PRESS CLIPPINGS

Joe Mazzari and Dixie Deadwood, a duo that draws upon their own personal musical influences, their combined passion and need to create a style of music all their own -- one that's influenced by the urban streets and the restless spirits of the Mississippi Hills. Each had honed their own sound through years on the road: Mazzari with his poignant lyrics, melodies and rock guitar, Dixie with her bare-knuckled approach to drumming. Together, Joe and Dixie mix steamy grooves, razor-sharp dynamics and high energy to create what others refer to as Alt-Blues. Joe Mazzari fronted The Daughters, Two Saints, Jacknife Beat, and the Joe Mazzari Band. He also recorded and toured with Johnny Thunders of the NY Dolls and the Heartbreakers fame for three years, and appeared on three of Johnny's albums.  Joe recorded with legendary producer Jimmy Miller (Rolling Stones, Traffic, and Motorhead) and John Peel of the BBC.  In depth interview with 61 Ghosts! by Richard L'Hommedieu 

LIVE PERFORMANCE REVIEWS

"Hard-drivin' blues-garage-trash n' roll freight train...61 Ghosts!" ~ Nuclear Juarez Band

"61 Ghost is always on the road paying dues. It keeps paying off. There guitar and drums Thundered up blues are getting broader and deeper. The interplay on these tunes is raw but, on drummer Dixie’s fills, and the stutter stops and starts, they keep your ear’s attention. "No One at the Door" is downright catchy, Mazzari’s poetic lyrics are worth the time it takes to sing them. A cover of "Hey Joe" works in a twist of Psych and Peter Gunn into the mix." ~ John Keegan, Boston Groupie News 2019

"61 Ghosts are the duo of Joe Mazzari on guitar and vocal and the singularly named Dixie on drums and backing vocals. They shake out a dirty garage punk steeped deep in gutbucket blues. Think early Flat Duo Jets, or local heroes Ten Dollar Mistake or the White Stripes and Black Keys minus the pop parts. The guitar sound looks way further back to guys like Mississippi John Hurt, Blind Lemon Johnson and Junior Kimbrough. Mazzari has played in a lot of bands. Most notable in this neck of the woods is his work with Simon Ritt in the Daughters who went on to be Johnny Thunder’s backing band for a few tumultuous years. The crowd was Sunday night small but Mazzari didn’t use it as an excuse to chill. Dixie kept the back beat focused and straight-forward. This left Mazzari plenty of room to splatter the room with impassioned guitar sparks." ~ John Keegan, Boston Groupie News 2018

"61 Ghosts are tearing it up on HanksBlues.net ~ This duo is packin' a lot of rock n roll history and firing on all cylinders with their album 'To The Edge'"  ~ Scott Hankosky, Hank's Blues Radio

“Walking into the club expecting "just another band” thankfully, instead I get that nice warm feeling of hearing amps turned up enough to give you that full chest thump rather than ear bleed volume. Just right, where you feel involved with the music rather than pushed against the back wall by it. 61 Ghosts are playing, three-piece band drenched in sweat and raunchy sensuality. A moment earlier their playing full out rocking blues, and turn on a dime shift to a bare whisper. Catches the crowd off guard and they appreciate the bands tightness, though the band make it look easy, as if doing it this way for years. Mazzari, singer guitarist has gone from frantic, string bending to the breaking point, raunched out leads to hands on hips almost talking into the microphone. The air is sucked out of the room, in a good way. The rest of the band is in lock step but make it seem effortless to go from 100 mph to virtually dead stop. J.D. Sipe, bass player, 6’ plus of stoic, rock solid confidence plays the bass as if he's been doing it for decades, and apparently he has. He does it with a style all his own, perpetual broad smile and expression that says, “I know something you don't and I ain't telling." Dixie, petite woman that plays as if John Bonham had a daughter, brought her to the Mississippi Hill Country at the age of ten, told her to give a call when she learned how to play like these drum masters and he'd show her a few things. Her energy is infectious, whether playing the kit or singing backing vocals. The band genuinely seems to be passionate about what they're doing. What a rarity, a band with catchy, driving songs with hooks and melodies, good lyrics, no boring leads throughout each song, actual dynamics from full on volume to pin drop quiet, no pretensions, no fake tough attitudes ,and they play with real old-fashioned grit. I'm left with the feeling after seeing 61 Ghosts play live, that there's absolutely nothing scripted, and that this band loves doing what they do. From the chemistry they have performing with each other to playing their music, they're going out to enjoy themselves. If you want to see and hear how high-energy rocking, blues should be played, check them out. This is the way it used to be done, and is again with 61 Ghosts. Highly recommended.” ~ David Barger, North Shore Examiner, Boston Mass.

"61 Ghosts is like being dragged behind an old Harley through the Americana Badlands." ~ Lester Thompson, Music Critic San Francisco Review

"Just what Johnny Thunders always wanted." ~ Alex Gecko, Music Critic Metronome Magazine Boston

"Bonnie & Clyde of Rock n' Roll” ~ Gerry Casey, Music Enthusiast

"Another hi-light of 2017 61 Ghosts rose up from the Delta.....a true miracle!"   

