zachary berns: canvas / rendezvous
Francisco Espregueira
Zachary Berns steps forward with canvas / rendezvous, a self-released two-track beauty that captures the raw intersection of NYC’s jazz underground and late-night club energy. Known around the city for his work under the moniker zbeeez and the collective poetic thrust, Berns stepped into European circles last year with his debut on vinyl via the classy Limited White Label. A regular presence in parties like Soul in the Horn, his approach leans toward the live and the spontaneous. This record follows that instinct. It feels unpolished in the best way. Alive.
On canvas / rendezvous, that energy translates into a loose form of jazz house. Live drums push and pull against warm grooves, while Jesse Klirsfeld’s trumpet cuts through with expressive phrasing that keeps things fluid. There’s a sense of musicians listening to each other, reacting in the moment rather than locking into rigid structure. The result sits somewhere between jam session and dancefloor tool. Not overthought. A snapshot of a scene and a mindset, where jazz cats meet club heads and let things unfold naturally. Available on Bandcamp.