“(…) a guitarist of rare sensitivity.” – All About Jazz
“A filmmaker’s meticulous attention to detail…in the way Molina tells his story via music”
– All About Jazz – Live review
Orlando Molina is a Venezuelan guitarist, composer, and bandleader based in Ireland, recognised for a distinctive musical voice that blends jazz, Latin American music, and instrumental music with cinematic scope, rhythmic vitality, and melodic richness.
Equally fluent on nylon-string and electric guitar, Molina’s playing is marked by lyrical clarity, refined technique, and a strong sense of narrative. His music draws from jazz language and Latin American traditions while remaining firmly contemporary – balancing groove, colour, emotional resonance, and a distinctive melodic voice. As Magy’s Farm observed, his sound is defined by a “gorgeous tone on both electric and nylon guitars,” delivered with a stage presence that is “authoritative and calming.”
After an active career as a session musician and sideman, Molina released his debut album Autorretrato en Tres Colores (Self-Portrait in Three Colours) in 2025. The seven-track recording presents his compositional voice with confidence and depth. The album was praised by Jazzwise as “a classy debut,” while Jazz Ireland described it as “an emotional memoir told through harmony and rhythm — a work that resonates far beyond borders.” All About Jazz highlighted the release as “a poised and deeply lyrical debut from a guitarist of rare sensitivity.”
The record received international attention across Europe, Latin America, and the United States. A standout track, “Anda,” was named International Jazz Song of the Year 2025 in Ireland by The Goo Magazine, reflecting the album’s broad artistic reach and Molina’s growing international profile.
“A mature writer with a rich musical syntax, where South American folklore quietly underpins a contemporary jazz sensibility”
– All About Jazz
As a performer, Molina has toured and appeared extensively across Ireland, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, the United States, Cuba, Israel, Egypt, and Venezuela, performing at major venues and festivals including Jazz at Lincoln Center, the National Concert Hall, Cork Jazz Festival, Bray Jazz Festival, Electric Picnic, Jazz al Parque, and Teatro Teresa Carreño, among many others. He has performed on multiple occasions for the former President of Ireland and collaborated with artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Rubén Blades, Gustavo Dudamel, and David Bisbal, alongside leading orchestras and ensembles in jazz and classical music.
Alongside his work as a bandleader, Molina is a film and audiovisual composer, bringing narrative focus and textural detail to screen projects, and a committed educator, mentoring emerging and professional musicians and fostering creative development.
Whether on stage, on record, or on screen, Orlando Molina’s music is rhythmically alive, melodically rich, and emotionally grounded – connecting deeply with audiences while standing confidently within today’s international jazz landscape.