Dr. J. B. Smith is Professor of Music and the Coordinator of Percussion Studies in the School of Music at Arizona State University. He is internationally recognized as a performer, composer, educator and conductor having performed and recorded with musicians such as Steve Reich, Daniel Lentz, George Crumb, Chinary Ung, Sal Martirano, Chou Wen Chung, Lou Harrison, Morton Subotnick, Mary Ellen Childs, She-e Wu, Arthur Weisberg, Alex Acuna, Robert Spring, Sam Pilafian, John Bergamo, Len "Boogsie" Sharpe, Michael Colgrass, Liam Teague, Robert Chappell, Brad Dutz, and Anthony Braxton.

He is director of the ASU Contemporary Percussion Ensemble that was featured in performances at the 1991, 2002 and 2006 Percussive Arts Society International Conventions. As a member of the Desert's Edge Clarinet-Percussion Duo with Dr. Robert Spring, Dr. Smith performed at the Music Educator's National Conference in 1994 and the 1992, 1995, 2002 and 2004 Clarinet Fest International Conferences. He served as principal percussionist with Ensemble 21, a contemporary music group under the direction of Arthur Weisberg, and as principal percussionist with The Daniel Lentz Group which performed at the Interlink Festival in Los Angeles, the Bang on a Can Festival in New York and the Festival Musica Visual in Lanzarote, Canary Islands. He has also recorded and performed with the internationally acclaimed Summit Brass and Phoenix Symphony Orchestra. He has recorded for Koch, Summit, Centaur, Rhizome Sketch, Fontec, Leo, Canyon Records and Whole>Sum Productions. His CDs Apparitions for Percussion, First Reflections and At the Desert's Edge are available from Amazon.com.

He received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baylor University where he studied with Dr. Larry Vanlandingham, his Master of Music in Percussion Performance and Literature degree from the University of Illinois where he studied with Prof. Thomas Siwe and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of North Texas where he studied with Dr. Robert Schietroma. Previously, Dr. Smith was on the music faculties of Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas and Humboldt State University in Arcata, California. He has written articles for The Instrumentalist, The Canadian Band Journal and Percussive Notes and served as president of the Arizona chapter of the Percussive Arts Society. In 1995, he hosted the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Phoenix.

Dr. Smith is active as a composer, with numerous works published by C. Alan Publications. He has also written computer programs to help students improve their sightreading and rhythm skills (Pitch Tracker and Sync Flash) and software to allow percussionists to easily interact with digital media.

As a clinician, he has appeared at the Music Educator's National Conference, the Percussive Arts Society International Convention and over 50 colleges and universities in North America. Dr. Smith proudly endorses Pearl Drums, Adams Percussion, Zildjian Cymbals, Mike Balter Mallets, and Grover Pro Percussion.