If you open the "Configure Shortcuts" dialog, and set one of the shortcuts by pressing the key does it work?

Yes, I can set the shortcuts in the amarok "Configure Shortcuts" dialog, pressing the keys displays MediaPlay. However after the shortcut is set nothing happens when I use it....

It is possible some other service is intercepting the keypresses. Do you have any other music players running?

Also have you tried to configure the keys in System Settings > Input Actions?
If you have, please remove them and try again.

I have no other music players installed or running.

The only configuration I have in "input actions" was one to start ksnapshot when I press "prntscrn".
I figured while I was there I might as well test it.
I'm not sure if the following indicates an issue or if it is just my ignorance of dbus, but I aked to create a dbus shortcut and then to launch the dbus browser. It opened up, I selected "org.kde.amarok" in the services pane, selected "Player/"->"org.freedesktop.MediaPlayer"->"Method: Pause" and in the context menu selected call, that resulted in a error message saying:
"Unable to find method Pause on path /Player in interface org.freedesktop.MediaPlayer"

Does this mean something?

bcooksley thanks for taking the time to help.

I have no other music players installed or running.

The only configuration I have in "input actions" was one to start ksnapshot when I press "prntscrn".
I figured while I was there I might as well test it.
I'm not sure if the following indicates an issue or if it is just my ignorance of dbus, but I aked to create a dbus shortcut and then to launch the dbus browser. It opened up, I selected "org.kde.amarok" in the services pane, selected "Player/"->"org.freedesktop.MediaPlayer"->"Method: Pause" and in the context menu selected call, that resulted in a error message saying:
"Unable to find method Pause on path /Player in interface org.freedesktop.MediaPlayer"

Does this mean something?

bcooksley thanks for taking the time to help and sorry for not replying faster, I don't always have internet access.

That should be fine then, you can remove the changes you did in Input Actions btw.
Are you using any XModMap tricks to change anything? They may be interfering.
Also have you selected a custom keyboard layout?

I was using a .Xmodmap on my home folder but have already removed it.
Yes I selected the "Dell Inspiron 6000/8000" keyboard layout. I'm actually using a Dell Inspiron 1520, but that was the closest model listed and it has worked for me in the past.

Try disabling the keyboard layout selection.

I'm sorry to report that disabling the keyboard layouts has had no effect... I'm now hoping that maybe the upcoming 4.3.0 update might fix this....

Unfortunate. If you can reproduce under a new user with KDE 4.3 Final, then please report a bug at bugs.kde.org if one does not already exist.