In the USA, he has long been considered one of the most innovative guitarists of the acoustic scene. His debut album with Acoustic Music Records, Broken Silence, was even distinguished as the "Best Instrumental Album of 1994" in the United States. Ever since early childhood, Magraw has been fascinated by the rhythmic complexity and tonal structures of swing bands, yet he can be just as inspired by such different kinds of artists as James Brown, Wes Montgomery, or the sarod-player Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. This versatility is not only reflected on Magraw's solo albums but actually characterizes every one of his musical creations, in which all the imaginable nuances between mainstream jazz and pure folk emerge. One of the many examples that can be mentioned in this respect is his work with the "enfant terrible" of classical music, Nigel Kennedy.
