The Seatbelts

The Seatbelts (read more)

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The Seatbelts (also known as SEATBELTS or シートベルツ) is a Japanese blues/jazz band lead by composer and instrumentalist 菅野よう子 (Yoko Kanno). The name of the band, according to the fictional description given in the anime Cowboy Bebop, derives from how the performers wear seatbelts to be safe while they play hardcore jam sessions.

The band performed the whole soundtrack of the anime series Cowboy Bebop and produced a total of seven albums and one live DVD. Their style is very diverse and ranges from a straightforward big band jazz to more refined rock ‘n roll ballads.

Since the band is focused mostly on instrumental work, The Seatbelts have no lead singer. But Steve Conte (from The Contes and Crown Jewels) and Mai Yamane participate and sing in many of their songs. The lyrics of these songs are written mainly by Tim Jensen and Yoko Kanno herself. Singers Soichiro Otsuka and Gabriela Robin are responsible for the back vocals on songs such as “Blue”.

After a few years in hibernation, The Seatbelts have regrouped in 2004 to compose the soundtrack of the Cowboy Bebop game, scheduled for an early 2006 release.

Many of the members of The Seatbelts have also worked with Kanno and with each other on other projects, as well, and some have even gone on to compose their own work. For example, guitarist Tsuneo Imahori also played guitar on the soundtracks for Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Wolf’s Rain (both of which were composed by Kanno), as well as composing the soundtracks for Trigun and Gungrave. (read more)

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Top Tracks, Last Week

–	1	Add this track to your playlist Tank!	359
–	2	Add this track to your playlist Piano Black	267
–	3	Add this track to your playlist Rush	229
–	4	Add this track to your playlist Too Good Too Bad	219
–	5	Add this track to your playlist Cat Blues	202
3	6	Add this track to your playlist Felt Tip Pen	180
2	7	Add this track to your playlist Memory	179
1	8	Add this track to your playlist Waltz For Zizi	174
1	9	Add this track to your playlist Spokey Dokey	171
1	10	Add this track to your playlist Pot City	137
–	10	Add this track to your playlist Bad Dog No Biscuits	137
–	12	Add this track to your playlist Goodnight Julia	135
–	13	Add this track to your playlist Space Lion	128
–	14	Add this track to your playlist Digging My Potato	100
2	15	Add this track to your playlist Ask DNA	98
10	16	Add this track to your playlist Yo Pumpkin Head	95
3	16	Add this track to your playlist American Money	95
2	18	Add this track to your playlist Stella By Moor	94
3	18	Add this track to your playlist Cosmos	94
1	18	Add this track to your playlist Rain	94

