Biography

“I'd like to point out to people the divine in a musical language that transcends words. I want to speak to their souls.” - John Coltrane

“Dean Magraw’s music transcends, transports and lifts the soul to a higher level as he weaves, cajoles and entices every note from his instrument… Just as important are the silences with which he knits the music… these can only come with being at one with one’s art…” -Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh (Altan)

“Dean Magraw… so liquid, lyrical and effortless it’s like listening to a dancer.” –Steve Tibbetts

“…always deeply soulful.” -City Pages
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Collaborators

There are many others… my great teachers; I have learned so much from you all…

  • Garrison Keillor · Prairie Home Companion
  • Altan · trad. Irish
  • Paul Schaeffer · David Letterman
  • Nigel Kennedy · violin
  • Eric Kamau Gravatt · drumset, percussion
  • Claudia Schmidt · vocals, mountain dulcimer, guitar
  • Peter Ostroushko · mandolin, violin, guitar
  • Anthony Cox · bass
  • Butch Thompson · piano
  • Eight Head · whirled jam family
  • Richard Dworsky · piano
  • The Big Wu · jam band family
  • Marcus Wise · tabla
  • John Snow · oboe
  • Steve Tibbetts · guitar
  • JT Bates · drumset
  • Fareed Haque · guitar
  • Pepper Adams · saxophone
  • Joe Pulice · drumset
  • Jim Anton · bass
  • Prudence Johnson · vocals
  • Andy McKee · guitar
  • Pat Donohue · guitar
  • Marc Anderson · percussion
  • Chico Huff · bass
  • John Williams · accordion, concertina, flute
  • Daithi Sproule · guitar
  • Megan Flood · dance, choreography
  • Tim Sparks · guitar
  • Peter Finger · guitar
  • Willie Murphy · guitar, piano, vocals
  • Mike Marshall · guitar, mandolin
  • Ustad Sultan Khan · sarangi
  • Darol Anger · violin
  • Masahiro Nitta · shamisen
  • Bryan Nichols · piano
  • David Whetstone · sitar
  • Nirmala Rajaseker · vina, vocals
  • Bruce Henry · vocals
  • Billy McLaughlin · guitar
  • Pooja Goswami · vocals
  • A Tribute to Mingus
  • Billy Petersen · bass
  • Gordy Knudtson · drumset
  • Red Planet
  • Francois Corneloup · saxophone
  • Dominique Pifarely · violin
  • Byron Berline · violin
  • Leroy Jenkins · violin
  • Ricky Ford · saxophone
  • Davu Seru · drumset, percussion
  • Dan Newton · accordion
  • Bruce Kurnow · harmonica, stringed harp, keyboards
  • Power Circus
  • Ruth MacKenzie · vocals
  • Peter Johnson · drumset
  • Bilal Chisti/Dhruv Sangari · qawali vocals, harmonium
  • Gary Raynor · bass
  • Richard Hedlund · bass
  • Alan Dworsky · percussion, guitar
  • Heather Jansz · vocals
  • Tom Hubbard · bass
  • Jay Epstein · drumset
  • Chris Bates · bass
  • Sandor Szabo · guitar
  • Franco Morone · guitar
  • Falk Zenker · guitar
  • Jacques Stotzem · guitar
  • Isato Nakagawa · guitar
  • Kevin Washington · drumset
  • Jay Young · bass
  • Brandon Wozniak · saxophone
  • Dave Karr · saxophone
  • Robin Pluer · vocals
  • Lorie Line · keyboards
  • Phil Hey · drumset
  • Gordy Johnson · bass
  • Lidia Berman · percussion, vocals
  • Jayati Weerakuun · sitar
  • Wynne Fricke · dance, choreography
  • Chritine Maginnis · dance, choreography
  • Devin Carey · dance, choreography
  • Chris Aitkin · dance
  • Paul Storms · guitar
  • Katja Linfield · cello
  • Peter McGuire · violin
  • Phil Aaron · piano
  • Dan Chouinard · piano
  • Adi Yeshaya · piano
  • Radim Zenkl · mandolin
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