A perfect musical balance is nearly impossible to achieve. It takes skill, a burning passion, and a vision that sees beyond the commonplace.

For Curb Records' deSoL -- the Asbury Park, NJ rock band with the Latin soul -- a perfect balance is a way of life. It's the seamless blend of seven inspired musicians, a brotherhood whose collective name means "Of the sun." It's their heady, polyrhythmic mix of chanted melodies and mystical atmosphere with the contemporary edge of big modern rock hooks and flourishes of rap and hip-hop. It's songs like "Karma," from their debut album, deSoL, which draw people of all backgrounds into their vibrant, pulsating flow. And with deSoL's explosive live shows, like their recent appearance at the renowned Bonnaroo festival, that audience is growing with every performance.

Lead vocalist Albie Monterrosa grew up in Queens, NY, the son of El Salvadoran immigrants. He was fronting bands, chasing the rock star dream in the accepted fashion, inspired by the message and craftsmanship of songwriting visionaries like John Lennon and Bob Marley, and the showmanship of the Rolling Stones. But something was missing. When Albie took a break and headed for the Islands, he found it in a Puerto Rican girl playing Spanish rhythms on her congas. "When I jammed with her," says Albie, "I actually started moving my hand differently to accommodate the Latino swing. And I found out what I was missing was being true to myself. Being that music comes from the depths of you, I needed to express my culture."

When Albie returned to the US, he put the word out that he was looking for Latino players. The name that came back most frequently belonged to Armando Cabrera, a percussionist born in Cuba and raised in Puerto Rico. He was the real thing -- a guy who'd learned his music in the streets, straight from performers whose ancestors were steeped in the deepest Afro-Cuban traditions. He showed Albie all the intricate rhythms and turned him on to seminal Latin musicians like ‘70s salsa kings the Fania All Stars and the profoundly influential Puerto Rican bandleader Tito Rodriguez. In turn, Albie offered his own songs, like "Spin Around," whose evocative lyrics reminded Armando of Panama's great storytelling songwriter, Ruben Blades.

A perfect balance, both creative and cultural, was formed.

From that point, more players joined deSoL's lineup. With Albie and Armando, lead guitarist Soto, percussionist James Guerrero, bassist Chris Guice, keyboardist Andy Letke, and drummer George Saccal have formed a musical brotherhood. More songs were written, with the band working out grooves and Albie putting melodies and lyrics on top. Soon, the group's balance of Latino fire and straight ahead rock and roll was perfected so fully that their demo tape caught the ear of Franke Previte, the gifted songwriter who won the Academy Award for "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" from Dirty Dancing. Franke recognized the band’s talent immediately, picking up on the finesse with which deSoL handled the complex rhythms and sophisticated material. "Those songs," he says, "keep pulling you back in with their multi-hooked melodies.” After catching one of deSoL's incandescent live shows, he became their manager, opening doors to an industry that was ready to respond. "I knew these guys really had something," Franke notes, "when people in the industry compared seeing a deSoL show to taking a holiday."

The album will be out in June ‘05 and deSoL will stay on the road to do what it does best - at additional high profile gigs such as Mexico City with R.E.M. and tours with the Legendary Wailers and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. This, after all, is a band with roots in the Latino tradition, where music defines the community. So everywhere deSoL performs, a dancing, communal vibe can't help but grow.

And now, that vibe is spreading fast. Soon, deSoL will be balancing the demands of a major career. Soon, their community will reach the mainstream and the joy of seeing one of these early, intimate shows will be something one can only brag about. Now is the time to follow deSoL.