Dave Tanner, Rock n' Roll Scene NYC

CD REVIEWS

Surely …to the edge is among 2017’s best indie album picks.” ~ Music Interview Magazine Paul Wolfle

 “….this six-track EP that conjours up the dreamy delta and the gritty mean streets in the same breath. His rhythm section, who are assuredly on the same wavelength, includes drummer Dixie Deadwood who makes up with passion what she may lack in finesse. It’s mainly down to the dynamics that propel the songs. The attitude is as much punk as it is blues, but Mazzari’s lyrics have a poetic quality that adds another compelling dimension, while his guitar solos create a dynamic of their own, notably on World Gone Crazy where he lets the notes fall away to heighten the tension. A very absorbing 22 minutes.”  ~ Classic Rock Magazine…Hugh Felder

"If you’re looking for some good, bluesy, raw rock to sink your teeth into, check out 61 Ghosts, a duo made up of Joe Mazzari on vocals and guitar and Dixie Deadwood on drums and backing vocals. Earlier this year they released …To The Edge, an EP of original material, featuring J.D. Sipe on bass. You might be familiar with Dixie’s drumming from her work with Leo Bud Welch. You can watch her on Welch’s Live At The Iridium DVD, where she is credited as Dixie Street. Actually, I have no idea what her real last name is. There she is Dixie Street, here she is Dixie Deadwood, elsewhere she is Dixie Swearingen. Dixie, if you read this, let me know what’s up with all the different names, as I’m curious. Joe Mazzari has played and recorded with Johnny Thunders, as well as fronted bands like Two Saints and the Joe Mazzari Band. Joe Mazzari wrote all the songs on …To The Edge, as well as produced the CD.  The EP opens with “Heartbeat,” which begins with just guitar easing us in. But it isn’t long before the song kicks in, signaled by Joe’s “Huh,” and becomes a good, raw rock number, Joe Mazzari’s vocals with just the right rough quality as he delivers lines like “I heard her screaming like a train whistle.” And I absolutely love these lines: “I’ve been lonesome, even in my dreams/When you’re here, I don’t feel quite so low/When you’re gone, it ain’t as bad as it seems.” Maybe it’s because of the long-distance aspect of my relationship, but those lines are really effective. Anyway, this track works as a solid rock tune, but also is not lacking substance. You know? It’s followed by “No One At Your Door,” which also begins with the guitar part, which has almost a punk vibe at the start. I dig the urgency in the rhythm and vocal line. “Is it me or is it him/I don’t know the score/This game is wearing thin/You don’t need me anymore.” It’s not quite anger in his voice. It’s like he wants to be angry, but things have been going on like this for long enough that maybe he’s just ready for the end. By the song’s finish, however, his voice is raised, as if to put an end to it on his terms.   “World Gone Crazy” is a cool tune right from its start. “In a world gone crazy/In a world of sin/Cyclone ripped me out of my shoes/Whirlpool sucks me in.” It draws you in, feels like it might pounce at any moment, that guitar teasing us, luring us to the song’s center where it can do with us as it pleases. It’s a song with power, and one of my personal favorites. And that lead guitar part halfway through is wonderful, the way Joe lets a note play and fade, the way he incorporates pauses so that we pay even more attention to what is played. And the song’s title certainly seems apt these days, doesn’t it? I still can’t believe that racist dipshit is in the White House. Toward the end, when Joe shouts “Let’s go,” I feel like we are already there. The tune then grows quiet just before one last explosion at the very end.  “World Gone Crazy” is followed by “If Tears Were Dirt,” in which Joe tells us, “I ain’t gonna live with this broken heart,” the line delivered in a straight-forward way, almost as spoken word. That helps make it feel like truth. “And I know you’re hurt, hasn’t been the best of years/We ain’t gonna live a day apart, day apart.” After a minute or so, this song suddenly is kicked up several notches. And as there are peaks like that, there are also valleys to this one, making for an interesting journey. Yes, this song is another of the EP’s highlights. Then “Show Me Your Scars” has a gentler folk vibe, which I love. “When your thoughts run like rivers, I will slow them down/When you lose your way, I’ll turn you back around.” And as he sings the title line, the experience in his voice gives us the impression that he too has his own scars. The EP then concludes with “Passion Tipped Arrow,” which also is more in the folk realm."  ~ Michael Dorherty's Music Log

