Lara Downes’s latest album is a deeply personal collection of American music she is subtitling as “A Path to Hope.” An artist renowned for her musical explorations off the beaten path, Downes celebrates the beauty of the American experiment while offering an unflinching acknowledgement of its flaws and failings, ultimately embracing the power of hope and humanity. The centerpiece work on the album is Edmar Colón’s radical new reimagining of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue introducing Caribbean instruments and rhythms – commissioned by Downes and originally issued as a separate EP. The remainder of the program is piano solo and introduces eight new pieces to the library with an emphasis on folk music.