Celebrating Chet Mazur at Otto’s Shrunken Head

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Friends, family and fellow musicians gathered at Otto's Shrunken Head on 14th Street on Friday evening for a celebration of the life of Chet Mazur, a longtime presence in the downtown music and arts scene. 

Mazur died last month after being struck by a U.S. Postal Service truck near his Hell's Kitchen home. He was 66. Just hours earlier, he had performed at Otto's with his band the Rasslers.

In the back room, a slideshow played as family members and friends shared stories about Mazur. Photos and handwritten remembrances lined the hallway, and bands performed later in the evening, including Alice Donut, a group often associated with Mazur.

The mood mixed sadness with plenty of laughter as attendees recalled their favorite Chet stories. 

Outside, several people remarked how much he would have enjoyed the gathering — that it was his kind of party.

One attendee said she was glad some time had passed since the initial shock of his death, allowing everyone to celebrate his life properly — "all the good and wild parts."