“The latest from 61 Ghosts is ``…To The Edge,’’ out since last February from Bluzpik Media Group. Not sure about their math – is it five times stranger than William Castle’s ``13 Ghosts’’ minus four? Whatever – this one comes in at a brisk 22 minutes, but they do make a lot of noise for just two people – guitar player Joe Mazzari and drummer Dixie Deadwood. Mazzari is a monster rock star guitarist and Deadwood beats the drums as if Al Swearingen had just set her up with a dream date with Wu’s pigs. ``No One At Your Door’’ is what happens when you piss off a musician when things inevitably go South. Musicians have a gift: they can write songs. And they frequently do - ``No One At Your Door’’ holds its own with any sad guy song you can name – and when Mazzari blurts out ``You don’t need me anymore,’’ it is all bad because we’ve all been there/done that. And ``World Gone Crazy’’? All you need to check out the news and Trumpy Dumpty’s latest outrages as expected from a ``terrifying idiot.’’ Mazzari pounds out equal parts sadness, anguish and energy out of his guitar and he bellows because Miss Take done him wrong. ``Show Me Your Scars’’ could find a home on any number of HBO/Showtime/Netflix/Starz shows as we are living in another golden age of TV. A double bill with Alastair Greene would be epic.”  ~ Rock `n' Roll Call by Bill Locey 

… to the Edge, the all-original six-track EP from 61 Ghosts is a pure, raw joy to listen to.  61 Ghosts is comprised of singer/songwriter/guitarist Joe Mazzari (Johnny Thunders), drummer Dixie Deadwood (Leo “Bud” Welch), and bassist J.D. Sipe, who is also known for his outstanding artwork featuring portraits of rock and blues musicians. Recorded at the Clarksdale Soundstage in Clarksdale, Mississippi, To the Edge embraces the rich history of the Mississippi Hill Country Blues, while spinning Mazzari’s sharp, hard-edged lyrics.  I love the opening track “Heartbeat”.  The rolling beat and scorching guitar riffs pour freely like that of a Springsteenbarn-burner.  Mazzari’s gravelly vocals definitely sing from a place of experience.  The song wonderfully rolls right into “No One at Your Door”, a caffeinated breakup song which keeps the heart pounding with a relentless racing rhythm and punkabilly flair.  Mazzari’s poetic prowess portrays a world of hurt in World Gone Crazy”.  His guitar mastery brightly shines as he takes the listener another gloomy step deeper into the abyss of desolation in the heart-felt lament “If Tears Were Dirt”.  Acoustically performed, “Show Me Your Scars” is an absolutely beautiful song about opening up.   It’s a true gem.  The songs of 61 Ghosts are quite exceptional.  Mazzari has such a wonderful way with words, and the proof is abundant on this release.  I am already looking forward to the release of their first full-length album.”  ~ Phillip Smith, Philly Cheeze Rock & Blues Reviews         

"The new EP from the daring male/female duo 61 Ghosts is titled "to the edge", and its been keeping the positive reviews rolling in. Here's one from a top blues writer who says the disc is a "really cool release!" More of this nice write up right here:   "I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, ... to the Edge, from 61 Ghosts and I quite like it. Opening with Heartbeat, a forward rocker, Joe Mazzari on lead vocal and guitar, Dixie Deadwood on drums and J.D. Sipe on bass have it going on. With Bob Seger like vocals and raw, jangly guitar work, this is a solid opener. No One At Your Door has the drive and sound of a solid raw rocker. Mazzari has the vocals and the style. Right on! My favorite track on the release is World Gone Crazy with flamboyant guitar work, raw vocals and abundant energy (with a blues twist). Excellent! If Tears Were Dirt continues the onslaught with White Stripes like attack. Crisp, focused drumming and flailing guitar riffs give this track great edge without losing it's way. Very nice.  Wrapping the release is acoustic number, Passion Tipped Arrow with a light, Roger Waters like touch. A solid track to close a really cool release."   ~   Bman's Blues Report 

COLUMBIA

"Joe Mazzari y Dixie Deadwood conforman 61 Ghosts, dúo cuya música está delineada por sus influencias musicales personales, dentro de las que están el blues de Chicago y el de las colinas del Mississippi. Cada uno ha puesto lo suyo para decantar todo de la mejor manera en el sonido de 61 Ghosts, Mazzari sus letras llenas de mordacidad, sus melodías, su guitarra y su voz mientras que Dixie ofrece su batería que en ocasiones parece que fuera un saco de boxeo. Así han logrado una música que despide humo por su alta energía, en un estilo que es muy diferente al que se suele escuchar de otras agrupaciones que únicamente están compuestas por guitarra y batería. La experiencia de Mazzari con sus agrupaciones The Two Saints o The Daughters le ha proporcionado la seriedad suficiente para afrontar este nuevo trabajo y sucede lo mismo con Dixie Deadwood, a quien sus años de trabajo al lado de la leyenda Leo “Bud” Welch también le ha dado la confianza suficiente para lanzarse al ruedo con este proyecto que presenta “To The Edge”, un disco con seis canciones en el que llevan su sonoridad hasta el límite dejando presente que su aparición en el terreno del blues-rock no es algo fantasmagórico sino que se irá materializando con el paso del tiempo." ~ Diego Luis, Historisa Del Blues.

