Sol and The Tribu is a musical group of Cuban musicians that blends traditional Caribbean music and modern technology with a distinct Miami twist. As ambassadors of The New Miami Sound, they pride themselves on what makes Miami “The Magic City” with its blend of Caribbean influences and American swamp funk. Their album Miami 3050 is a conceptual album, based on the story of superheroes that come from the year 3050 to the present day to save the future of music by preserving its roots. With their storyline, the purpose is to preserve Caribbean cultural identity and Miami history through music and visual art. Their most recent EP, Positive Vibration Nation, released in Fall 2020, was created during the Corona Virus quarantine. It features 6 tracks created during quarantine. Conceptually, it encourages positive thinking and is an uplifting portrait of the band in times of uncertainty. Their story is told through the new opera “Positive Vibration Nation” a 60 minute rock ‘Guaguanco’ opera produced by Sol Ruiz with compositions by Rey Rodriguez, Manny Diaz and Alejandro Sierra. The contemporary opera includes characters that embark on a journey to search for their roots and through their discoveries and unification they unlock their musical superhero powers. The show incorporates live performances with integrated visual media to create an immersive cultural experience of sound, art, fashion and dance. The project reflects Miami’s roots as the foundation of its uniqueness while connecting the audience with a positive message. It redefines the classic definition of an opera by modernizing and diversifying the genre, incorporating Caribbean rhythms that represent their roots and culture, such as Guaguanco (an Afro-Cuban style of music ) Reggae, Cumbia, Son, and Merengue. Building new diverse audiences for opera and theater spaces that reflect the communities around it, transforming once traditionally exclusive places to project the current culture and stimulate inclusion. The underlying themes of the musical reflect on believing in oneself, unification, and supporting one another in communities to achieve greatness, the importance of knowing your roots and culture which take us on a path to self-discovery and the negative consequence that globalization and technology have on our society which results in the loss of cultural diversity. The characters include Sol Ruiz (La Barbara), Rey Rodriguez (Rey Sugar), Manny Diaz (Manny Swagg), Charly Poe (Octoman) and Alejandro Sierra (Alibaba). The project has been funded by the National Endowment of The Arts, The Knight Foundation, The National Performance Network and The Miami Light Project. It is set to premiere in April 2024 at Miami Theatre Center.
The Band is led by Sol Ruiz, a Grammy-nominated international recording artist, producer, DJ and multi-instrumentalist. Hailing from Miami, Ruiz sings and writes in her native tongue, Spanglish, and has toured in Europe, Canada and the Caribbean. Ruiz has released 6 albums under various names and titles including Picadillo and Sol Ruiz. Currently, while working with Sol and The Tribu she is also performing an opera with the LA Philharmonic and Beth Morrison Projects composed by Ted Hearne.
Although the band goes by another name you can find their early music and history with other titles. Sol, has been releasing music as a solo artist under the stage name Sol Ruiz since 2002. Signed to EMI at the time, she released two albums, Reasonable Diva and Outlander. On tour through Europe in 2009 she met Rey and together they formed a band named Picadilo. Signed with Warner Chappel, Picadillo released 2 albums, Las Cosas de la Vida and Manicomio.
Sol moved to Europe to pursue her musical career, living in Italy and Spain. Touring throughout Europe with the two bands from 2009 to 2017. In 2016, Rey and Sol moved to Miami, Sol’s hometown to pursue a new sound. In 2018, the band joined together and created Sol and The Tribu. Now, under their independent label, La Barbara Records, they have released two albums and are working on a musical.
