Ritsuko Kiyomoto (Vo)
Yasuhiro Sakake (Gt)
Yuichi Hayashi (Pf)
Hiroki Okitsu (Ba)
Yozo Nomura (Dr)
RKB
‘RKB’ is the cover project by leading musicians in Nagoya.
Their arrangements and performances attract audiences.
Ritsuko Kiyomoto
Vocalist
Influenced by the musical interests of her jazz drummer father, Ritsuko Kiyomoto grew up listening to jazz music. From a young age Ritsuko studied basic music knowledge and ensemble at the Yamaha Music Foundation’s JOC (junior original concert), where she was moved by the timbre of the piano and other musical instruments.
With a resounding voice as varied as the colours of the rainbow, Ritsuko Kiyomoto sings pops, jazz, soul, and funk etc., live around Nagoya. Able to sing whilst performing piano, compose songs and do English lyrics, Ritsuko is active in a number of cover and original bands. In fact, you may have heard her vocals on television appearances, commercial songs, karaoke guide vocals, school anthems, and various places around town!
Ritsuko Kiyomoto also works as an singing instructor at university, vocational college and record companies.
Yasuhiro Sakake
Yasuhiro Sakake began guitar at the age of fifteen, traveling to America in order to pursue his musical studies at eighteen. He enrolled in the Musicians Institute (MI), Hollywood, where he studied for two years, learning from Joe Diorio, Scott Henderson, Ross Bolton and Jeff Richman. Upon graduating, Sakake performed in music sessions in the U.S. for three years, before returning to Japan and continuing his music career.
Centering around jazz, and including a wide range of music genres such as funk, Blues, R&B, bossa nova, pop, hip hop and reggae etc., Sakake’s activities in live shows, concert tours and recordings have received high accolades. His abilities as a composer and arranger are also held in high regard.
In addition to performing sessions, Yasuhiro Sakake formed the band, ‘Sakake Brothers with the Band’, with his brother, drummer Yushiro Sakake. They have released three albums to date, receiving wide recognition in music magazines such as JAZZLIFE, remix, ADLIB and so on, being selected for JAZZLIFE’s annual album recommendation.
Yasuhiro Sakake is currently actively involved in his own musical projects, in addition to SBB and performing sessions.
Yuichi Hayashi
Pianist / Composer
Yuichi Hayashi started playing the piano at the age of five. After studying classical music, he began writing his own compositions at fifteen. Whilst in university, he joined the jazz big band and started playing jazz music. After graduating from university, Hayashi commenced upon his professional musical career, performing in various live concerts and recordings.
In 2008, Hayashi formed his own piano trio ‘TRISPACE’, playing his compositions. The trio have released three albums. The newest album ‘Nightfall’ , was recorded and mixed in Sweden. In 2014, the trio did a live tour of Italy.
Yuichi Hayashi currently performs nationwide with TRISPACE, and also provides musical support for many bands, such as the Sei Takahashi sextet, Hiroshi Sugano’s ‘Inter Paul Connection’, and the Kazuyoshi Kuroda Quintet etc.. He also provides original music compositions for the jazz singer, junko.
With a reputation for the crystal-like clarity of his piano playing, Yuichi Hayashi enthralls his audience with his sensitive to daring range of rendition.
Hiroki Okitsu
Born in Nara, Hiroki Okitsu started the electric bass at thirteen. Hiroki started his professional career at sixteen in the Kansai area, moving to Nagoya in 1998.
Hiroki plays across a vast range of music genres, such as jazz, latin, pops, rock, soul, enka(Japanese ballad), French chanson and Irish music. Known as “the busiest bassist in Nagoya” and supporting many music performers at various concerts and events, Hiroki has the confidence of many artists with his groovy bass lines, melodious solos, and high reading skills.
Hiroki Okitsu has also taught music to over 2,500 students during the past fifteen years (and continuing!) at the Nagoya University of Art, Nagoya School of Music, and HAL Nagoya.
Yozo Nomura
Born in Aichi, Yozo Nomura started playing drums when he joined the school brass band at his junior high school, also playing in a couple of rock and heavy metal bands formed with his friends. Yozo joined the jazz big band in university, where his musical interests changed to jazz and acoustic music. He studied jazz drumming with Nobuyasu Satake, and began performing in live concerts.
At present, Yozo Nomura performs and records in various styles such as jazz, pops, and rock, at times incorporating elements of photography, Japanese calligraphy, narration and traditional accompanied narrative ballards known as joururi, along with his motto of ‘Sound with Human Warmth’.