NETHERLANDS

 “Zanger gitarist Joe Mazzari en drummer Dixie Deadwood hebben samen met bassist J.D. Sipe hun krachten gebundeld in 61 Ghosts. Joe Mazzari begint rond zijn twintigste roots-rock muziek te spelen. Als grootste invloeden noemt hij John Hiatt, Bob Dylan, Link Wray en Rory Gallagher, maar ook de oude traditionele Delta blues muzikanten kunnen zijn goedkeuring wegdragen. In de jaren tachtig is hij actief in de rock scene van Boston, Massachusetts en is in die tijd de frontman van The Daughters, Two Saints, Jacknife Beat en zijn eigen Joe Mazzari Band. Met een aantal van deze bands neemt hij een handvol cd’s op en tourt zelfs in de United Kingdom. Zijn drie jaar lange samenwerking met Johnny Thunders, die wij kennen van de  New York Dolls en zijn punk rock band The Heartbreakers brengen Joe in de gelegenheid om opnames te maken met de legendarische producers Jimmy Miller (Rolling Stones, Traffic en Motorhead) en John Peel (BBC). Uiteindelijk speelt Joe op drie uitgaves van Johnny Thunders mee. In 2011 brengt hij voor het eerst een cd onder eigen naam uit, het album ‘Chasing 61 Ghosts’ lijkt de voorbode op zijn huidige formatie 61 Ghosts. In Dixie Deadwood vindt hij de juiste drummer voor dit project. Dixie is na het zien van de dvd documentaire ‘Deep Blues’ zwaar geraakt door het rudimentaire spel van Mississippi hill country blues legendes Junior Kimbrough en R.L. Burnside, wat haar doet besluiten om zichzelf te leren drummen in de stijl van zijn zojuist ontdekte muzikale helden. In 2008 sluit zij zich aan bij de hill country blues band All Night Long, met wie zij drie albums opneemt. In 2013 wordt Dixie Deadwood de nieuwe drummer van Leo Bud Welch en tourt in de USA, Europa en zelfs Afrika. Nog maar kort geleden verscheen Late Blossom Blues met subtitel ‘The Leo ‘Bud’ Welch Documentary’ waarin ook Dixie acte de présence geeft. Bassist J.D. Sipe maakt dit trio compleet. Met meer dan veertig jaar live en studio ervaring, waarbij hij muzikanten als Homesick James, Joe Houston, Sam Bluzman Taylor en  Billy D and the Hoodoos terzijde stond mag je wel stellen dat Sipe garant staat voor een gedegen basis. Sinds september 2016 is dit trio actief en met de uitgave van ‘…To The Edge’ geven ze een eerste visitekaartje af. De schijf, die door Joe Mazzari in de Clarksdale Soundstage, Clarksdale, Mississippi geproduceerd is telt slecht zes door hemzelf geschreven tracks. Zowel Heartbeat, de openingstrack en No One At Your Door zitten meer in de roots rock hoek en drijven op stevig overstuurde rhythm gitaar partijen. Dit pad verlaat de band in de twee daarop volgende nummers, waarin ook ruimte is voor solo werk van Mazzari, die overigens over een prima rauwe stem beschikt. De tracks World Gone Crazy en If Tears Were Dirt leunen veel meer tegen de Mississippi hill country blues aan, maar dan wel met een zeer stevige benadering. De schijf besluit met Show Me Your Scars en Passion Tipped Arrow, twee nummers die zich laten typeren als Americana en waarop Joe Mazzari zichzelf slechts op akoestische gitaar begeleidt.  Op dit moment werkt de band aan een Europese tour waarbij ook Nederland wordt aangedaan. Hun debuut uitgave ‘…To The Edge’ is een mooie eerste kennismaking met deze band die rock and roll, roots en Mississippi hill country blues op gerafineerde wijze aan elkaar verbinden. 61 Ghosts zet dit concept volledig naar eigen hand door het een en ander in een uiterst stevige uitvoering aan de man te brengen. Geheid dat daar een groot publiek voor is te vinden.”  ~ Blues Magazine Tekst: Martin van der Velde

"The man who comes to this '61 Ghosts' color is Guitar-slinger Joe Mazzari. This songwriter already started writing songs as early twentieth and inspired by names John Hiatt and Bob Dylan. But equally, he showed interest in Link Wray and Rory Gallagher. In the given 'blues', his preference was given to just about everything that had to do with the Delta. Since the 80's, he has already released some albums and traveled through the states and the UK. Not only with his Joe Mazzari Band but also with Johnny Thunders. In 2011 he released the album 'Chasing 61 Ghosts' together with his band. The 'Ghosts' he has now found in Dixie Deadwood's person who played years of drums at Leo 'Bud' Welch. With the 'All Night Blues Band' playing for four years she released three albums under the name 'Mississippi Hill Country Blues'. Together with his grainy voice and rock guitar, Joe Mazzari has a strong personality who feels completely at home in the roots rock brought by these '61 Ghosts'. This '... To The Edge' is an EP with 6 written originals. With opener 'Heartbeat', they awaken a mind of the 70's in a cross-pollination of rock, blues and southern rock. His tone of color and style has a bit of a Springsteen. With a song like 'If Tears Were Dirt', we feel tearing through Native country on one of the American car symbols. Rough and Dirty ... 'Show Me Your Scars' is another acoustic ballad that makes you feel like listening to a real-world troubadour like on the closing 'Passion Tipped Arrow'. With these '61 Ghosts' we are on the verge, but the edge of what?" ~ Rootsville Bues, Jazz & Roots Info Netherlands

