My Fantasy Band: K'Naan

'John Frusciante is just incredible'

Vocals - Nina Simone

I have very few musical regrets but she is one. My regret being that I never got to see her play live and she died so recently that I feel stupid for not having made the effort. Every time I listen to her music I think back to having not seen her. I have a friend who's a film producer and he saw Nina early in her career in a small bar in Manhattan and there were three people in the audience. Can you believe that? Nina Simone. But anyway I wish I'd seen her, she's the best.

Guitar - John Frusciante

He's the guitarist for Red Hot Chili Peppers and I think he's just incredible. His melodics are always great and I like how his sustain pedal always creates a little bit more of an extended dream. I don't remember hearing anything I didn't like from him.

Horn - Fela Kuti

He is one of my favourite musicians and I think he had beautiful time- signature ideas. Being part of the creation, probably the creator, of Afrobeat, he had a different sense for musical timing. When you combine that with the horn, it always feels right but it's not something a regular musician from the West would think of – the lines that he does and where they are placed. It would make for an interesting connection with John Frusciante.

Drums - Idris Muhammed

Muhammed is a great, great drummer. He is a loved drummer, loved by a lot of drummers. He's got a fantastic way of playing. Drummers for me are not about technicality but about feel, and he's got a certain kind of a soul, a certain kind of feel about him that I feel is very beautiful.

Keys - Markéta Irglová

She is from the Czech Republic and is one half of The Swell Season, which is made up of her and Glen Hansard. They are the pair that created the music for that great film 'Once'. She plays so beautifully and she would be interesting to throw in because she sings too, so her doing backing vocals for Nina Simone as well as playing would be amazing.

K'Naan's album 'Troubadour: Champion Edition' is out now