In ancient Japan, boundaries between rural villages were not drawn by geography, but by the deep, resonating rhythms of the taiko drum. Kodo, Sado Island's acclaimed taiko troupe, through the preservation, dissemination and study of one of Japan's most internationally celebrated performing arts, has taken this custom further: using the taiko to explore and encompass new boundaries.

Even though Kodo has a significant following throughout the world, it is not surprising that the taiko is now being heard by and influencing some of the world's finest contemporary music producers.

The simple, pure rhythm of the drum as a representation of a baby's heartbeat resonating throughout the womb is the primary tenet in Kodo's philosophy. They embrace the universality of their philosophy to promote spiritual and global harmony.

The troupe's annual Earth Celebration is an opportunity for like-minded musicians to gather. Every year, thousands converge on Sado Island to take part in workshops and spontaneous musical collaborations. Notable participants include: the Drummers of Burundi, Trinidad's Renegade Steel Drum Orchestra and England's Bow Gamelan Ensemble. Kodo has also collaborated with other percussionists, such as Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart and jazz legend Max Roach.

Kodo has released a total of 10 albums and two film scores since 1988. The troupe's 1997 album, "Ibuki," was then introduced to the legendary New York producer Bill Laswell whose eclecticism, open mindedness and focused work ethic have brought him almost gurulike status. ("Ibuki's" musical director, Keiichi Nakamura, invited Laswell to remix and rearrange two tracks of traditional compositions on the album, based on the producer's ability to reproduce a truly original sound.)

Recognized as a pioneer in the hip-hop, ambient, funk and world music arenas, Laswell's preference for expression over traditional song structure and form builds a platform for him to create a more subjective approach to music. He often views his production work as a translation and reinterpretation of original compositions.

Some of Laswell's more vaunted work includes a translation of Miles Davis' work from 1969-74 (a period of unheralded creativity for Davis) and a dub reworking of Bob Marley's "Songs of Suffering." Both projects have drawn criticism from purists, but the reworked material stands out on its own.

Laswell's involvement brought a completely fresh perspective to Kodo's recording projects, which had previously focused entirely on original compositions.

The combination of Laswell's production brilliance and the quality of Kodo's compositions saw album sales quickly surpass the 40,000 units-sold mark, and the album reached as high as #7 on Billboard's world music chart.

The success of "Ibuki" has led to a new album, "Saiso." The two kanji making up the word saiso mean "reconstruction," which is essentially the essence of the project. As well as Laswell, a range of contemporary producers representing a varied range of musical styles were chosen.

Paul DeGooyer, marketing director for Red Ink, the company behind the project, insists this is not a remix project in the strictest sense. The range of producers/remixers was selected to represent as wide a spectrum of contemporary dance styles as possible. The idea is to let the re-mixers imprint their own musical personality into the original composition.

The international dance community has been sampling all kinds of traditional music -- from taiko beats to traditional Maori karanga (call to ancestors) -- for well over a decade. In the case of South Pacific music, the re-interpretation of traditional music through contemporary forms such as hip hop has given Polynesian artists the means to express their culture in an urban context.

Talvin Singh, who combines traditional Asian influences with electronic music, draws on a rich heritage of Indian music. Rupert Parkes, who produces under the moniker Photek, borrowed from Japanese taiko and culture to produce a sparse flavor of drum and bass called "Ni-ten-ichi-ryu."

The direct appropriation of traditional music is now inevitable as the cut-and-paste nature of contemporary music looks for untapped samples; but despite these crossovers, direct collaborations have been few and far between.

Besides Laswell, the project includes hip-hop/trip-hop producer DJ Krush, who is no stranger to using traditional Japanese instruments in his music. Other artists include New York electronic ensemble Intelligente, DJ Strobe (whose remix of "Nanafushi" is being earmarked for club play) and flavor-of-the-month house producer Kevin Yost.

Despite the differences in genre and style, each artist has managed to retain the spirit and intention of Kodo's music. Each artist has also enhanced and attenuated Kodo's sound, while resisting any slash-and-burn re-arrangements.

The release of "Saiso: The Remix" will coincide with the end of a typically arduous Kodo two-month U.S. tour. Rumor has it that, besides the concerts at the Beacon Center, the re-mixers and Kodo drummers may be collaborating deep in the bowels of New York.

Kodo has shown that being free of any cultural or artistic pretensions can lead to innovation of expression for a timeless tradition.