Peasant Songs 

Press Release  

The Lemon Juice Quartet was formed in 1993 by Eyal Maoz and Shanir Blumenkranz in Israel.  They met its newer members, Avishai Cohen and Kenvin Zubek, at Berkley College of Music in 1996 and subsequently moved into the New York downtown jazz scene.  The group has been actively performing at the Knitting Factory, Internet Cafe, Cornelia St. Cafe and the Baggot Inn.   

The Lemon Juice Quartet loves freedom, expressionism and humor, utilizing a rich diversity of stylistic influences.  Breaking the conventional boundaries of musical genres, LJQ blends jazz, rock, funk, be-bop, afro-cuban, ethnic and experimental music into one distinctive style.  

Daring and novel,  to say the least,  LJQ sees no boundary in the artistry they can achieve.  They have earned praises from Haaretz daily newspaper as one of the most interesting, vibrant and fresh bands in the 1999 Red Sea International Jazz Festival.  Village Voice has commented, "a melting pot of extremes, LJQ's 21st century avant-garde works trail blaze the frontiers of a new jazz era."

Musical openness, flexibility and freedom combined with obsession and impeccability, the result is a constant evolution and exploration from the band.  There is no telling what they will surprise you next.  

Piadrum Records has invited the Lemon Juice Quartet to work on a project based on known traditional music. It is our attempt to merge the old and the familiar with the new experimentation of the 21st century.  Shanir proposed to use Erik Satie and Bela Bartok’s music with a jazz approach, and the idea has sparked interests among its members. We hope to tap into the musical genius of these musicians without relying on 12 tone melodies and unconventional sound. It is an exciting journey and adventurous turn that the band is embarking on. We want to preserve the unruly and forward looking spirit of the band while providing a forum for them to feel a slight urge to behave.   As a result, Peasant Songs has been released in spring of 2002.