“There was always something inside me that craved creating something from nothing,” says Connie Han. “With jazz you’re creating something—from you—out of nothing.” With the release of her incendiary Mack Avenue debut Crime Zone, this 22–year–old West Coast pianist and composer has created an edgy blend of modern and traditional jazz – and earned plaudits from the New York Times, Jazziz, Downbeat, and more. Moving with ease between acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes, Han pays tribute to McCoy Tyner, Mulgrew Miller, and Kenny Kirkland with her own distinctive edge and blue flame. She is (to quote the NYT) “the rare musician with fearsome technical chops, a breadth of historical knowledge and enough originality to write tunes that absorb your ear easily.” “Even though jazz is meant to be fearless in its creative limits, I strongly believe in preserving the musical foundation. I want to show that it is possi­ble to create infinite fresh ideas without having to deconstruct the building blocks of the jazz language. To me, that language is universal.” (Connie Han) Connie Han – piano Ivan Taylor – bass Bill Wysaske – drums