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| Dean Magraw (2010) |
© Andrea Canter
No doubt, one of the most colorful characters to play the
Artists Quarter is Dean Magraw, the Dean of all things guitar, especially jazz
and improvised music. Dean leads the long-running trio Red Planet (with Chris
Bates and Jay Esptein), frequent weekend headliners at the AQ. Dean's also led some Tuesday gigs "with
friends" and has often been one of the collaborators with Carol Martin on
New Year's Eve, including the final celebration of 2013.
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| Dean, New Year's Eve 2013 |
Bandleader and composer, interpreter of Coltrane and Monk, Dean
is also a survivor. A bone marrow transplant put him out of commission a few
years ago, but he never lost his lust for the music, and one of his first
public gigs after returning to performing was to release his Red Planet recording,
Space Dust.
Dean makes amazing music, and he always ensures his audience
has a good time. Sometimes we wonder if
he really is from the Red Planet?
This is Number 32 of anticipated 50 "faces" honoring the legacy of the Artists Quarter, which closed January 1, 2014 after 18 years in St Paul.