“61 Ghosts is een duo uit het noordoosten van de VS. Het wordt gevormd door zanger/gitarist Joe Mazzari en drummer Dixie Deadwood. Beiden zijn beïnvloed door zowel de rootsmuziek van John Hiatt en Guy Clark, de Deltablues als het stevige werk van een Link Wray en een Rory Gallagher. Op de EP “…To The Edge” staan zes door Mazzari zelfgeschreven nummers. Als extra paar handen is bassist J.D. Sipe ingehuurd. Het aanbod op de EP varieert van rauwe, haast punkachtige blues tot bedachtzame akoestische ballads. Het kan haast niet verder uit elkaar liggen, maar ik waardeer beide varianten, omdat ze kwalitatief gewoon goed zijn. Voorbeelden hiervan zijn het ruige “World Gone Crazy” en het intieme “Show Me Your Scars”. Een prima ‘amuse’ voor een eventueel volledig album.”  ~ Barnowblues.punt.nl  Eric Campfens 

FRANCE 

“C'est du cash, de l'urgence, du rentre dedans, du désespéré, c'est l'étincelle qui met le feu aux poudres et l'explosion à la fois, c'est 61 Ghosts. un mélange de blues sauvage et de rock primaire autant dire, un trio sincère et entier. D'abord, il y a le duo formé par Joe Mazzari (chanteur, guitariste) et Dixie Deadwood (batteuse, percussionniste) qui ont fusionné leurs influences pour créer la musique qu'ils nous interprètent. Vient se greffer sur ce projet le bassiste J.D. Sipe qui est également, il faut le signaler, un peintre spécialisé dans les portraits d'artistes, au travail interpellant. L'album ne comporte que six titres et au vu de la pochette qui n'inspire pas la joie de vivre, on pourrait croire à un CD d'un groupe de métal. Premier titre, 'Heartbeat' après quelques mesures d'une guitare claire, le son se fait plus dur, s'intensifie avec l'arrivée d'une basse ronde et d'une batterie bien marquée, et la voix déchirée vient couronner le tout. Il y a du Springsteen dans cette chanson. 'No One At Your Door' enfonce le clou, le tempo se fait plus urgent et la voix plus éraillée encore. 'World Gone Crazy' laisse tomber la vitesse pour prendre un côté plus lourd et inquiétant. On commence à se rendre compte que les paroles ne nagent pas dans l'allégresse. Avec 'If Tears Were Dirt' on sent que sur scène ce titre est fait pour durer avec ses gros riffs accompagnés d'un duo basse/batterie en osmose. 'Show Me Your Scars' chanson émouvante, se rapproche du folk, joué en acoustique tout comme le dernier morceau 'Passion Tipped Arrow'. Tiens, le CD est déjà terminé !? Vingt-deux minutes de bonne musique, c'est court. Allez, je m'en remets un p'tit coup entre les oreilles.” ~ BluesAgain.com by César

BELGIUM

"Drumster Dixie Deadwood en zanger/gitarist Joe Mazzari bundelen hun krachten in hun nieuwe formatie 61 Ghosts. Zowel Dixie, als Joe kunnen putten uit hun eigen persoonlijke muzikale invloeden, want beide kunnen ze terug blikken op een jarenlange aanwezigheid op de muziekscène. Joe Mazzari speelde in een handvol rockbands en hij speelde ook bij Johnny Thunders. Dixie reisde de hele wereld rond met de legendarische blues muzikant Leo 'Bud' Welch. Met bassist J.D. Sipe werd een gelijkgestemde ziel gevonden. 61 Ghosts voelt de behoefte om hun eigen unieke stijl van muziek te creëren op basis van de aangrijpende teksten en melodieën van Joe. Joe en Dixie creëren steamy-driving grooves, vlijmscherpe dynamiek en hoge energie in wat ze zelf zanderige en oer-rock n'roll noemen. 'To The Edge' is hun debuut EP en bevat zes eigen songs die door Joe Mazzari geschreven werden. De EP 'To The Edge' opent met de beukende grooves van 'Heartbeat', een rootsrock nummer dat stampt, krabt en bijt. De ietwat hese en gruizige stem van Joe Mazzari past perfect bij de rockende melodie. 'No One At Your Door', een verhaal over een verzuurde en verbroken relatie, ligt muzikaal helemaal  in het verlengde van 'Heartbeat'. Een bonkende ritme sectie met Dixie Deadwood op drums en J.D. Sipe op bas zorgen voor een verschroeiende groove. Samen met zijn overstuurde ritme gitaar weet Joe ook dit verhaal met veel overtuiging te vertellen. Het trio slaat een heel andere muzikale weg in met het donkere en macabere 'World Gone Crazy', een rauw stompzinnig Mississippi Hill Country blues nummer met verwoestend gitaarwerk van frontman Mazzari en uitstekend percussie werk van Dixie Deadwood. Ik ben een fan van de doorleefde rauwe stem van Joe en de wijze waarop hij elk nummer brengt. 'As Tears Were Dirt' is voor mij één van de beste songs op deze uitmuntende EP. Het nummer begint rustig en Joe vertelt zijn verhaal met veel tristesse in zijn stem. Eenmaal het instrumentale gedeelte begint barst deze song helemaal open met vet scheurend snarenwerk van Mazzari. Ook Dixie, met energiek hoogstaand slagwerk, en J.D. die bijna de snaren van zijn bas trekt hebben een groot aandeel in deze geweldige 'If Tears Were Dirt'. Dit verwoestende nummer klinkt nog beter als je de volumeknop nog wat meer open draait. De laatste twee songs neemt Joe Mazzari alleen voor zijn rekening. Met alleen de akoestische gitaar als begeleiding weet hij te ontroeren met het intieme 'Show Me Your Scars', dat laat weten dat iedereen fouten maakt en dat niemand perfect is. De afsluiter 'Passion Tipped Arrow' is een prachtig en passioneel liefdeslied. Voor mij is de EP 'To The Edge' een zeer aangename kennismaking met 61 Ghosts. Ik kijk met grote belangstelling uit naar hun eerst full album en hopelijk steken ze ook het grote water over zodat ook de Europese muziekliefhebbers dit sterk muzikaal trio kunnen ontdekken op onze podia." ~  ConcertMonkey, Walter Vanheuckelom

