Open Story was launched in 2016, bringing together three local veterans who somehow had never played together before. It’s not as if Dean Magraw, Bryan Nichols or Jay Epstein has extra time to start a new band, keeping busy with numerous projects in leading, collaborative and supporting roles. Yet they found time to come together as Open Story. Each of these musicians is already fully booked in the Twin Cities area: Magraw with Red Planet & BluLuna, and duos with Eric Gravatt, Butch Thompson & Bruce Henry; Nichols with Mancrush, and Zacc Harris Quartet; Epstein with Red Planet, BluLuna, Framework, Firebell and Tall Tales. As Open Story, Dean Magraw, Bryan Nichols and Jay Epstein prove to be as effective as collaborators as they are talented as solo performers, bandleaders, and sidemen. – Andrea Canter, JazzPolice.com