With the recent release of their second CD, the Tokyo-based world-music trio Tatopani sums up two years of experimentation and growth. Following their 1998 release, "Forbidden Fruit," members Robert Belgrade, Andy Bevan and Christopher Hardy brought their eclectic brand of music to audiences around the country and have now documented that period in "Themes From Dreams."

It was a productive, adventuresome time, and the recording, which features guest artists and new instrumentation, showcases their potential for exploration.

Tatopani's sound draws on a variety of musical traditions and instruments, while updating them, often layering in a jazz motif. Their music crosses both national borders and time periods, combining, for example, an 800-year-old European tune with Asian-inspired vocal harmonics or percussion in the African tradition. They build a sound that is not easily defined.