More than four years after her husband Gord Downie鈥檚 death, singer-songwriter Kaya Usher is releasing an album she calls part of the 鈥渉ealing journey.鈥�

The Toronto musician collaborated with two of her children and Broken Social Scene鈥檚 Kevin Drew to create 鈥淎ll This Is,鈥� her 10-track debut set for release on Nov. 17.

Usher says the mostly instrumental record is shaped by the spiritual recovery that she embarked on after being diagnosed with breast cancer nearly a decade ago.

Kaya, who was born Laura Leigh Usher, saw the disease from a different perspective when Downie faced terminal brain cancer in late 2015.

She says 鈥淎ll This Is鈥� captures the love, connection and 鈥渞eal strength鈥� that can be fostered after a significant loss.

The album also makes an effort to realize what she says was a shared dream with Downie of one day forming a family band.

Two of their four children play on the tracks, with their 21-year-old son Lou on keyboards and drums and their 26-year-old daughter Willo on harmonies.

鈥淎ll This is鈥� was produced earlier this year at the Tragically Hip鈥檚 famed Bathouse studio in Bath, Ont.

And Usher says while recordings of Downie鈥檚 voice don鈥檛 appear on the album, his presence is felt in other ways. A harmonica he gifted her before his death opens 鈥淨uickening,鈥� while several other songs feature an acoustic guitar he once played.

鈥淚 really tried to bring him in through his instruments,鈥� she says.

鈥淲e were as close to him as we could be.鈥�

鈥擠avid Friend, The Canadian Press