Ilham al-Madfai

Ilham al-Madfai (born 1942) is an Iraqi guitarist, singer and composer. al-Madfai's synthesis of Western guitar stylings with traditional Iraqi music has made him a popular performer in his native country and throughout the Middle East. Beginning in 1999, al-Madfai released a string of albums on EMI's label, including his platinum eponymous debut, Ilham al-Madfai, Live at the Hard Rock Cafe (2001), Baghdad (2003) and The Voice of Iraq: The Best of Ilham al-Madfai (2005). In 2009, Al-Madfai released Dishdasha. His Western-inspired compositions led to a nickname; "The Baghdad Beatle".

Biography Ilham al-Madfai was born in 1942 in Baghdad, Iraq, to Kurdish parents, His Kurdish heritage is an important aspect of his identity, and he has spoken about it in interviews. For instance, he released a new single during a seminar with musicians and artists in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, highlighting his connection to Kurdish culture, Following a three-year sojourn in Kuwait with the group, al-Madfai moved to England to complete an engineering degree. While in London, he became a regular at the Baghdad Cafe, where he met fellow musicians Paul McCartney, Donovan and Georgie Fame.

In 2017 a Polish documentary movie Arabic secret was released in which his Polish son visited him for the very first time in Jordan. Ilham al-Madfai was surprised with the visit.

Selected discography

Ilham al-Madfai (1999) EMI Live at the Hard Rock Cafe (2001) EMI Baghdad (2003) EMI The Voice of Iraq: The Best of Ilham al-Madfai (2005) EMI Dishdasha (2009) Virgin