Marilyn Mazur became internationally known as a unique and innovative percussionist in the jazz funk band that Miles Davis' had in the 1980s. She played with the master for five years. However, her longest-lasting collaboration was with Jan Garbarek. For fourteen years she provided his music with extra color, atmosphere and energy. She has collaborated on CDs such as I Took Up The Runes and Twelve
… Moons and has toured worldwide with the Norwegian saxophonist. On all those international trips she collected an enormous arsenal of different ethnic percussion instruments. Many of these can be heard on the ECM album Elixir. Mazur does fascinating sound explorations and is assisted on half of the tracks by Garbarek on saxophone and flute. Some pieces sound heavy and unwieldy, others light-footed and cheerful. This produces a very organic and dynamic album. But with 21 tracks and 55 minutes of percussion and saxophone only, Elixir is an album that is best consumed in small portions. (HB)more
