Dean Magraw & Marcus Wise will celebrate the release of their award winning CD, How the Light Gets In (Red House Records) with a concert at The Cedar in Minneapolis on Saturday, February 5 at 8 pm.

Buy Tickets Online

The Cedar
416 Cedar Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN
612-338-2674

Hi Folks,

Thanks to recent positive developments and Dean’s return to performing, Dean’s website, deanmagraw.com, is the place to visit for the latest Dean in Concert news. The site has been completely updated, and now includes sound samples of all of Dean’s cds, as well as the ability to purchase them online.

This site, dothedean.com, will continue to operate as a way to offer support and good wishes to Dean and Megan, but it won’t be updated as frequently as deanmagraw.com.

Thanks for everything!

Wise-Magraw CD Launch Party, Tuesday, November 9

Celebrate the new Red House Records CD by Dean Magraw & Marcus Wise, How the Light Gets In. Free appetizers!
Please note: This is a party, not a concert…

• Artists’ Quarter Jazz Club,
  408 St. Peter St., St. Paul, MN
• Admission: Free

Please visit Dean Magraw’s Website for more information on the new CD, and for upcoming gigs like these:

December 17 & 18 - Friday & Saturday, 9pm

• Red Planet: Dean Magraw, Guitar; Jay Epstein, Drums; Chris Bates, Bass
• Artists’ Quarter Jazz Club – 408 St. Peter St., St. Paul, MN

February 5 - Saturday, 8pm

• Wise/Magraw CD Release: Celebrate the new Red House Records CD by Dean Magraw & Marcus Wise, How the Light Gets In.
• The Cedar - 416 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis

March 10 – Thursday

• Dean Magraw Solo
• Three Crows Cafe - 225 River St., Delano, MN - 763-972-3399

Hi friends and family-

Well, this is a “Dean update” with an entirely different tone… hooray!

Dean is still in recovery mode, so no, the healing process isn’t all over and done with, but things are getting better and better. He has more energy and more strength – it is amazing to see. Eating is still a challenge, but we are slowly figuring out more options to add to his diet. The day when he can sit down and eat a big piece of cheese (Dean is a HUGE cheese fan) is a ways off … but I have no doubt that it will one day come to pass.

In just a few weeks, Dean will have his second round of vaccinations (these are repeats of the vaccinations that we all receive in our first few years of life- when Dean’s original bone marrow was wiped out during the preparation for the bone marrow transplant, he lost all of the immunity he had gained from those childhood vaccinations. So now he needs to start from scratch.). This will also be a chance to check in with Dean’s oncologist- we have not seen him in many weeks, which is a great thing to be able to say.

And…

Dean is beginning to perform!

He is taking it slowly, trying not to add too much all at once.

If you want to see all of the live performances he has scheduled so far, you can visit his website (www.deanmagraw.com). There are some lovely, lovely concerts being planned.

In this email I want to mention one very cool event that is coming right up…

Just before Dean went into the hospital to begin the bone marrow transplant process, he and tabla player Marcus Wise finished a new CD. They were literally scheduling recording sessions in between pre-transplant chemotherapy sessions.

The CD, called “How the Light Gets In,” is extraordinary, and in February (February 5, 2011- go ahead and mark your calendar now…), Dean and Marcus will be performing a CD release concert at the Cedar Cultural Center.

But to wait until February to celebrate this CD is just not ok, so the folks at Red House Records are throwing a CD Launch Party on November 9!!!

This launch party is happening at the Artist’s Quarter in downtown St. Paul. Admission is free, and there will be free food, good company, drinks to buy, and advance copies of the CD available for purchase (details at the end of this post).

Dean and Marcus will both be there.

Essentially, this is a chance to gather together to celebrate two amazing musicians and their brand-new CD, eat a bunch of good food, buy a friend a drink, and make a great big toast to the joy and miracle of being alive, right now, on this day.

I will most certainly be there… I hope you will be, too.

Much love,

Megan Flood

CD Launch Party, hosted by Red House Records

• Tuesday, November 9 - 7:30 PM
• Artist’s Quarter - 408 St. Peter Street, St. Paul
• 651-292-1359
• Free!

