On a very technical level, I am a geek who is interested in the intricacy of rhythm playing, so I like comparing and working out its details.

In Western classical music the idea of holiness, purity, perfection, and total beauty is expressed through clarity of sound - a bell-like sound. Obviously, that has its own place, and it's a beautiful way of doing it. But I don't think I am the first to point out that in Africa, the more buzzing the sound is, the more it indicates the other world - the spirit world.

I think it's quite jarring and exciting when you see someone in the thrall of being completely transported by the music they're sharing with you.

I have much clearer memories of my time in Egypt: songs on the radio, the rhythms that accompanied belly dancers, the sound of the adhan - the Muslim call to prayer. I just soaked it all up.

The closer you get to the source, the more you begin to understand its essential nature.

I have a lot of experience in playing all sorts of venues. And one of my interests is to understand what constitutes the vibe of a place and what makes one concert different from another. You can't fully measure or calculate these things, yet they are absolutely evident once you're on stage.

I think the origins of music have probably to do with magic and transcendence as well.