Shades of Sarode is the debut of sarod player Alam Khan, son of the great Hindustani classical musician Ali Akbar Khan, who died at age 87 in 2009. Alam, who has collaborated with Derek Trucks, Bob Weir, and Rob Wasserman, is accompanied by Salar Nader on tabla on six of the album’s tracks. (Alam performs solo on “Bhimpalasri Alap.”) Ragas can typically run an hour or more, but Alam recorded shorter improvisations to present a more varied selection; the album’s running time is about 66 minutes. Ragas are associated with different times of the day, and Shades includes pieces for morning, afternoon, and evening. Alap is a raga’s introductory section, distinguished by its lack of meter and percussion. “Bhimpalasri Alap” is a gorgeous example of this type of improvised statement. “Bhimpalasri,” which is performed in the ten-beat rhythmic cycle of jhaptal, has melodic contours with a springy quality. The album closes with an evening raga, “Misra Kirwani,” which is performed in tintal, a well-known 16-beat cycle.