Between the Sheets (LIVE at TOKYO 2026)

Kohei Kawanami/Namihey
Kohei Kawanami is a singer, arranger, and songwriter whose borderless musical activities are grounded in his independent research into rhythm and harmony. While he was a student, he studied under Kazunori Kubo, one of Japan's leading baritone vocalists, and began his musical career in 2001. Since then, he has continued to study and perform a wide range of music, including original works, soul,R&B, and jazz.
In 2004, Kohei Kawanami won the Grand Prix at the Asakusa Jazz Contest, one of Japan's most prestigious jazz competitions, and gained recognition as a jazz singer.He also ranked No. 7 in his first appearance in Swing Journal's popularity poll, and has received awards including the Best Soloist Award at the GOSPEL AWARDS 2010. He has been active in a wide variety of musical formats, including band projects such as LATINAMI, waveFLATZorchestra, and quartetto NAMIHEY, as well as solo projects.
His recorded works include the solo album EACH (2011); an insert song for the film Umareru; the theme song for the sequel Umareru: Zutto, Issho (2014); and Ginrin Trip (2016), a collaborative work with pianist Heitetsu Lin.
Kohei Kawanami is also highly regarded as an educator, known for his innovative perspective on music and the depth of his musical insight. He has taught more than 800 vocalists throughout his career and continues to be active both as a performer and as an educator. He has also led a chorus class centered on gospel music at Marunouchi Morning University, organized by Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd., and conducted workshops across Japan.

quartetto NAMIHEY
quartetto NAMIHEY is an ensemble formed by Kohei Kawanami, also known as NAMIHEY, together with Takashi Amano, Kunpei Nakabayashi, and Ryo Saito.
As a vocal-centered project in Japan, the ensemble places an exceptional emphasis on improvisation and creativity. It emerged through a unique process. Unusually for a singer, Kawanami has consistently sought a high degree of freedom and creativity within an ensemble. To share his vision for the group, he spent approximately a year performing one-on-one with each member and exchanging ideas with them directly.As a result, the group began working together with a shared concept in place from the outset. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Ryo Saito joined the group in 2024, completing its current lineup.
Bassist Kunpei Nakabayashi is a musician of exceptional ability, capable of covering a remarkably wide range of musical styles with his masterful playing and sophisticated ideas. Drummer Ryo Saito combines extraordinary technical skill and lightning-fast responsiveness with a broad musical perspective and rich musicality. He is regarded as an indispensable figure, particularly in Japan's Brazilian music scene. Guitarist Takashi Amano is known for his highly creative approach, rooted in an extraordinary passion for musical exploration and a profound knowledge of music. At times, his playing can seem almost primal in its instinctive intensity. He is also known as "Ace"for the way he commands the ensemble with precision, like a fighter jet locking onto one target after another. Meeting these three extraordinary talents enabled Kohei Kawanami to take his vision even further.