Number of listeners for the last week More top tracks…

Top Tracks, Last Six Months

–	1	Add this track to your playlist Tank!	3,752
–	2	Add this track to your playlist Piano Black	3,037
–	3	Add this track to your playlist Rush	2,640
–	4	Add this track to your playlist Too Good Too Bad	2,556
–	5	Add this track to your playlist Cat Blues	2,394
–	6	Add this track to your playlist Waltz For Zizi	2,322
–	7	Add this track to your playlist Memory	2,252
–	8	Add this track to your playlist Felt Tip Pen	2,220
–	9	Add this track to your playlist Spokey Dokey	2,111
–	10	Add this track to your playlist Bad Dog No Biscuits	1,940
–	11	Add this track to your playlist Pot City	1,774
–	12	Add this track to your playlist Space Lion	1,446
1	13	Add this track to your playlist Digging My Potato	1,416
1	14	Add this track to your playlist Goodnight Julia	1,404
–	15	Add this track to your playlist Cosmos	1,229
–	16	Add this track to your playlist American Money	1,210
3	17	Add this track to your playlist Go Go Cactus Man	1,197
1	18	Add this track to your playlist Stella By Moor	1,188
1	19	Add this track to your playlist Bindy	1,177
1	20	Add this track to your playlist What Planet Is This.	1,171
1	21	Add this track to your playlist The Egg And I	1,165
1	22	Add this track to your playlist Rain	1,152
2	23	Add this track to your playlist Ask DNA	1,135
–	24	Add this track to your playlist Autumn In Ganymede	1,113
–	25	Add this track to your playlist CAR 24	1,103
1	26	Add this track to your playlist Road To The West	1,092
1	27	Add this track to your playlist Clutch	1,088
1	28	Add this track to your playlist Tank! (TV Edit)	1,053
1	29	Add this track to your playlist Yo Pumpkin Head	1,045
–	30	Add this track to your playlist What Planet Is This	1,035
1	31	Add this track to your playlist Sax Quartet	1,021
1	32	Add this track to your playlist Tank! (TV stretch)	994
–	33	Add this track to your playlist Fingers	937
2	34	Add this track to your playlist SPY	897
1	35	Add this track to your playlist What Planet Is This?!	893
1	36	Add this track to your playlist Dijurido	879
2	37	Add this track to your playlist Powder	872
–	38	Add this track to your playlist Mushroom Hunting	847
1	39	Add this track to your playlist March For Koala	844
–	40	Add this track to your playlist Fe	824
–	41	Add this track to your playlist 7Minutes	775
–	42	Add this track to your playlist Road to the West (With Rhythm)	750
1	43	Add this track to your playlist The Real Folk Blues	749
2	44	Add this track to your playlist The Egg And You	747
–	45	Add this track to your playlist Go Go Cactus Man (Guitar Version)	746
1	46	Add this track to your playlist Meteor	735
4	47	Add this track to your playlist Waste Land	729
3	48	Add this track to your playlist Forever Broke	699
–	49	Add this track to your playlist Car24	695
2	50	Add this track to your playlist Tank! (Live)	685

Number of listeners for the last six months More top tracks…

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30,850 listeners total

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Related Journals (read more)

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NickBenoit (Friday 4 July 2008) Send a Private Message to NickBenoit
i love the Seatbelts! Best OST Ever...id love to find music similar to this.
NickBenoit shouted
Cure4commoncold (Tuesday 1 July 2008) Send a Private Message to Cure4commoncold
I vote that we tag these guys as Various since they don't do JUST jazz. Seatbelts<3
Cure4commoncold shouted
danhar1988 (Tuesday 1 July 2008) Send a Private Message to danhar1988
Anyone who appreciates the Jazz on the OSTs should check out Naked City - especially the album "Radio".
danhar1988 shouted
Dr_Wally (Wednesday 11 June 2008) Send a Private Message to Dr_Wally
I dropped 'What Planet is this?' as the intro track to my DJ set at a party recently and it made a lot of people happy; quite a difference to the generic dance music that had been on!
Dr_Wally shouted
Fudging (Tuesday 10 June 2008) Send a Private Message to Fudging
Yo Pumkin Head is great. Anyone know any other artists that do funk like that?
Fudging shouted
Fredilson (Friday 30 May 2008) Send a Private Message to Fredilson
charlie parker, dizzy gilespie :]
Fredilson shouted
TBarlass (Tuesday 27 May 2008) Send a Private Message to TBarlass
Go for Coltrane and Monk on the jazz side of things.
TBarlass shouted
shen_ron (Monday 26 May 2008) Send a Private Message to shen_ron
well, music from Cowboy Bebop is something from metal (Live from Baghdad) to jazz... but to answer your question - some tracks can be considered as Bebop. just try some tracks, artists :)
shen_ron shouted
Ruebrylla (Thursday 22 May 2008) Send a Private Message to Ruebrylla
my favorite jazz <3
Ruebrylla shouted
Benjomaster (Tuesday 20 May 2008) Send a Private Message to Benjomaster
But the music from Cowboy Bebop isn't really Bebop, is it?
Benjomaster shouted
_zeru (Saturday 17 May 2008) Send a Private Message to _zeru
why don't you search for Bebop?:) Dizzy Gilespie is good, and some of his tracks are similar;)
_zeru shouted
Benjomaster (Saturday 17 May 2008) Send a Private Message to Benjomaster
I'm currently searching for jazz/blues which sounds like the Cowboy Bebop ost. Can anyone here help me?
Benjomaster shouted
shen_ron (Tuesday 13 May 2008) Send a Private Message to shen_ron
well, you can also s