
"...a great antidote for the current state of the world."
— Midwest Record
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LA SERENA
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"Chernick’s vocals are pure in expression and unencumbered…
A wonderful collection of meaningful tunes that will leave your heart longing for more.
La Serena, the central piece on the album, is a stunning heartfelt tune that seduces with its pure vocal expression. "
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ABOUT
This collection is primarily of tunes from the Jews of Spain and the Balkans, traditional and original melodies with rich poetry in Judeo‑Spanish (also known as Ladino).
This album expands on the limited notion of La Serena (the Siren) as a female creature whose voice is intended solely for seduction and destruction. The voice and the music are lush, bold and joyous.

About Aviva Chernick
Aviva Chernick is an award-winning singer, singing in Hebrew, Ladino, and English.
She was the first Canadian to be awarded a Virginia Folk Life apprenticeship to continue study with ‘American National Treasure’ and Sephardic musician Flory Jagoda whose music she celebrates in La Serena.
Aviva was one of the founding members and lead singer of the Canadian World Music group Jaffa Road with whom garnered awards as well as two Juno nominations, recording as well as touring across Canada and to the United States and Brazil (2002-2016).
Aviva is also trained in the Cantorial Arts and as a meditation teacher through the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. She leads the meditation and singing community in Toronto called neySHEV.
The live project of La Serena features the musicianship of the full quartet which is Aviva (vocals), together with Joel Schwartz (guitars), Justin Gray (bass), and Naghmeh Farahmand (Persian percussion). Special guests on the recording include Ernie Tollar (winds), Maryem Tollar, (vocals), Derek Gray (drum kit and percussion), Lyle Molzan (drum kit) and Aaron Lightstone (oud).
Aviva’s collaborative recordings have garnered nominations and awards including Juno nominations for Jaffa Road’s albums Sun Place (2010) and Where The Light Gets In (2013), a Canadian Folk Music Award for Where The Light Gets In (2013), a Canadian Folk Music Award Nomination for When I Arrived You Were Already There (2012) as well as for Under the Canopy (2008). Aviva and her co-writers from Jaffa Road won the John Lennon International Songwriting Grand Prize for their rendition of “Lo Yisa Goy”, a prayer for peace.
This is Nona Flory.
Studying the Balkan Ladino tradition with Flory Jagoda was one of the major inspirations for this album.
For more information about Flory and her Sephardic music, please visit:
https://www.virginiafolklife.org/about-mission-history/flory-jagoda-fund/

LIVE SHOWS
past events
December 16-22, 2019
A return of The Ward Cabaret with David Buchbinder
Harbourfront Centre Theatre in Toronto
February 11-14, 2020
Sivananda Interfaith Devotional Singing Festival
On the Wings of Ecstasy
Nassau, Bahamas
Concert and workshop
May 6-9, 2020
A return of Musik fur das Ende with Soundstreams
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Toronto,
and on European tour
POSTPONED
Sunday, June 14th, 2020
Aviva Chernick Quartet
Norwood Music Series
Norwood, New York
POSTPONED
July 9-12, 2020
Aviva Chernick Quartet
Yidstock: The Festival of New Yiddish Music
Concert, Workshop and Interview
At the Yiddish Book Center,
Amherst, Massachusetts
CANCELLED
"There is drama and mystery in the awakening and unwinding of each melody."
— Paul Corby, Roots Music Canada
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