Beach's Best Band by Beach Magazine.
Following is the review that appeared in the
June 2000 issue of Beach Magazine.
The article was written by
Geoff Livingston, bassist, of Night Train.
EQUINOX
by Geoff Livingston
(re-printed from Beach Magazine, June/July 2000)
Local band EQUINOX plays in the area with an emotive ability to play a wide range of musical styles. This four-piece unit from West Palm Beach easily shifts from hardest edged, distortion laden covers from Hendrix to deep jazz standards and cabaret tunes like “Girl from Ipanema”.
The band is under the helm of multi-instrumentalist Troy Solis, a guitarist who plays one of many setup guitars as well as flute and sax. Echo drenched and deep, his sound is rich and full. He teaches guitar, sax, flute and piano. Joining in vocals also is Renée Solis, whose 12-string acoustic guitar and vocals are reminiscent of Joan Baez and Bonnie Raitt. They both come from California, where Troy answered an ad for the band CIA and met Renée. Moving to Florida in ’92, the first incarnation of EQUINOX was formed, and with personnel changes absorbed into KING CHAMELEON with Lew Lewis in bass. Going back to their original moniker and doing more jazz, the current lineup also includes Keil Brand on drums and vocals and Craig Lietzke on bass. Craig’s old Fender fretless bass sound is very smooth and it perfectly compliments the uptempo jazz drum solos. The band is very eclectic and their reworking of tunes like “Free Bird” into off the wall jazz tempos are played with passion and determination. With a repertoire that spans from Billie Holiday to Green Day, John Coltrane to Jewel, EQUINOX plays more of the jazz that their other band doesn’t, and as a duo they get to play their original stuff.
Besides doing one or two weekends at Tiki’s on Singer Island, Troy and Renée also play out at Gold Bean Coffee Café in Palm Beach Gardens on Saturday nights. Also, Troy runs an open mike session occasionally at Tiki’s on Wednesday nights. You can contact the band at 561-357-8515 or Equinox_Band @Yahoo.com.
