Searching for Soul

The Bahama Soul Club is a Portuguese-based band founded by Oliver Belz. Performing a unique blend of soul, funk, bossa nova, and Caribbean influences, they have firmly established themselves on the map as one of Europe’s leading contemporary jazz outfits. The BSC has just released a brand-new single ‘Hang Out’, featuring a number of Algarve-based musicians, and plans to release a full album in June 2023. 

Oliver Belz has been heavily involved in the music industry for almost 50 years. He began as a drummer in jazz, rock and soul bands in Germany whilst studying art and graphic design. “Throughout the 1990s, I discovered my love for composition, sound engineering and music production and wrote ballet scores for several theatres. I also produced artists for major record companies and created sound designs for show events at Volkswagen. In 2005, I decided to bring all these experiences together and work on my own music. This was when I founded and produced The Juju Orchestra, later renamed The Bahama Soul Club.” 

The band’s first single release was an instant worldwide success, going straight to No.1 on the German Club Charts and staying there for more than 12 weeks. Since then, Oliver has enjoyed continued success. Highlights include working alongside international stars such as Bessie Smith, Spanky Wilson and John Lee Hooker, having a track placed in a Hollywood movie featuring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock and racking up over 60 million streams on Spotify. The nine-piece live band has also had the opportunity to perform across Europe’s leading jazz festivals and worldwide events, such as the Wiesen Jazz Festival in Austria and the German Groove Festival in São Paulo, Brazil. 

Oliver first discovered the hidden beauty of the western Algarve in 1976 when he drove his Mercedes 200D from Germany to Portugal. He fell in love with the natural charm and golden beaches and has returned many times since. He made the permanent move here six years ago and hasn’t regretted it for a moment. “Living in the Algarve provides a very different lifestyle, and the music I compose here is certainly different from what I’ve written before. My new album is directly influenced by the blissful energies of the sun-drenched coastline, the multicultural verve, the wave riders, spiritual seekers, rainbow healers and the mystic maidens. And of course, the funky smell of sandy flip-flops!” 

His time in the Algarve has led Oliver to compose and produce a sixth studio album for The BSC. “Increasingly during the last production, I became aware of the amazing complexity of local artists and talented individuals to be found in western Algarve. I usually scan the world for standout singers with special voices to feature on my albums, but this time I wanted to show a commitment to the colourful local community and artists from the local neighbourhood, quite literally across the lane! What a discovery! I found my studio blessed with some stunning talent. My lovely family at the End Of The World, nicknamed ‘The Sundub Society’, includes musicians Josephine Nightingale, Tiago Saga, Naomi Falcon, Cutty Wren, Hedvig Larsson, Maisha & The Chicks On Beer and more!” 

You can now listen to The Bahama Soul Club’s new single ‘Hang Out’ featuring Hedvig Larsson and Cutty Wren and ‘The Rooster Calls’featuring Josephine Nightingale on all major streaming platforms and online stores. The new album will follow in June (expect a blend of reggae, bossa-soul and nu-jazz). You can also see the group perform live at a number of events in 2023, including the Salema Blue festival in June. 

spoti.fi/3uG0Syq 

www.facebook.com/bahamasoulclub

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