the highest accolades the industry offers, JB’s musical journey has been as vibrant as the music he creates, adding soul to projects.
Producing music for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, composing and producing scores for many wildlife documentary films, including the Emmy award-winning “Eye of the Leopard”, and “Okavango: River of Dreams”, featured at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, he has enjoyed Emmy Award nominations for the film, “Jade-Eyed Leopard” and a Grammy acknowledgement for his work on the album "Winds of Samsara", he is also a SAMA award winner for the film soundtrack for “Story of an African Farm”.
His involvement in television shows is notable and includes musically directing "Strictly Come Dancing", Miss South Africa and Miss World pageants also producing Zolani Mahola’s (ex-Freshly Ground) solo project and a new album by South African icon, Vusi Mahlasela. JB’s further contributions to production & engineering have led to 2 nominees for the 2022 Grammy Awards, in the category “Best New Age album”.
JB works closely with a new music production facility, built at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg. Flame Studios, fast making a name for itself as a hub of high-quality music production, as well as a home for important legacy & heritage projects.
Says JB Arthur on his participation on Homeland: A Song for Refugees…..
Producing music for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, composing and producing scores for many wildlife documentary films, including the Emmy award-winning “Eye of the Leopard”, and “Okavango: River of Dreams”, featured at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, he has enjoyed Emmy Award nominations for the film, “Jade-Eyed Leopard” and a Grammy acknowledgement for his work on the album "Winds of Samsara", he is also a SAMA award winner for the film soundtrack for “Story of an African Farm”.
His involvement in television shows is notable and includes musically directing "Strictly Come Dancing", Miss South Africa and Miss World pageants also producing Zolani Mahola’s (ex-Freshly Ground) solo project and a new album by South African icon, Vusi Mahlasela. JB’s further contributions to production & engineering have led to 2 nominees for the 2022 Grammy Awards, in the category “Best New Age album”.
JB works closely with a new music production facility, built at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg. Flame Studios, fast making a name for itself as a hub of high-quality music production, as well as a home for important legacy & heritage projects.
Says JB Arthur on his participation on Homeland: A Song for Refugees…..
"Having known Neill Solomon as a colleague & friend for 40 years, meeting in the “heady” days of Joburg;s live music scene of the late 70’s, we had lost touch with each other over time, so when I received a call from him asking if I would want to oversee a new arrangement & the production of a multi-artist recording of a song he had written titled “Homeland”, to be used in an international initiative providing critical support to refugees, I did not hesitate!.
For me, this request afforded me an opportunity to make a contribution to a very important issue and reconnect with my “long-estranged” friend.
The purpose & message of the “Homeland” project is multi-faceted. With participation on the song by singers & instrumentalists from around the world, and based throughout the continent of Africa, is a message in itself.
This project has the potential to awaken & inform a complacent world society. Conveying a message to the plight of the displaced made clear from the start in the cinematic-style Prologue, a musical & sonic picture of desolation, need and intense emotion with powerful lyrics of loss & longing carrying mournful melodies of physical & emotional exhaustion, fear and uncertainty. By the end of the song, there is simply nothing left… you are compelled to do something."
For me, this request afforded me an opportunity to make a contribution to a very important issue and reconnect with my “long-estranged” friend.
The purpose & message of the “Homeland” project is multi-faceted. With participation on the song by singers & instrumentalists from around the world, and based throughout the continent of Africa, is a message in itself.
This project has the potential to awaken & inform a complacent world society. Conveying a message to the plight of the displaced made clear from the start in the cinematic-style Prologue, a musical & sonic picture of desolation, need and intense emotion with powerful lyrics of loss & longing carrying mournful melodies of physical & emotional exhaustion, fear and uncertainty. By the end of the song, there is simply nothing left… you are compelled to do something."