“Verrassend album, eigenlijk een EP want nog geen 30 minuten lang, van Joe Mazzari en Dixie Deadwood.   Gitarist en zanger Joe toerde vanuit  Boston jarenlang met diverse band door de States, o.a. met de bekende Johny Thunders, en Jerry Nolan van de Heartbreakers en New York Dolls.   Invloeden van Rory Gallagher en Link Wray kan hij niet verstoppen  …To the Edge kan je gerust beschouwen als zijn eerste persoonlijke creatie, samen met drumster Dixie Deadwood op Tama Silverstar drums.  ( In 2011 verscheen er nog wel een solo album onder de naam ‘Chasing 61 Ghosts’, een soort voorloper, zoek maar eens op. )  Beiden, Joe en Dixie,  hebben een lange geschiedenis in de rock -blueswereld en als thuisbasis de stad waar de Delta blues ontstond:  Clarksdale Tennessee.   Een vrij desolate plaats met vergane industrie maar wel met het nieuwe Delta Blues museum en daar tegenover de oude legendarische Zero Ground club.  In de Clarksdale soundstage werden  de opnames gemaakt van een cd die verder reikt dan twee of drie akkoorden composities.  Kwaliteit overtreft hier kwantiteit.  Eerst krijg je de typische rootsrock te horen met mooie gitaarpartijen.  Origineel komt hij uit de hoek met enkele Mississippi Hill country blues.  Dé verrassing zit in het staartje met twee akoestische songs. Joe en Dixie vormen een geslaagd duo, doch je mag zeker de bijdrage van de expressieve bassist J.D. Sipe niet onderschatten.   Rasartiesten met een eigenzinnige vertolking van indie blues.”                        ~ Keysandchords.com  Marino Serdons

"Joe Mazzari has been playing his grunge-worthy brand of rock and roll since he got his start on the Boston rock scene during the  Eighties.  He’s played CBGB’s, The Peppermint Lounge, and, even the Cavern Club in Liverpool.  Dixie Deadwood made her mark as the  drummer for Bud Welch for several years.  These two powerhouse talents have just released their crackling debut EP under the name 61 Ghosts, entitled, “….To The Edge.”  They utilize the bass guitar stylings of J. D. Sipe over the course of the six strong originals that show why their skills make the whole of this set greater than the sum of its parts. Joe has one of those gravelly, raw vocal deliveries—think Springsteen after a half-pint of cold Clarksdale ‘shine—and you get the picture.  The band’s sound overall is deep, primal, and hittin’ on all 8 thanks to the rock-solid rhythm section. The groove starts with the pounding drive of “Heartbeat,” which, literally, jumps outta the speakers and grabs you.  Our hero comes to grips with love gone sour in the mile-a-minute “No One At Your Door, for you don’t need me any more.”  Next up is the song that served as our favorite, altho it has a dark, macabre feel.  The man in “World Gone Crazy” has seen his share of stuff down at the Crossroads, and he’s about to “do things I’ll live to regret.”  Dixie’s percussion and Joe’s guitar lines paint a Doomsday picture of a man who “sees the world thru a wine bottle haze.” For all the in-yer-face bombast of the first two-thirds of the set, it closes on a rather quiet note.  “Show Me Your Scars,”  for “they’re not your flaws,” is an acoustic reminder that no one is perfect, and it’s ok to “let down your guard.”  The final cut, another acoustic affair, has Joe asking a lover, “has my Passion Tipped Arrow been removed from your chest?” 61 Ghosts brings the music of the Delta into focus as the forebearer, if you will, of rock and roll.  Joe’s guitar and vocals over Dixie’s deft rhythm propulsion is bound to take the listener “….To The Edge.”  Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow." ~ Don and Sheryl's Blues Blog Nashville Blues Society 

