Q. What inspired you to first pick up the lute/guitar and describe your first attempts at playing these instruments?

A. When I was a little boy I listened a lot Egyptian music. My first attempt on the lute was when I listened to a part of improvisation in a song called "Addi Rabiya" (and here comes the Spring) from the famous Egyptian lute player and singer Farid ElAtrach. I tried to repeat that song with the lute. The guitar was many years later in my adoloscence when I listened for the first time in my life to jazz. I fell in love with the sound of the guitar, so I bought one and started with songs from Libanon singer Mejda Erroumi and after I started to pick up 'Elegan Gypsie' from Al di Meola, 'Weekend in LA' and 'On broadway' from George Benson and many other standards.

Q. Did you take lessons or are you self-taught?

A. I 'm self-taught.

Q. Who inspired you to learn the lute/guitar?

A. Farid ElAtrach and Ali Sriti (a deceased Tunisian lute player) for the lute and many guitar players like Django Reinhardt, John Mc Laughlin and George Benson.

Q. Tell us about how you built your double neck lute/guitar instrument?

A. For many years I had the wish to perform with the lute and guitar together. I love to play both instruments. One night I started drawing the model I would like to have. From one thing came the other. Once my drawing finished, I started searching for a guitar builder who wanted to attempt making my instrument. I found somebody in Holland. The lute parts like the rosace and the neck are made by a lute builder in Tunisia. And then we put them together. The result is the Rayjam, an emptybody double neck electric lute and guitar. The body is empty so the intrument is not too heavy and comfortable to play.

Q. How and why did you name your instrument, "Rayjam"?

A. The first part of the word, "Ray", I choose because the Rayjam gives off/clears a ray like the sun. An energy I feel while playing it. The second part, "Jam", I choose because the lute and guitar are jamming together when I play.

Q. Can the general public purchase a signature model of your instrument?

A. Yes, it's possible to order a signature model of the Rayjam.

Q. What is your practice regimen like?

A. I start my day with one hour of sports. That's good to stay healthy. In the afternoon and night I play at least six hours lute and guitar.

Q. How would you define your style of playing?

A. I would call my style oriental jazz.

Q. What can we expect from your debut EP CD release, Rayjam?

A. A mixture of jazz and Tunisian scales and rhythms. I hope to make jazzfans discover oriental and Tunisian music and to introduce jazz to Tunisia. I'm right now working on the next cd.

Q. Tell us about the musicians that appear on your Rayjam EP CD?

A. There is Sami on the keyboards. He is a very good arranger and teaches music at the University of Tunis. The bass player, also named Nabil, is a professional musician in Tunisia and has played with a lot of great Tunisian singers. And on the drums appears my friend Hichem, who also plays many different styles.

Q. You're from Tunisia. Tell us about your local musical scene, opportunities and how this inspires you.

A. The original Tunisian music is 'malouf', our heritage. There's also the Tunisian popular music, the 'hadra' and 'soulamiya' (religious music) and folklore. All these kinds of music can be heard especially during the numerous summer festivals. The variety and groove of the rhythms is what inspires me the most as well as the very rich Tunisian scales.

Q. Lets talk about your creative process. How do you approach writing an original song - do you compose from the guitar or the lute?

A. Mostly, I compose from the guitar and I sing the oriental scales with my voice.

Q. What challenges do you face when switching from different styles of music?

A. The challange I face is to switch freely from one style to the other and make them like one.

Q. What other types of music or artists do you derive inspiration from?

A. Classical, Egyptian music, funk, rythm & blues, modern jazz. A lot of artists inspire me like Oum Kalthoum, Ferid ElAtrach, Ali Sriti, All Jarreau, Charlie Parker, George Benson, John Scoffield and lots of others.

Q. What's the most important bit of advice you were given by another musician?

A. A Dutch saxophone player once gave me this advice: "When you touch your guitar/lute play it with freedom/liberty and try to express yourself with the instrument".

Q. What's been your proudest playing moment?

A. That was my first concert with the Rayjam and the very enthusiastic reaction of the audience and the press. I am also very proud of the medal that I received last month from the president of Tunisia for my cultural contribution to the country.

Q. What's the biggest disaster you've ever had on stage, and how did you cope with it?

A. The biggest disaster was when during a concert I knelt down on stage to adjust the sound of my pedal and then my trousers tore apart from behind. I have fixed it with a stapler.

Q. Do you warm up before a concert and if so how?

A. I don't warm up, but I always take some time to concentrate on myself.

Q. What's the most important bit of advice you could give to new guitarists and lute players?

A. To feed your ears with various kinds of music and styles. Be curious. Don't be afraid to try something different or make mistakes because that's how we learn and improve.

Q. Thanks for your time and consideration for this article and interview. Any last thoughts for our readers?

A. Music is a language and the Rayjam allows me to speak and bring my feelings and thoughts to the public. I hope they will enjoy listening my music. Thank you very much.