John Forbes•Composer•Producer

NEW RELEASES

Le Clown

ONCE UPON A TIME IN FRANCE STREAM HERE Quite a few years ago, while on tour in Europe with a major recording artist, I was having a coffee at a street cafe in Lille, France. As I was sitting there enjoying my coffee and baguette, a small group of street performers...

QUIET WORSHIP

QUIET WORSHIP is a collection of praise and worship songs that I have been working on for a long time. Back when I was playing for Tyler Perry, I had the opportunity to work with “The Sounds of Blackness,” “Kirk Franklin's Family,” “The Annointed Pace Sisters,” as...

ANABEL

ANABEL Anabel is a musical piece that I composed while on Broadway as musical director for Love Jones the Musical. It is inspired by my daughter Catriona Forbes who was 5 years old at the time. The melody is from my emotional state when I was not with my daughter. It...

DARK TOWN

Dark Town is a collection of themes composed for darkness and tension in mind. These themes are the perfect recipe for film or television cues needing a dramatic feel without being distracting. These themes tend to be more emotional and void of direct genre or styles...

LUCKY SPURS

Lucky Spurs is a theme composed for the film written by Rick Padilla. The script itself was based on a short story by cowboy author, JPS Brown. I had the privilege of working with Joe Brown starting in 2015. I took trips to Patagonia, AZ from 2016 to 2022 staying on...

LA GRANDE PASSION

IT’S ALL ABOUT LOVE   In an attempt to assemble a collection of themes that support scenes about love, intimacy and passion, I composed 11 suites based on piano and a modest textural ensemble. After years of scoring for TV and film and later as a post supervisor,...

John Forbes – “Spirit of Dogie Long”

In 2015, I had the opportunity to meet a film industry professional that has become a creative and business partner. Rick Padilla is afilm director that worked with the legendary Hal Ashby as hiscreative associate. Hal was considered one of the greatestdirectors to...

John Forbes Featuring Quan Howell “Go To Sleep”

"Go To Sleep" is a song written and produced by John Forbes for his daughter Catriona. With Grammy winning singer, Quan Howell, this is a beautiful symphonic lullaby.  Shortly after the birth of my daughter in 2011, I found myself rocking her to sleep every night...

John Forbes Featuring Courtney David “Stay High”

New Collaboration Between John Forbes and Courtney David Titled "Stay High." In 2019 I received a phone call from a label in regards to a newly released, Kanye West, Gospel Album. The label was aware of my history in Gospel music and asked if I would consider...

Cory Padilla – “Cowboy Christmas”

"Cowboy Christmas" is the special holiday release by artist, Cory Padilla, and based on the book, The Spirit of Dogie Long by JPS Brown. The Cowboy Christmas song was recorded during the time the soon to be released “The Spirit of Dogie Long” album featuring Cory...

John Forbes


 

John Forbes: Crafting Sound for the World’s Biggest Brands

 

With over 30 years of experience in the entertainment industry, John Forbes is a seasoned music professional who has created captivating scores for some of the most successful companies worldwide. John’s extensive career spans hundreds of productions, imbuing him with a wealth of knowledge that transcends industry clichés. For John, adding value isn’t just a phrase – it’s a core mantra that guides every project. From scoring for film and television to composing for radio and the web, John Forbes boasts a proven track record of delivering successful and impactful musical experiences.


BUILDING THE BAND

John Forbes was featured in Sound On Sound Magazine

Sound On Sound Magazine featured an article by British author David Greeves about the production work of John Forbes for Ne-Yo’s “Mr. Smith World Tour.” The article delves into the project’s meticulous details, which were researched before, during, and after the tour’s production.

In the piece, Forbes discusses his process for the tour’s music, including the selection of software and hardware, as well as the arranging and orchestration techniques he used. He explains how he leveraged cutting-edge technology to create a dynamic, engaging live show for audiences, ultimately enhancing the entire audio-visual experience.

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Recent Projects

Love Jones The Musical 2016

IIn September 2015, I was brought on board as the music producer for Love Jones: The Musical. The play was based on the iconic 1997 film, and my task was to create the music for a show that would feature a large number of artists and actors singing their own songs. Having previously produced music for a Ne-Yo tour and several stage plays using a playback-only format, I knew we could deliver a high-quality show without a live band.

My Drink With Peter Fonda

I had just finished working on the Rick James album "Urban Rhapsody" while living in Hollywood Hills with my girlfriend. My life was moving to a place that I had known too well. A, touring musician living in Southern California, I had played for some of the biggest...

Why Buddy Black Plays Trini Lopez Guitars

Why does Buddy Black prefer Gibson Trini Lopez guitars? According to Buddy Black, we can start with the obvious. The artist models Gibson made in the 50s and 60s were some of the finest instruments ever. Diamond inlays, 6 in a row headstock, bound diamond shaped sound...

Blues Artist Buddy Black

Buddy Black This Man Sings The Blues BUDDY BLACK has traveled the globe as a journey man guitar slinger. Played for and shared stages with some of the best. Ernest Tubb, Johnny Rivers, John Conlee, Johnny Paycheck, Chubby Checker, Percy Sledge, Artimus Pyle, Matt...

George Massenburg Speaks

This is the genius sharing about where we are in recording and how we got here.