Review: Zachary Berns (Zbeez) / Vesa Beats - prism/resonance (zalenci)

New York based composer / producer / drummer Zachary Berns declares the new 2-track EP is "jazz house from the NYC cats, pushing it foward" and who are we to disagree?  'prism' and 'resonance' is where jazz n' house meet!

You'll recall that we were more than impressed with the last release by Zachary Berns,  'canvas' / 'rendezvous' (see review HERE) after the release, on Apparel Music, 'Oh Yes' (see review HERE).  And I'm happy to report that he's done it again with these two new tracks with Vesa Beats and the jazzy excellence once again joined of Jesse Klirsfeld (trumpet) and Luke McCrosson (bass) plus 'the extra mile' of Will Hotaling on flute.

At the time on receiving this, the weather is hot and feels like a 'Jazz On A Summers Day' kind of day; check the 1959 film, set at the Newport Jazz Festival the year before.  As before, we're on a Roy Hargrove / Miles '100' groove that resonates through 'resonance' the in the uptempo front room at Dingwalls event (coming to you soon) with the added bonus of Hotaling on flute. 

If that's the house end of jazz-house, the flute gives 'prism' another angle to shine and it's bounces off 'Joe Morello' cymballs into a beautiful groove to fill a Backroom of Dingwalls. 

If you've got a detailed ear, there's elements of dub in the mix that gets a bit lost in the heavy  beat of 'resonance' but that must be due to living/working next to a train line (Ed. if you check his insta, he does line a train scene background to his videos).

I used to live next to a train line that had nuclear waste transport late at night (like millions of others living in London in the 80s) and this is a heavy as then bogie's that used to thud passed and shake the house - Zachery Berns is doing the same with big jazz-house tunes: don't miss out!

Why ain't these guys on Blue Note?

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: prism/resonance | zachary berns, vesa beats | zachary berns

STREAM OPTIONS: Prism / Resonance by Zachary Berns, Vesa Beats

Artist: Zachary Berns (Zbeeez) / Vesa Beats -

Title: prism/resonance

Release date: 21st May, 2026

Label : zalenci

Catalog Number :TBC

Format: Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Zachary Berns - canvas / rendezvous (zalenci)

New York based composer/producer/drummer Zachary Berns declares the new 2-track EP is "jazz house from the NYC cats, pushing it foward" and who are we to disagree?  'canvas' and 'rendezvous' is where jazz n' house meet!

These tracks lean heavily on the late night trumpet a la Roy Hargrove to Herb Alpert in a swingin' hipster East Side Story way - finger poppin' jazz daddy-o; as you'll recall in our review of Mr. Berns last release, on Apparel Music, 'Oh Yes' (see review HERE) there were hints of  the setting for the famous black-and-white photograph of 57 jazz musicians, 'A Great Day In Harlem' (Art Kane for Esquire magazine in 1958).

Well, they all know there jazz heritage here and Jesse Klirsfeld (trumpet) and Luke McCrosson (bass) are an essential part of the mix as even the the jazzier 'rendezvous' has a heavy bass beat like a train that'll work in a jazzdance/club environment (Ed. if you check his insta, he does line a train scene background to his videos).

This is a big week for big tunes but this is not one to be missed.

BUY LINK: canvas / rendezvous | zachary berns

Artist: Zachary Berns (Zbeeez)

Title: canvas/rendezvous EP

Release date: 26th March, 2026

Label : zalenci

Catalog Number :TBC

Format: Digital / Bandcamp