Bman's Blues Report

Lance and Lea are Nashville's ultimate case of an unlikely duo whose wildly different roots give their music its raw, unfiltered edge. LeAnna Kaufman grew up in a strict Amish household in Colorado, finding her voice in quiet country churches, while Lance Kotara spent years slugging it out in the gritty, smoke-filled clubs of the Texas rock circuit . When they finally crossed paths in Music City, that clash of styles sparked a blazing creative chemistry. They didn’t take the easy road; instead, they hit the pavement, racking up over 100,000 grueling road miles and dropping fan-funded records completely on their own terms—even snagging " New Artist of the Year " at the iHeart Radio Rocky Mountain Country Music Awards along the way. With their 2026 EP, Blues For Breakfast , they strip away the Nashville polish to deliver a gritty, front-porch masterpiece, letting Lance’s blistering Texas blues riffs collide head-on with Lea's powerhouse harmonies.   🎵 LISTEN ...

Austin harmonica player and songwriter Michael Rubin loves to subvert expectations. He pairs a serious musical pedigree—including playing in Broadway pits and backing up blues legends—with a droll, laugh-out-loud sense of humor. Think top-tier musicianship meets witty, relatable storytelling. On his latest album, 5 Minutes of Passion , Rubin lets his roaring chromatic harmonica take center stage, proving you can deliver serious chops without taking yourself too seriously.   🎵 LISTEN & SUPPORT THE ALBUM   The Deep Dive Opening with Dirty Words , a New Orleans rag style track features Michael Rubin on vocal with excellent instrumental backing by Guy Forsyth on banjo, Patrick Harwell on trumpet and trombone, Michael Archer on bass, Jason Corbiere on drums and Paulo Santos on sax and clarinet. Cool opener.  Big If is a dark, sweaty, old school night club rhumba with heavy accents by Archer and Corbiere, guitars by Josh Fulero , Cesar Crespo and Matt Smith  and ...

The Jeff Rupert Quartet stands as one of modern jazz ’s most reliable forces for elegant, deeply swinging acoustic interplay. Guided by acclaimed tenor saxophonist and educator Jeff Rupert , the ensemble has spent decades perfecting a sound that honors classic post-bop traditions while introducing a highly polished, contemporary edge. Rupert’s robust, lyrical tone—reminiscent of masters like Stan Getz and Dexter Gordon —serves as the emotional anchor for an exceptionally tight rhythm section featuring pianist Richard Drexler , bassist Ben Kramer , and legendary drummer Marty Morell , a percussionist renowned for his iconic tenure with the Bill Evans Trio . Together, they approach jazz as a sophisticated conversation, prioritizing emotional depth, melodic clarity, and a flawless collective groove over avant-garde experimentation or sheer technical athletics. Across a celebrated discography that includes acclaimed releases like En Bop and Imagination , the group has continuously pro...