Founded in Yokohama in 1997, Crazy Ken Band, also known as CKB, is a Japanese music group band formed by popular Japanese musician Ken Yokoyama (vocals/keyboards), Keiichi Hiroishi, (saxophone/flute), Masao Onose (guitar), Shinya Horaguchi (bass) and Toraji Shingū (guitar/keyboard). Known for its jazz and blues infused retro-pop, CKB intermittently performs with a large contingent of instrumentalists. The group released their debut studio album Punch! Punch! Punch! in 1998, followed by their first two singles in 2001, "Nikutai Kankei" and “September”. Four albums appeared between 2002 and 2004, with the fifth, Soul Punch charting in the top 10 on the Oricon charts. Subsequent albums achieved similar success, with the group climbing to number 4 with Girls! Girls! Girls! in August, 2009. During this time, their songs “December 17” and “Kuroi Kizuato no Blues” were featured on the Yakuza 2 (game) soundtrack with single “Ippai Ippai”, released on July 23, 2011 attaining considerable commercial success, debuting at number 3 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100. In 2018, the group was nominated for the Planning Award at the 60th Japan Record Awards for Ame ni Nurete Futari and in August 3, 2022, released their 19th studio album Jyuei.
