Solace

Alam Khan is inevitably introduced as the son of the legendary sarod player Ali Akbar Khan, but on the evidence of this recording he is very much his own musician. The solo sarod playing here is excellent and he gives us a lovely choice of ragas. The album starts with a delicate and carefully constructed exposition of the morning raga ‘Hindol Hem’. The contemplative mood continues with the popular and darker-sounding ‘Miyan ki Malhar’ where, again, the presentation of the raga gives us an excellent sense of its character. ‘Pahari Jhinjhoti’ is of a raga that is often found in genres such as thumri but here is given the same considered performance as the other two, making this very much an album for contemplation not one of awe at fearsome technique. If I have one criticism it is that it feels a little short, with each raga only given around ten minutes to shine. Given the thoughtfulness and musicality on display here it would have been nice to have heard how he could have taken the explorations a little further.