Ilham Al-Madfai has been a pioneer all his life: as a youth in Baghdad he founded the first band to play Arab music with Western instruments - an innovation which the official media regarded just as critically as his family did. While studying architecture in London he took the opportunity to appear in Café Bagdad before an illustrious clientele including such people as Paul McCartney and Donovan. Back in his homeland, he worked the rhythm of the Spanish guitar into Iraqi folksongs, bringing him great success among young listeners. International tours brought him to the attention of EMI/Virgin, and in 1999 the label produced a CD with his greatest hits - a selection from the more than 200 songs he has composed. "Iraqi music", says Al-Madfai, "has something you don't find in Arab music, an 'Oriental sobbing' and instruments such as the three thousand year-old Al Jousa, which I play myself - along with the guitar."