Dean Magraw will be inducted into the Mid-America Music Hall of Fame, and will perform a set with fellow inductees Anthony Cox and Jay Epstein, on Thursday, September 16, 2010 at the Hall of Fame Show.

• Sheraton Bloomington, 7800 Normandale Blvd - Bloomington, MN
• Doors open at 5:30 pm
• Induction Show begins at 8 pm
• for more info: 952-835-7800 or
• Hall of Fame website

Hello friends and family-
As you know, Dean had his 1 year-post-transplant anniversary appointments during these past two weeks.
We got to hear all of the results a few days ago, and they are all good.
(all good!!!)
That seems like such an understatement. It is incredibly welcome news, and there is really no way to give it enough poetry or exclamation points… so I’ll just stick to the facts…
Basically, on a molecular level, Dean is doing beautifully, one year out.
He is 100% donor, there is no molecular evidence of MDS, all of his various blood counts are either in the normal range or climbing steadily towards normal… such beautiful results.

It was kind of a funny appointment last week- we got to hear all of this wonderful news, ask questions, tell a few jokes… and then were informed that Dean would be getting the first round of his vaccinations today (it’s like having your childhood vaccinations all over again), it would be “six or seven shots… and you might feel pretty bad for a few days afterwards.”

Ack!
So, we didn’t have a lot of time to celebrate before another procedure was underway.
(Apparently the nurses stood on either side of him, and gave him simultaneous shots in each arm. Ouch.)
And so it continues, this healing odyssey.
There is a long stretch to go- fatigue and nausea are things that come and go.
Dean is weaning himself off the last of his medications- not an easy task.
Integrating all of this past 16 months into who he is now, as a musician and as a person- something that will take years, I think.
He is playing all the time at home, and taking gentle but definite steps back into working/recording/performing.
On the exact date of his one-year anniversary, Dean played his first public performance in over a year. That was an incredible way to truly celebrate.
As always, I close by saying “thank you.” There are never enough ways to say these words… you have all helped to carry us through this year, and you continue to help. Thank you.

So much love,
Megan

Ps- I will send out another email soon with information about the bone marrow donor registry and cord blood registry… in case you’d like to get on those lists.

Thanks to all who volunteered, donated, and attended the Do the Dean 2 Benefit on Sunday, August 22, 2010 at The Celtic Junction.

We had a wonderful day, the bands and artists were brilliant. Those who came gave generously and gave tremendous support and love. We had a great time.

The volunteers did a great job and once again Heather Jansz outdid herself with her magnificent cuisine.

Of course Cormac, Natalie, and everyone at the Junction were huge help and support as well.

Find out more on the Do The Dean 2 Facebook page.

Download, Print, and Distribute the official Do the Dean 2 poster.

Performing Artists

• 12:00 – 12:30 Lehto & Wright
• 12:45 – 1:15 Cory Wong
• 1:30 – 2:00 Gregg Herriges
• 2:15 – 2:45 Elgin Foster
• 3:00 – 3:30 Eric Hohn
• 3:45 – 4:15 Marc Anderson
• 4:30 – 5:00 Laura Mackenzie
• 5:15 – 5:45 Marcus Wise
• 6:00 – 6:30 Hart Lieberman & Smith
• 6:45 – 7:15 Anthony Cox
• 7:25 – 7:45 Prudence Johnson
• 7:55 – 8:25 Dakota Dave Hull
• 8:35 – 9:05 Frank Boyle and His Eminent Acoustic Entourage
• 9:10 – 9:30 Kari Tauring with Drew Miller
• 9:45 – Boiled in Lead

Hello friends and family,

Ok, here is the latest update about Dean and how he is doing…
Overall- really well.
(!!!)

I can see him getting stronger, both in body and spirit, every day. He is playing a lot of music at home, entering (very gently) back into recording music, putting the final touches on a duo CD that he and Marcus Wise recorded last year… it’s all amazing and so so good to see.

Fatigue, nausea and “what to eat” continue to be challenges every day.

It’s a challenging time, I think- still in the recovery process, feeling really good some days and other days not so good, getting frustrated by how freaking long this goes on, finding ways – over and over – to stay grounded and present. All part of this thing called healing.

