Biography
シートベルツ (Seatbelts) is a Japanese blues/jazz band led by composer and instrumentalist 菅野よう子 (Yoko Kanno). Their style is very diverse and ranges from straightforward big-band jazz to more refined rock 'n roll and blues ballads.
Since most of the band's prolific output revolves around instrumental work, Seatbelts have no de facto lead singer but Steve Conte (from The Contes and Crown Jewels) and 山根麻以 (Mai Yamane) have contributed to and sung for several tracks. The lyrics of these songs are written mainly by Tim Jensen and Yoko Kanno. Singers Soichiro Otsuka and Gabriela Robin also provide the backing vocals on some songs.
After a few years of hiatus, Seatbelts regrouped in 2004 to compose the soundtrack of the Cowboy Bebop game, released in 2006. Many of the members of 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.
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