segunda-feira, 15 de novembro de 2010

BIOGRAPHY CANTORA `` INDIA``

India –better known as La India in the latin music industry– was born 9 March 1970 as Linda Viera Caballero in Río Piedras, Puerto Rica, but raised in the Bronx, New York City, USA.

Worked as backing vocalist on latin-freestyle artists TKA's track "Come Get My Love" (1986), even featuring on its back cover, when she was 14. Then under the tutelage of producer John "Jellybean" Benitez on a couple of tracks including her track "Dancing On The Fire" (1988) (with co-producer Louie Vega who she had been introduced to in her mid-teens, and would later go on to marry in 1990, though divorce in 1996).

Signing briefly for Reprise Records, who supposedly planned on making her the Latin version of Madonna –Jellybean's other main find earlier in his career– where both Jellybean and Louie Vega produced her album "Breaking Night" (1990).

However, it wasn't until her major involvment in the music business working with Louie Vegaand Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez on various projects mainly in the mid-1990's whilst in her twenties, for which she achieved great success. The three tracks of note during this time were as Masters At Work with "I Can't Get No Sleep" (1993), and "To Be In Love" (1997), along with their Nuyorican Soul project track "Runaway" (1997).

Alongside work on latin-house music into the early 2000's, she also became more involved in the more purist latin arena around the late 1990's, and infact on these projects the name La India was generally used.

Whilst moving her career and concentratation into latin music, she built quite a reputation as 'The Princess Of Salsa' garnering three Grammy Award and two Latin Grammy Award nominations. She has collaborated with her godmother Celia Cruz, and many other artists like Marc Anthony, Gloria Estefan and even Tito Puente, releasing several albums of her own.

BIOGRAPHY CANTOR ``TKA``

TKA was a Latin Freestyle trio that was prominent in the 1980s and early 1990s, mainly inNew York City and Miami, Florida. Its members were Tony Ortiz, Louis "Kayel" Sharpe, and Ralph "Aby" Cruz, later replaced by Angel "Love" Vasquez. The acronym TKA represents their collective initials. Early on, the group's members would state in interviews that the acronym stood for "Total Knowledge in Action," as well. All of TKA's members are of Puerto Rican descent. Many Freestyle fans consider them the kings of that genre, although Kayel downplays this label, having stated, "There are no kings in Freestyle. There is only one king in it - himself"

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

In early 1985, Latino vocalist Louis Sharpe (aka Kayel) submitted a rap demo to producerJoey Gardner at Tommy Boy Music. Gardner rejected it, but agreed to hear Kayel –along with friends Tony, Aby, and "Spider"– sing Kayel's ballad "[m=70651]" over rap instrumentals at a birthday party in an East Harlem church basement. Gardner was impressed, and also happened to meet The Latin Rascals –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 "[m=70651]", 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 "[m=70650]" 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 trioGoodfellaz, which released an album in 1997 called "[m=79539]". 

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.