If percussion is edgy, and it is, then Pete Lockett is a Swiss army knife.

Peter Robert Lockett was born April 8, 1962, in Britain, and has become one of the more versatile and prolific percussionists in the world, known for his ability to bring traditional musical instruments out of their original cultural setting and put them to use in other genres.

Lockett is an expert with percussion instruments ranging in origin from Indian and Japanese to Arabic, to Latin. His list of collaborations underscores his versatility. Lockett has performed with Icelandic alternative artist Björk and rockers Peter Gabriel, Robert Plant and Jeff Beck. He’s played with another percussion innovator in Bill Bruford (Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, Earthworks) and with bands such as The Verve and Pet Shop Boys. And he has performed with classical artists from India such as tabla player Zakir Hussain and ghatam virtuoso Thetakuti Harihara “Vikku” Vinayakram.

Lockett’s music also has appeared in a number of film soundtracks, including several James Bond films, and the movies “Moulin Rouge!” and “Snatch.”

Beyond performing, Lockett takes pride in teaching, as well. He has taught and lectured at The Royal Academy of Music and Guildhall School of Music in London, and runs workshops across Europe. He also contributes technique articles for drum magazines internationally, and offers free video and audio percussion lessons through his Web site.

One of Lockett’s newest projects is a band called Parallax Beat Brothers, with electronic music artist Scanner. Their first album was released in 2005 and featured trumpet ace Jon Hassell as special guest. The group also toured extensively in late 2005.

Lockett presently tours with a pair of percussion groups, Network of Sparks (with which Bruford has performed) and Taiko to Tabla.