Connie Han: Secrets of Inanna

If, when first pressing play on Connie Han's charismatic Secrets of Inanna, you think you have stumbled upon a previously unheard Chick Corea tune with Hubert Laws at its heart and soul, it is okay, calm down, relax. It is just pianist Han (with the help of soulful alto flute and piccolo by Katisse Buckingham ) setting the feisty vibe of drummer/producer collaborator Bill Wysaske's "Prima Materia," and getting her head primed for the meteor's tail to follow.

But "follow" becomes the weakest of words when such compactly complex whirlwinds as Han's "Ereshkigal of the Underworld" and "Gilgamesh and the Celestial Bull" present themselves. The two tracks which, when combined barely take up five and half minutes, are smart bombs of the grandest nature. Tense and tensile, bassist John Patitucci propels the former with a fire as youthful and quick witted as Han's own propulsions along the keyboard. A series of explosive solo runs melds into the latter, where Han then duels with Wysaske. It very well could be the most exciting stuff heard all year.

Secrets of Inanna then takes an unexpected turn for the mellow with "Morning Star," originally recorded in 1972 by the above mentioned Laws. This is followed by the elastic Han duet "Vesica Piscis." It is here that seasoned veteran saxophonist Rich Perry ({The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Thad Jones,Mel Lewis,Paul Bley among many) cuts to the emotional core of both the album and rich narrative of the Sumerian goddess Inanna herself.

Perry guides "Wind Rose Goddess," a vital, spiraling waltz, until Han takes us into the time honored trio workout "The Gallu Pursuit." Firing on all cylinders, Perry joins "Dumuzi of Urak" for a fervent quartet session. Han and company then nod once more toward Corea, with the maestro's never despairing dance "Desert Air" (from the immortal collaboration with Gary Burton, Crystal Silence, (EMC, 1972)) to conclude not only the story of Inanna, but this brave chapter in Han's own journey.