Faraway, So Close
by Anil Prasad
Legendary poet William Blake once wrote, "Without contraries there is no progression. Attraction and repulsion, reason and energy, love and hate, are necessary to human existence." For fiddler/mandolinist Peter Ostroushko and guitarist Dean Magraw, those words are central to their work together as one of today's most unique and intriguing folk duos.
Although the pair have recorded only one proper collaborative album -- 1991's Duo -- they've been all but inseparable on many solo projects, including their recent, boundary-stretching releases. Magraw's Seventh One, a primarily acoustic-guitar driven effort, features a seamless and subtle blend of folk, jazz, blues and worldbeat influences. Ostroushko's new vocal collection, Pilgrims on the Heart Road, takes a similar approach. It merges folk, country and classical sounds in songs describing the trials and triumphs of building bridges between individuals, races, and cultures.
The Minnesota-based duo shares a common musical sensibility. "It's like witnessing the birth of a baby. It's truly a divine and holy thing," is how Ostroushko described their creative process in Duo's liner notes. But beyond the music, the two are a study in marked contrasts. In fact, it's hard to think of two more diametrically opposed personalities working together in music today.
If he were around during Rodin's time, Ostroushko may very well have ended up as the model for The Thinker. In any conversation or interview, he always takes a reflective stance, often pausing for minutes -- even hours, according to Magraw -- before answering a question. Delivered with a hushed rumble, his words are always articulate and studied -- the product of rampant rumination.
Magraw, on the other hand, works more from instinct. His off-the-cuff, gut-level responses shower down from his brainforest with El Niņo-like unpredictability. With a mercurial voice ranging from the urbane and thoughtful to Mel Blanc-style animated hysterics, chatting with Magraw is sometimes akin to talking to a master impressionist.
On stage, a similar pattern emerges. Ostroushko is the more reserved Yin, with a warm and demure presence well suited to his low-key, engaging storytelling skills. Magraw, however, is determined to deliver the most Yang for the buck to the audience. His live persona occupies a side-splitting middle ground between the scathing hilarity of John Cleese and the campy antics of Jim Carrey.
Magraw and Ostroushko are both well known for pouring their heart and soul into their craft. According to McGraw, "Our personalities and how they work are an interesting issue, but it pales in comparison to the richness of our musical interplay where some of the most amazing magic happens."
This is an excerpt from Dirty Linen #78
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© 1998 Dirty Linen, Ltd., Baltimore MD
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