"Though there is some blues in the coloring, the best way to describe this new 6 song e.p. from 61 Ghosts is, as the band calls it, “primal rock & roll.”  Sounding a bit like a cross between Springsteen and Nashville Pussy, …To The Edge is as raw and honest as it gets. 61 Ghosts are Joe Mazzari on vocals and guitar, Dixie on drums, and J.D. Sipe on bass.  Joe’s gutter rock guitar and gritty vocals are definitely the focal point.  This is a guy who spent years on the road and recording with people like Johnny Thunders (NY Dolls) and Jerry Nolan.  His influences include John Hiatt, Bob Dylan, Link Wray, Rory Gallagher and the Mississippi blues.  Together with a gal known only as ‘Dixie’ on drums they mix steamy grooves, razor sharp dynamics and energy in a mix that may make some people uncomfortable. Lester Thompson, music critic for The San Francisco Review , says “61 Ghosts is like being dragged behind an old Harley through the Americana Badlands”, and that description is surprisingly accurate.  Hard and deep but with a kind Stones swagger and sloppiness, …To The Edge is real dirt-under-your-fingernails rock & roll.  Crank it. KEY CUTS:  No One At Your Door, If Tears Were Dirt" ~ Music Reviews by the Rock DoctoJohn Kereiff. Kelowna British Columbia

"Two well traveled rockers meet up in blues country just as electricity came to the area. Powered with the kind of sincerity that sneaks upon you and makes you a fan before you know it, the power, intensity and passion here make this a keeper for the play list. White kids with the blues and a vision for pushing tradition into the future, this is a lot more fun that you might have expected. By all means check it out."  ~ Chris Spector Midwest Record Entertainment Reviews, News, and Views 

"It wasn’t so much the album cover that caught my attention; but rather the out of focus photo of this Trio on the reverse side. So, with nothing to lose into the car stereo it went…..yes sirree Bob; this is every bit a greasy, punky and even dirty shade of the Blues as I’d hoped. That opening track, Heartbeat actually seemed to fight it’s way out of the speakers, kicking, scratching and biting until it got my full attention…..which it deserved. Next out of the traps is the ‘four to the floor’ No One At Your Door; and even though best played very loud, Joe Mazzari’s gritty vocals are well up in the mix; and you can easily follow this story of a bitter broken down relationship. While not 100% original, I can’t actually think of anyone to directly compare 61 Ghosts to, as Mazzari sounds like Henry Rollins at times and others JD Wilkes or even Nick Cave; and his guitar flits between Steve Jones, Muddy Waters and Rory Gallagher……which is why I love the low down slinky World Gone Crazy and the intimate acoustic led Show Me Your Scars with equal measure.
The short and sweet 6 track EP closes with another acoustic song, the tightly wrapped love song, Passion Tipped Arrow, which treads ever so slightly into Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt territory. Which brings me to ‘Favourite Track’ time; and it’s a song that crystallises everything that is good with this mini-LP; If Tears Were Dirt combines that Grunge….slow, slow, fast, fast, slow format; with Mazzari’s mournful voice growling out a poetic story as he gently strums his guitar before firing it up and having you on the edge of your seat; while Dixie Deadwood treats her drums like an enemy and JD Sipe nearly pulls the strings off his bass at times. As a taster for any proposed full size album; …..To The Edge is crammed full of quality music; a little bit of this and a lot of that, with a few bits of something else bringing any loose ends together. The Dangerous End of Urban Blues."  ~ THE ROCKING MAGPIE, Newcastle UK

"The trio that forms 61 Ghosts adds a fourth influence, the sound of the band’s base, Clarksdale, Mississippi, and its rich history of Blues. The recent E.P. release, ….to the edge, from 61 Ghosts, growls and roars in the language of dirty Blues with its blend of Hill Country homegrown styles, electric rock, and Americana. Gritty vocals and feral guitar chops are provided by Joe Mazzari, former guitarist for Johnny Thunders (New York Dolls) as well as fronting his own bands and recording with producer Jimmy Miller (The Rolling Stones, Traffic, Motorhead). Joining Joe in 61 Ghosts is the hard-edged rhythm section of JD Sipe on bass and drumming from Dixie (Leo ‘Bud’ Welch). The playing quiets for the spoken dark stream of consciousness that poetically describes a “World Gone Crazy” against raw electric Blues as …to the edge asks to “Show Me Your Scars” with an acoustic guitar as duet partner and continues the backing, keeping the simple man and guitar format, in “Passion Tipped Arrow”. 61 Ghosts crackles with a inch-by-inch build of electricity that rises slowly before turning into flames on “If Tears Were Dirt”, and playfully teases the Blues with Country in “Heartbeat”. ~ The Alternate Root Magazine

