Have Gershwin’s piano works ever sounded this good? Few recordings, for sure, come close to matching the warmth, sparkle, and power of this one, thanks to the combination of Lucas Debargue’s charismatic artistry and a concert grand instrument handcrafted by piano maker Stephen Paulello. Gershwin Variations evokes the spirit of a composer whose greatness grew from his ability to harness the best of European classical and folk traditions to the sentiment and sentimentality of America’s popular music. Debargue, propelled by the spirit of creative freedom, makes the piano sing. He’s backed to the hilt by the Orchestre de Paris and Elim Chan in this debonair interpretation of the Piano Concerto in F, a swinging, foot-tapping, soulful reading that matches the panache of André Previn’s evergreen recording from the early 1970s and beats it for sheer brilliance. Debargue’s dozen Virtuoso Etudes on Gershwin Songs and Concert Variations on the composer’s “Summertime” occupy the album’s second half, every pin-sharp element of which contributes to a joyful listening experience.