There is an upcoming event that I want to draw your attention to…

An amazing group of people has organized a second benefit at the Celtic Junction in St. Paul- it’s happening all day and evening (12:00 noon -10:00 pm) this coming Sunday (8/22), and you can find out much more information by visiting this webpage . I am really hoping that Dean and I can be there – even if it’s just to stand in the doorway and soak up some of the music and love.

The timing of this benefit couldn’t be better… this week and next week are Dean’s “anniversary appointments.” A year ago, Dean had his bone marrow transplant. (It seems like it’s been much longer than that, and at the same time as if it just happened.) Now he will go through another bone marrow biopsy, so that his bone marrow “team” can see how he’s doing on a molecular level at this point in his recovery.

So the main purpose of this email is to ask for your positive energy, your prayers, your healing thoughts… whatever you can send Dean’s way in the next few days.

The bone marrow biopsy happens on Thursday morning (8/19) of this week. We will meet with Dean’s oncologist a week later to go over the results.

Myself, I am visualizing beautiful and healthy results, through and through. Complete healing. Bone marrow that is vibrant and healthy, doing its bone marrow thing, getting along beautifully with all the other cells, being woven into the community of cells and vibration that are all part of the song and the dance that is Dean.

Thank you for everything you have shared with us during these past 16 months. It is a web of love and light you have all created. Thank you. Again and again, thank you.

Love,
Megan

Just released on GoneJazz Records: Cosmonauts Magraw, Bates & Epstein bring sonic samples from Red Planet to the folks back home. A profound journey featuring original compositions & deep-space tributes to Coltrane, Hendrix, and Solomon Linda. 

Space Dust – Dean Magraw’s Red Planet

2009 – GoneJazz

Red Planet is Dean Magraw, guitar; Chris Bates, Bass; Jay Epstein, Drums.

Sample: Mazar-I-Sharif:

Hello all-

First, my apologies for the long silence. I was out of town for a week (for the first time in over a year!), and promptly got sick when I came home… so I haven’t spent much time communicating with others.

An overdue update about Dean…

So much good to report. Basically, everything is headed in the right direction. (Thank you, Universe) Dean is getting stronger, physically, all the time. He is playing a lot, and is just beginning to dip back into doing recording sessions (I should emphasize the “just beginning” part of that- this is still in one step at a time territory). He renewed his driver’s license, and has been driving himself around on a few experimental outings… He is off ALL of his scheduled medications !!! He definitely looks like he is gaining back some weight. This is all good good GOOD!!!

Eating continues to be a big challenge, as does nausea. A brief experiment with dairy products led to a truly awful night of illness- which is a bummer because Dean loves cheese. Fatigue is also something that waxes and wanes. He is still having monthly infusions of “iv-IG”- a blood protein which helps with immunity (my extremely layperson explanation of this). These infusions take a long time, and leave him feeling pretty awful for several days- so that is a challenge.

Dean has his “anniversary” (one year post transplant) appointments in late August. This will mean another bone marrow biopsy (ouch), and then a follow-up appointment to find out his new bone marrow is doing. This is a very big deal. Please keep the positive energy/prayers pouring towards Dean’s entire self as he makes his way towards this landmark in his healing.

I look at Dean sometimes and wonder how it feels- to be slowly slowly re-entering this world. I feel as though he’s been to the moon, or somewhere even more extreme. How does one return from such a journey?

Slowly. One step at a time. With plenty of time to rest and recuperate.

And sometimes I remember to give thanks (although never as often as I should) that he is having the opportunity to return at all.

As always, I am thanking each one of you. For the love you have shared, the prayers, the endless healing energy. I do not think we could have done this without you- your practical support, your emotional support, the love and prayers and phone calls you have shared… This is a marathon, and I understand that we aren’t done yet. But I think both Dean and I feel a new sense of hope and possibility, and I can’t begin to tell you how good that feels.

LOVE Megan

PS- I think there is one more benefit coming up in mid-August (where to begin with the thank you’s on this one? There is no way to say it with enough frequency or volume. Thank you.) You can find out more details here…