Biography
The Latin rock group deSoL makes its home in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and has long embraced a bilingual approach. Although the band’s name translates as “of the sun” in Spanish, deSoL has never operated strictly within the rock en español mold; unlike Caifanes, los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Maná, and Shakira, who recorded most or all of their material in Spanish, the group has followed the example of Santana and el Chicano by favoring English lyrics over Spanish ones. Even so, Latin elements remain prominent in deSoL’s sound, with the musicians freely merging rock and forms such as Afro-Cuban salsa and Colombian cumbia while also drawing from soul and funk. Their wide-ranging influences include both Latin and non-Latin artists—Santana, Malo, el Chicano, Azteca, and salsa star Rubén Blades alongside the Rolling Stones, John Lennon, and Stevie Wonder—many of whom first appeared in the 1960s or 1970s, yet the band has also integrated rap and avoided an entirely nostalgic stance.
deSoL came together in 2000 after lead singer Albie Monterrosa, raised in Queens, New York, by Salvadoran immigrant parents, chose to assemble a project with a pronounced Latino character. Prior New Jersey rock bands in which Monterrosa had played had not addressed his Hispanic roots, a heritage he felt compelled to honor after an encounter with a female Puerto Rican conga player during a trip to the Virgin Islands. That collaboration convinced him his next venture must reflect Latin traditions, prompting him, upon returning to New Jersey, to recruit players already versed in Latin music. Among them was percussionist Armando Cabrera, born in Cuba and raised in Puerto Rico before relocating to the northeastern United States. Monterrosa and Cabrera, who had previously worked as an AT&T engineer before committing to music full-time, then joined forces with James Guerrero on percussion and background vocals, Ricardo Berrios Soto on electric guitar and background vocals, Andy Letke on acoustic piano, electric keyboards, and organ, and Chris Guice on electric bass, trumpet, and background vocals. The resulting lineup—some members born in the United States, others in Latin America—represented heritages ranging from Salvadoran, Mexican, and Peruvian to Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Portuguese. Throughout the early 2000s the band cultivated a regional following along the Northeastern Corridor, which led to notable opportunities such as opening for REM in Mexico City and touring with a post-Bob Marley, post-Peter Tosh incarnation of the Wailers. During this period deSoL was managed by songwriter and producer Franke Previte, best known for co-writing the Jennifer Warnes/Bill Medley hit “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” from the 1987 film Dirty Dancing. The self-titled debut album appeared on Curb Records in 2004 and was reissued the following year with an altered track listing, while On My Way arrived in 2007.
deSoL came together in 2000 after lead singer Albie Monterrosa, raised in Queens, New York, by Salvadoran immigrant parents, chose to assemble a project with a pronounced Latino character. Prior New Jersey rock bands in which Monterrosa had played had not addressed his Hispanic roots, a heritage he felt compelled to honor after an encounter with a female Puerto Rican conga player during a trip to the Virgin Islands. That collaboration convinced him his next venture must reflect Latin traditions, prompting him, upon returning to New Jersey, to recruit players already versed in Latin music. Among them was percussionist Armando Cabrera, born in Cuba and raised in Puerto Rico before relocating to the northeastern United States. Monterrosa and Cabrera, who had previously worked as an AT&T engineer before committing to music full-time, then joined forces with James Guerrero on percussion and background vocals, Ricardo Berrios Soto on electric guitar and background vocals, Andy Letke on acoustic piano, electric keyboards, and organ, and Chris Guice on electric bass, trumpet, and background vocals. The resulting lineup—some members born in the United States, others in Latin America—represented heritages ranging from Salvadoran, Mexican, and Peruvian to Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Portuguese. Throughout the early 2000s the band cultivated a regional following along the Northeastern Corridor, which led to notable opportunities such as opening for REM in Mexico City and touring with a post-Bob Marley, post-Peter Tosh incarnation of the Wailers. During this period deSoL was managed by songwriter and producer Franke Previte, best known for co-writing the Jennifer Warnes/Bill Medley hit “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” from the 1987 film Dirty Dancing. The self-titled debut album appeared on Curb Records in 2004 and was reissued the following year with an altered track listing, while On My Way arrived in 2007.
Albums
Singles
