SAFARI PRODUCTIONS and SAFARI PUBLICATIONS    

      Safari Productions was started as an independent production company over 30 years ago by the late De Wayne Fulton, one of the original “independents”. Of course he was a virtuoso classical harpist, but it was his disregard for tradition which made him a "harp-world" maverick.

    The concert harp was considered an "instrument of the classics" and historically there was very little written for solo harp. Safari gave Fulton’s boundless spirit both the means and the authority to record "his kind of music". To the raised eyebrows and gasps of the traditionalists, his concerts and recordings mixed the classics with beautiful Broadway tunes and movie themes. He loved the legendary music of such greats as Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, and Ella Fitzgerald and adapted this music for solo harp and released it under the Safari label.

      Safari Productions and Fulton’s keen sense of musicality were a breakthrough combination. Harp playing was re-defined as he pulled beautifully-thrilling-tone-colors from the instrument and set them in motion with the thunder of his style. With this independence, Fulton pioneered a new genre of harp playing, now called "pop harp". The gorgeous arrangements, performances and recordings Fulton produced helped pave a new path in "harpdom", and inspired the next generation of artists.

      Paul Hurst’s first harp teacher was De Wayne Fulton. Many years and much experience later, Hurst became a partner in Safari Productions. This increased Safari to a company of two master musicians. Besides Hurst's extraordinary musicianship and skill in arranging and composing, he brought with him the knowledge of new technologies for recording and music publishing.

      Armed with this knowledge, Hurst and Fulton enthusiastically set out to locate, archive and publish "out-of-print", lost or "never before published” masterworks for harp. Safari Publications now carries these manuscripts for which Hurst created beautifully "engraved" editions.  Also avaiable at Safari Publications are original harp compositions by Paul Hurst and the superb arrangements and transcriptions done by Hurst and popularr music arrangements by the late De Wayne Fulton.  This exclusive collection of music literature is used by musicians and scholars all over the world.

      Since the time of De Wayne Fulton's  passing in 1997, Hurst has continued with his own musical journey and is keeping Safari Productions fresh and innovative.  In 1998, Sharon Williams became part of  Safari Productions to assist with the expanding demands of a busy production company and is currently in charge of coordinating the multifaceted activities surrounding music making.

      In recent years, Paul Hurst has involved himself, and hence Safari Productions, in some of the most fulfilling projects of his musical career.  With the premier of  Hurst’s symphonic work, Sequoia Rhapsody in 1998, came the impetus for Hurst’s next wave of creative activity.

      The Earth Anthem Project was born and continues to mature.  Earth Anthem is a continuing series of music celebrating natural beauty, the life and culture of our Living-Planet. The National Parks have become involved and are the recipients of donations created by a portion of each album sale in the Earth Anthem Series.                                                        

Earth Anthem became the name of a continuing series of music celebrating natural beauty, the life and culture of our Living-Planet. 

Sequoia Rhapsody  - composed for harp, piano and orchestra is Volume 1 of the series.

Terra Sancta, Volume 2,  is a stunning collection of Hurst's piano improvisations, inspired by the sacred places he has come to know.   

Endless Sea, the 3rd Volume, is a re-mastering of an earlier work done in collaboration with a Shakuhachi (bamboo flute) master,  with haunting interpretations of Japanese music played on harp and flute.   

      Hurst involves himself in all the technical details of  album production.  He is fortunate to have two Grammy Award winning "sound men" he has worked with for years:  Recording Engineer, Bob Wayne, Sunburst Recording and Digital Editing with Richard Rodriguez.  Together they achieve a quality which approaches the  authentic sound of a live performance.  There are no added sounds or musicians, no special effects or over-dubs.  Paul wants the listeners to feel they have "taken a concert home with them".   

Safari Productions offers a unique listening experience to those who are connoisseurs of music, and excites newcomers with playful, profound, and simply beautiful music.  

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