'Giving Africa a musical voice....striking a fair trade chord'.
Bournemouth Echo

Arthur Rathbone Pullen's musical experience is extensive and varied - from a first class degree in music at Liverpool University to two years in the pro-audio industry, to the production of commercial electro/rock albums, to the recording of indigenous music throughout Kenya.

It is both the diversity and the affinities between different types of music from across the globe that excite him the most and influence his own compositions which include references to Indian Raga, Cuban Salsa, Kenyan Sengenya and Afro-American blues. This often leads to unconventional instrumentation such as in Western Promise, a work for Soprano Saxophone, Trumpet, Bongo, Conga and Strings, and Air on a Goatstring for Djembe and Electronics. His piece Revolution (see festival programme) for two Harpsichords and Tape, although essentially a straightforward piece of serialism, draws similarities with a vigorous style of Kenyan drumming, Mwazindika.

During a six-month musical exploration of Kenya in 2005, Arthur made numerous recordings of traditional Kenyan music and a forthcoming documentary features five of the groups with whom he worked.

He has set up Faustuss International, a record label dedicated to the cause of giving African artists a better deal, and to the ethical promotion of good music and musicians from around the world.

 Gary Carpenter | Stephen Dodgson | Graham Fitkin | Kevin Malone | Ailís Ní Riaín | Mark Wingfield