"A power trio based in Clarksdale, Mississippi with a 6 track EP featuring Joe Mazzari on vocals and lead guitar, Dixie on drums and back-up vocals and J. D. Sipe on bass.This is down and dirty rock ‘n’ roll flavoured with touches of Americana and Mississippi hill country blues created with passion and fervour. Opener Heartbeat displays all the aforementioned qualities in abundance but also has a commendable feeling of restraint with the band always remaining in control and not getting into a noise/thrash fest.  No One At Your Door is a hard driving groove featuring heavy riffing guitar and Mazzari’s vocals sound like early unfettered Springsteen. There is a slightly more relaxed feel to the bluesy World Gone Crazy which still rocks but also uses dynamics effectively in quieter passages with Mazzari almost speaking into the mic. If Tears Were Dirt is an Americana rocker which builds in intensity with pumping bass and thumping drums and Mazzarri lets rip on his guitar solos. The hurt filled Show Me Your Scars features whispered emotive vocals and acoustic guitar and this style continues with the soul baring closing track Passion Tipped Arrow. A short and sweet EP which gets a short and sweet review from me with a big thumbs up. More please." ~ Dave Drury Blues Matters! Magazine Issue 95

"Joe Mazzari of the Boston based Two  Saints  headed  to  Mississippi  for a  holiday  and  soaked  up  the  swamp fumes  and  the  local  talent   to   come up with some of his best work yet. On “Heartbeat“ drummer Dixie  Deadwood keeps the back beat with a deceptively simple outing on her cymbals and snare while  Mazzari summons  all  of  human emotion  with  his  gritty,  yet  vulnerable voice   and   a  fluent  and   hypnotic  lead guitar joy ride of epic proportions. With J.D. Sipe holding  down  the rhythm on bass, Mazzari has never had this  much  leeway.  This  was  one  hell of  a passionate night  out  in  the  barn under the Badlands moonlight. Mazzari occasionally lets his guitar soar on the chorus like  parts of  “No  One  At Your Door,”  but   usually  keeps  it  controlled with a muffling maneuver for a regretful  feel. 61 Ghosts deliver authentic deep down    delta    blues    on   “World   Gone  Crazy“and swagger through the  verses with intelligence and style and no hurry to get  off the  porch. Mazzari  blows  you away  with   stream  of   consciousness poetry  on  “If Tears  Were  Dirt,“ but  lets his guitar rip and tear on the solos. You can  feel the dirt under  your fingernails. In the last third of the disc Mazzari gets more up close and personal with simply unadorned acoustic tunes such as   “Scars“  that   remind   you   of  early Dylan or Springsteen in their directness while “Passion Tipped  Arrow“ emanates some real  honky  tonk  flavor  and   soul searching.  Americana  never  sounded this in-your-face."                 ~  Gecko, Metronome Magazine Boston 

"It's a very special experience when you really like something you really feel alive. I've listened right thru 'to the edge' 4 times today and I've had that special feeling each time I played it. From the opening track "Heartbeat" to the beautiful acoustic song "Passion Tipped Arrow".  I'm quite simply blown away by the quality of the songs. The music, the lyrics, and the quality of the production. If I was putting a promotional statement on what the band are about I would say the following.........If you want to experience music that is honest comes from the heart and so powerful 61 Ghosts have the lyrical honesty of Springsteen, the energy of Green Day at their best, and the awesome power of Led Zeppelin! Miss them at your peril. I won't!!" ~ Gerry Casey, Music Enthusiast Monaghan, Ireland 

"61 Ghosts walks the generations in a mix of the depth of Delta blues with a clash of the classic rock it birthed through the street poetry of Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. "How does it feel?" asked the Nobel laureate. 61 Ghosts answers with grit and soul, sinew and sweet melodies, wrapped in stories of longing and persistence, energy and delight." ~ Charles Guyette, Music Critic Long Island Tribune

"Chasing 61 Ghosts" just may be the pinnacle of Mazzari’s career to date. It's rock, it’s blues, it's country, it’s folk, without regard to where one style stops and another takes over. . . Joe Mazzari reaches beyond what he’s accomplished before by expanding his musical vision and breaking down barriers.” ~ ReverbNation

"Dixie is dedicated to hill country blues, playing the style correctly and passionately. Deep blues indeed.” ~ Blues Revue Magazine

"The late, great T-Model Ford really locked into his own sound when he had the late, great Spam backing him up on drums. The two shared an almost telekinetic sense of communication between them and rare were the times when words had to be spoken when they were up on the bandstand. It seems that Welch has found his ‘Spam’ in the form of the dynamic Ms. Dixie Street, his drummer for the past couple of years. Just like T-Model and Spam, Leo Bud Welch and Dixie Street go together better than peanut butter and jelly."   ~ Blues Blast Magazine Senior Writer Terry Mullins