Opening Night

Boston born, San Diego resident Daniel 'DELA' Delacruz is a saxophonist, composer, arranger, and producer. He starting touring with Moon Ska Satellite recording artist Johnny Too Bad and The Strikeouts from 1995-1997 while pursuing a degree in jazz performance from Berklee College of Music. After disbanding in 1997, DELA was accepted into the jazz program at William Paterson University, where he graduated with a BM in Jazz Studies in 2001. Towards the end of college, he began playing jazz with various groups and under his own name all over the New York/New Jersey area. In mid 2001, DELA joined the American roots reggae institution and Easy Star records artists John Brown's Body. He appeared on their 5th studio effort 'Pressure Points,' where he aided in writing and arranging many of the horn parts on the album. In early 2006, JBB was invited on tour with Southern California's rising stars Slightly Stoopid. At the end of that tour DELA was asked to become a full time member of Slightly Stoopid, and now over an 11 year tenure, 'DELA' has become Slightly Stoopid's horn section leader, as well as a key writing/arranging contributor on their last four studio efforts.

DELA has also spent time touring with Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, appearing on his Stoopid Records release 'New Ammo.' This partnership with Denson lead to the collaborative effort of DELA s first solo release, DELA & the Aggrolites 'Opening Night,' due out fall of 2017 on Stoopid/MRI records. The Aggrolites are a Los Angeles based original Ska/Reggae/Funk ensemble who were originally signed to Epitaph records by Rancid's Tim Armstrong and proved the strong backbone to the tracks on 'Opening Night,' the forthcoming release on Stoopid Records thru Megaforce/Orchard.