TKA

9th Annual Freestyle Jersey Jam

About

Tony Ortiz (aka "O"), Louis Ramon Sharpe (aka Kayel or K7), Ralph Cruz (aka "Aby"), Angel Vasquez (aka Angel "Love"), George LaMond (real name: George Garcia) and Ray Rivera (aka "Spider").

TKA stands for Tony, Kayel and Aby (later, Angel).

In early 1985, Latino vocalist Louis Sharpe (aka Kayel) submitted a rap demo to producer Joey Gardner at Tommy Boy Music. Gardner rejected it, but agreed to hear Kayel –along with friends Tony, Aby, and "Spider"– sing Kayel's ballad "Scars Of Love" over rap instrumentals at a birthday party in an East Harlem church basement. Gardner was impressed, and also happened to meet [url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Latin+Rascals,+The]The Latin Rascals[/url] –members Tony Moran and Albert Cabrera– at the same party.
Envisioning a possible Latin disco version of Planet Patrol, Gardner brought all six musicians into the studio to record a rough demo of "Scars Of Love", and encouraged the group to generate a buzz by playing various free shows in the summer of 1985. Soon after, they were signed to Tommy Boy, and released "One Way Love" as their first single. One month later, Spider was voted out of the group. For a short time, female singer India was a member of the group, and at some point, Aby departed and was replaced by Angel Vasquez.

Under pressure from Warner Brothers to record only relatively accessible pop songs, and unsure of what direction to take as a group, TKA decided to split up in late 1991, but continue performing until October 1992. Kayel began recording as K7, Tony created the artist management and production company TPR Productions, and Vasquez cofounded R'n'B trio Goodfellaz, which released an album in 1997 called "Goodfellaz".

Following a reunion concert in 2000, TKA reformed and released an album of new material in 2001, "Forever". In 2003, Angel was replaced by George LaMond, and the trio of Tony, Kayel and LaMond made themselves available to tour, performing TKA and George LaMond hits, under the name TKG. In 2005, former member Ralph Cruz, under the name Aby, released an album of new versions of TKA hits.